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Tim MacMahon
SAN FRANCISCO — Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone thought of Monday’s street matchup in opposition to the Golden State Warriors to be the type of recreation that reveals lots in regards to the psyche of gamers.
The Nuggets sat three starters — three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, co-star Jamal Murray and Christian Braun — due to nagging accidents in opposition to a Golden State group that entered the evening with the NBA’s longest profitable streak.
“There’s some guys who would suppose, ‘Do I actually really feel like enjoying tonight?'” Malone stated after the Nuggets pulled off a 114-105 win at Chase Middle, citing Russell Westbrook and Aaron Gordon as apparent exceptions. “What you like about Russ, what you like about AG [is their mentality]: ‘All proper, effectively, subsequent man up. There’s extra alternative for me.'”
Gordon, who had missed three of the earlier 4 video games due to a sore calf, scored 38 factors, his most in a Denver uniform. Westbrook had 12 factors, 11 rebounds, 16 assists and three steals.
“That ain’t nothing new,” stated Westbrook, who added to his NBA report together with his 203rd profession triple-double. “You have seen that from me earlier than.”
It wasn’t all the time a creative efficiency by Westbrook, who went 5-of-17 from the ground with just a few air balls and dedicated seven turnovers, prompting Malone to crack that he almost had a quadruple-double. However Westbrook’s relentless vitality and depth set the tone for an undermanned Denver squad.
“First off, Russ is not only a canine. He is a wolf,” Gordon stated. “He is totally different. Offensively and defensively, he is all the time on 10, all the time on 12.”
The Nuggets shot 16-of-24 on passes from Westbrook, in response to ESPN Analysis. It was his forty fourth profession triple-double with not less than 15 assists, one shy of tying Corridor of Famer Oscar Robertson for probably the most in NBA historical past.
With Westbrook pushing the tempo, Denver dominated the sport in transition. In line with Second Spectrum monitoring, Denver scored 37 transition factors, the second most Golden State has allowed in a recreation this season.
“I felt from the get-go Russ’ tenacity, his depth, what he brings each single evening,” Malone stated. “Simply being a frontrunner within the huddles, getting on guys, uplifting guys, no matter is required on the time. That is why Russ has been such an ideal addition to us all season lengthy.”
