When the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, and with it a chance to earn a first-round sweep, Russell Westbrook took the heat. The All-Star point guard took 30 shots while Kevin Durant was hanging around; that, my friends, is an offense deserving of scorn. But Westbrook's aggressive shooting is what makes Russell Westbrook Russell Westbrook: if that's the first time you've shaken your head at a shot by Russ, you haven't been watching much.
Thunder Vs. Nuggets, Game 5: Russell Westbrook, Beguiling In Loss, Has Chance For Amends
He'll have a chance to remind everyone what exactly he offers again on Wednesday, as the Thunder try again to void the Nuggets. This edition's back in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder pounded Denver in Game 2 and where the Thunder have lost just one of five playoff games ever (Game 6 of last year's Lakers series, on a tip at the buzzer).
Westbrook’s actually almost equally rad at home and on the road, though he (like everyone in the league, seemingly) draws more fouls at the Ford Center than abroad. The question will be -- per usual -- about OKC’s defense, and whether it can get the Denver backcourt back under control after a Game 4 outburst. Many picked this series as a barntorcher because the Nuggets had been so explosive on offense, and the Thunder remained unproven on defense. But Oklahoma City has done a good job preventing Denver from running much, and the Nuggets haven’t regularly shared the ball as well as they are capable of.
Be sure to check out our Thunder vs. Nuggets hub for full series coverage. For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver.
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