Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Shifting back to bench
Rotowire
Westbrook isn't starting Thursday's game against the Trail Blazers.
Westbrook drew a spot start due to the absence of Christian Braun on Monday against the Kings, but the 36-year-old will return to his usual reserve role Thursday night. He's been far less productive off the bench of late, as he's been held to 10 or fewer points in each of his last four appearances off the bench.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Sniffs triple-double
Rotowire
Westbrook closed with 18 points (8-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds, 10 assists and three steals over 35 minutes during Monday's 130-129 win over the Kings.
Westbrook finished just one rebound away from recording a triple-double, and the veteran floor general reminded everyone around the league what he can do on games when things are going the right way for him. Westbrook is averaging 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game as a starter, but his role has been inconsistent all season long. He's likely to head back to the bench if Christian Braun (back) is able to start Thursday against the Trail Blazers.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Starting sans Braun
Rotowire
Westbrook will enter the starting lineup in Monday's game against the Kings.
With Christian Braun (back) sidelined, Westbrook will pick up his sixth start of the season Monday. Over five starts, the veteran guard has averaged 14.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field across 32.0 minutes per contest.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Back to bench Friday
Rotowire
Westbrook is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Clippers.
Westbrook will return to the bench Friday since Jamal Murray will make his return from a two-game absence due to hamstring inflammation. Westbrook has been serviceable off the bench for Denver, averaging 10.5 points, 5.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game when deployed in a second-unit role.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Narrowly misses triple-double
Rotowire
Westbrook amassed seven points (3-6 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-4 FT), 10 rebounds, 12 assists, one block and four steals in 32 minutes during Saturday's 122-113 loss to Washington.
Making a spot start in the absence of Jamal Murray (hamstring) on Saturday, Westbrook played a passive role and facilitated Denver's offense with a game-high 12 assists on a night that Nikola Jokic scored a career-high 56 points. Westbrook has now made four appearances as a starter for the Nuggets this season, averaging a solid 15.5 points, 7.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 three-pointers in 32.4 minutes per game as a member of the first unit. The 36-year-old former All-Star may hurt fantasy managers in nine-category formats with his subpar free-throw percentage and high rate of turnovers, but he'd be a strong streaming option in points leagues if Murray ends up missing Sunday's clash with a Hawks team that ranks 28th in the NBA in points allowed per game (119.0).
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Starting Saturday vs. Washington
Rotowire
Westbrook is in the Nuggets' starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Wizards.
Westbrook will make his fourth start of the 2024-25 regular season Saturday due to Jamal Murray (hamstring) being ruled out. Across his three starts, Westbrook has averaged 18.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals over 32.3 minutes per contest.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Leads off bench in defeat
Rotowire
Westbrook finished with 10 points (4-9 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 16 minutes during Thursday's 126-114 loss to Cleveland.
Westbrook provided a nice spark off Denver's bench in Thursday's contest, leading the Nuggets' second unit in scoring, assists and blocks while finishing as one of six players with a double-digit point total. Westbrook has reached double figures in scoring in 10 outings this season, eight of which have come off the bench.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Turns back clock Monday
Rotowire
Westbrook recorded 27 points (9-16 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals in 26 minutes during Monday's 145-118 loss to the Knicks.
Westbrook was impressive Monday and delivered an efficient scoring performance, which resulted in his fourth game with at least 20 points in the current campaign. Westbrook's upside isn't as high as during his prime years, but the veteran continues to carry potential value as a streaming option due to the solid numbers he can deliver on a bench role. Westbrook is averaging 13.2 points, 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game since the beginning of November.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Sees increased role
Rotowire
Westbrook produced 12 points (4-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 2-4 FT), three rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Sunday's 105-90 loss to Memphis.
Nikola Jokic missed his second straight game for personal reasons, allowing Westbrook and several other players to absorb plenty of usage. Despite some decent counting stats at times, Westbrook is not off to the best start with his new team. Through 12 games, he's shooting just 35.1 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 68.6 percent from the free-throw line.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Returning to reserve role
Rotowire
Westbrook will come off the bench in Friday's matchup with the Heat.
With Jamal Murray (concussion) returning from a three-game absence, Westbrook will go back to his role as the No. 2 point guard. The 35-year-old has averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists across 20.8 minutes in five games off the bench this season.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Turns back clock Wednesday
Rotowire
Westbrook amassed 29 points (10-15 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 6-9 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal across 32 minutes during Wednesday's 124-122 victory over Oklahoma City.
Westbrook has been starting in place of Jamal Murray (concussion) in recent games, and the veteran floor general turned back the clock in this one, delivering an impressive performance and filling out the stat sheet against his former team. Westbrook has scored at least 20 points in his last two starts and is averaging 18.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game while replacing Murray in the first unit over the last three contests.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Steps up with solid game
Rotowire
Westbrook chipped in 21 points (6-10 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 8-10 FT), six rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal across 34 minutes during Monday's 121-119 win over Toronto.
Although his stat line doesn't reflect it, Westbrook was excellent on defense, blanketing RJ Barrett for much of the game. Westbrook also thwarted Barrett's last-second attempt to tie the game, forcing him to take an off-balance, low-percentage shot. Thanks to Westbrook, Jamal Murray's (concussion) absence has had little effect on Denver's short-term outlook.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Starting vs. Utah
Rotowire
Westbrook is in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Jazz.
Westbrook will start at point guard for the first time this season while Jamal Murray (concussion) is sidelined. Through the first five games of the regular season, Westbrook is averaging 8.8 points, 4.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 20.8 minutes per game.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Efficient effort in OT win
Rotowire
Westbrook totaled 22 points (5-12 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 10-10 FT), one rebound, five assists and one steal over 21 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's 144-139 overtime victory over the Nets.
After failing to score in double digits during his first three games with Denver, Westbrook broke out Tuesday by drawing plenty of contact and converting at the free-throw line. The 35-year-old guard averaged a career-low 11.1 points a game with the Clippers in 2023-24 and likely won't be a consistent offensive threat at this stage of his career, but he can still deliver occasional upside from the Nuggets' second unit.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Will play Thursday
Rotowire
Westbrook (rest) will be available for Thursday's preseason game against the Timberwolves, head coach Michael Malone told Katy Winge of Altitude Sports.
It's unclear if Westbrook will start or play off the bench, but given that almost everybody will be available for Denver, it wouldn't be surprising if the veteran point guard is part of the second unit. After all, that's the role he'll have once the 2024-25 begins for Denver against the Thunder on Oct. 24.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Out Tuesday
Rotowire
Westbrook (rest) will not play in Tuesday's preseason game against Oklahoma City.
Westbrook -- along with Jamal Murray (rest), Nikola Jokic (rest) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) -- will be held out of preseason action Tuesday night, according to head coach Michael Malone. Westbrook's final opportunity to suit up before the regular season begins will be Thursday evening against Minnesota.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Back in lineup
Rotowire
Westbrook (rest) posted nine points (3-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and six assists in 24 minutes off the bench during Sunday's 118-114 preseason loss to the Suns.
Westbrook missed the team's previous game for rest purposes but returned to the rotation Sunday. Westbrook will likely be a key piece coming off the bench behind Jamal Murray this season -- his first in Denver.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Solid in preseason debut
Rotowire
Westbrook delivered 12 points (3-10 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four rebounds and eight assists across 19 minutes off the bench in Friday's 107-103 preseason loss to the Celtics.
The shooting line wasn't good, but Westbrook racked up stats left and right while seeing a decent amount of minutes -- compared to the starters -- in the preseason opener. The veteran is expected to open the season as Jamal Murray's primary backup and main second-unit scoring threat, but don't be surprised if he sees decent run with the first unit as well, particularly when closing out games.
... See More... See Less
Nuggets' Russell Westbrook: Headed to Denver
Rotowire
The Nuggets signed Westbrook to a two-year, $6.8 million contract Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Westbrook was traded from the Clippers to the Jazz earlier this offseason. The veteran guard was then waived and has now joined the Nuggets after clearing waivers, as expected. In 2023-24, Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.5 minutes across 68 regular-season appearances. In Denver, the 35-year-old point guard will likely earn the backup point guard role to Jamal Murray.
... See More... See Less
Russell Westbrook: Officially waived
Rotowire
The Jazz waived Westbrook on Saturday, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Westbrook was sent to Utah as part of a sign-and-trade that sent Kris Dunn to the Clippers. The expectation was that the Jazz would buy Westbrook's contract out, opening the door for the veteran point guard to sign with Denver after clearing waivers. Saturday's move will officially put Westbrook on waivers, and he should be expected to sign a contract with the Nuggets next week.
