Nuggets Star Unveils Russell Westbrook’s Secret Advice On Guarding James Harden

The Denver Nuggets put on a clinical performance tonight in Game 7 to advance to the WCSF. Nikola Jokic and Co. were dominant throughout the game, leading the game by 35 points in the third quarter. But the real stars of the 120-101 win were the supporting cast around Jokic, such as Russell Westbrook, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and more.

Other than his 16/5/5, Westbrook also helped his team by teaching Braun how to effectively defend against James Harden. Westbrook and Harden have been teammates in the past during their stints with OKC, the Rockets and the Clippers, so he knows how to contain the Beard.

After taking notes from the master, Braun did a great job of restricting Harden from making any real impact on the floor. At the post-game presser, the 24-year-old credited Westbrook for his effective defensive work. Braun said that the biggest reason why he was able to have a great game was Westbrook.

He said, “He has played against James…Kinda knows his game. So, he was telling me what looks to give him…When to force him right. When he’s going right, this is what he’s doing.” Braun said that he has been learning the tricks to control Harden throughout this series, and he’s glad all the hard work paid off well.

Braun has had a great postseason run so far. Including his 21-point performance in Game 7, he is averaging 12.6 points, 6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Braun’s defensive pressure was instrumental in limiting Harden’s scoring opportunities and disrupting the Clippers’ offensive rhythm. Harden finished the game with just seven points on the board, shooting 2 of 8 from the field and 1 of 4 from the three-point line.

Russell Westbrook is on a great run

Until last year, Westbrook was a part of the Clippers organization. Despite being a part of a team full of stars, he didn’t have a great run in LA. Now, Westbrook is turning the tide in Denver. Apart from his valuable 16-point contribution, Westbrook brought the necessary energy on the floor to help his team secure the important win.

After the game, he said, “My ability to be a force of nature on the court is what I pride myself on. It may be a turnover, it may be a missed shot, but it may be a steal, may be a dunk, may be a missed 3, may be a made 3, it’s going to be everything.”

So far, excluding Game 3 because he was injured and only played nine minutes, he is averaging 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, while shooting over 45% from the field and 46% from the three-point line. After defeating the Clippers, Westbrook will now face the team that drafted him and he played for 11 years, the OKC Thunder.