The Tuesday night time conflict between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves felt like a playoff sport all through its length, and for good purpose. Not solely have these two groups constructed up a little bit of a rivalry from their playoff collection final yr, they’re additionally preventing for positioning within the West standings with only some weeks to go earlier than the postseason. So it should have been devastating for the Nuggets to take a 140-139 double additional time loss towards the Timberwolves in the way in which that they did — with Russell Westbrook not precisely protecting himself in glory late within the second additional interval.
Westbrook, who has been a welcome presence for the Nuggets all season lengthy, will shoulder a ton of the blame for Denver’s loss regardless of Nikola Jokic’s bonkers sport that had him drop 61 factors, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a dominant effort. The final minute of the second additional time is one thing Westbrook and the Nuggets would quite neglect.
With round 13 seconds left and the Nuggets up by one, 139-138, Westbrook stole the ball on a foul cross from Anthony Edwards, establishing a two-on-one fastbreak with him and Christian Braun motoring down the court docket. Braun, after receiving the cross from Westbrook, drew the protection of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, forcing him to cross the ball again to Westbrook. The 2017 NBA MVP then proceeded to depart his layup brief, opening the door for Minnesota to win the sport on a mere two-pointer.
Westbrook then compounded issues after getting again on protection. Edwards drew the eye of the Nuggets protection and kicked it out to Alexander-Walker, whom the Nuggets guard proceeded to foul on a reckless shut out on a three-point shot. The Timberwolves guard made two free throws and deliberately missed the third with 0.1 left on the clock — sending the Nuggets tail-spinning all the way in which to defeat.
The veteran Nuggets guard might wish to keep off social media for the subsequent few days.
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Russell Westbrook and the Nuggets fall in main heartbreaker
Shedding is a part of life within the NBA, or in skilled sports activities for that matter. Even the best winners in sports activities know the sting of defeat. However for Russell Westbrook and the Nuggets, shedding within the method they did will go away an imprint that they’ll keep in mind many, a few years from now.
Along with all of Westbrook’s blunders that have been already talked about, the Nuggets guard additionally missed a free throw with 20.1 seconds left that would have given Denver the lead. Now, Nikola Jokic additionally missed an important free throw on their subsequent possession, however Jokic must be exempt from any form of blame for tonight after he put up 61 factors.