Nuggets support Russell Westbrook’s miscue despite fan outcry

Apr 2, 2025, 1:36 AM | Updated: 3:36 am

Denver Sports Analyst

DENVER—Russell Westbrook stole another pass in crunch time, resulting in a break for the Denver Nuggets. Unlike his game-clinching steal and layup against the Los Angeles Lakers, his play on Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves will go down as one of the most controversial of the NBA season.

The Wolves won in double overtime 140-139 after a wild sequence.

Down 138-137 with 20 seconds left, Westbrook went to the line where he split two free throws. Missing the second shot, the out-of-bounds appeared to go off of a Wolves player, but the referees didn’t see it and called a jump ball. With both teams out of challenges from lost reviews earlier in the game, the play stuck as a jump ball.

“Both teams were out of challenges at the time of the out of bounds, therefore you can’t review it,” Crew Chief Sean Wright said after the game.

The jump ball was nullified by a foul that sent Nikola Jokic to the free-throw line. He also split his shots to give the Nuggets a 139-138 lead with 17 seconds left.

The Wolves advanced the ball and drew up a third chance to win at the horn. Anthony Edwards got the inbounds pass but was trapped in the corner. His pass to Julius Randle was taken by Westbrook, who sprinted up the floor. Joined by Christian Braun, the two played catch, with Westbrook taking a layup with nine seconds left. He missed. The Wolves rallied the rebound and hurried up the floor, where the ball made its way to Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the corner. His shot was not close but Westbrook’s wild contest sent him to the line where NAW won it for the Wolves.

A FOUL ON THE FINAL THREE-POINT SHOT 😱

THIS SEQUENCE IS INSANE. pic.twitter.com/IBysO7j0Em

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 2, 2025

Both Westbrook’s decision to take the layup and the foul called on him with 0.1 seconds left were a lightning rod.

“Once we go to the monitor, the play is reviewed and we see what time the illegal contact actually happened, the illegal contact occurred at 0.1, therefore, 0.1 is then put on the clock and you shoot the three free throws and play with that time,” Wright explained.

It was unclear if there was any time left when Westbrook hit NAW or how a play of that nature should be judged. Nonetheless, the 39% three-point shooter might not have needed such a panicked contest.

“What, it happens it’s basketball, I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to foul there. He had the best (intentions;) it happens,” Nikola Jokic said after his 61-point triple-double.

The bigger debate was about going for the layup after the steal to begin the sequence. Westbrook had two chances to pull out the ball, waste time and get to the free-throw line. Braun also had a chance. Most fans would say that taking the time off the clock and your chances at the line would be the prudent thing to do.

However, several Nuggets players supported Westbrook’s decision not only affirming it but saying it was the one they would also make.

“It’s a tough one… you got two on one break—as a coach, am I up on the sideline saying don’t go? You have a layup,” Malone said. “But it’s easy to say that in hindsight because we missed a layup, and they gave him three free throws at the end, and this was deciding really crucial stretch of the game.”

Jokic also agreed with Westbrook’s choice to go up with the ball.

“It was a layup, it was two-on-one, they were chasing us to foul. It was the right decision to make,” he said.

“We got a steal, we got two really good fastbreak players playing off each other and I think we got a good look. We trust him to take that shot 100 out of 100 times. That’s not the play that lost us the game, there were other plays. We were in positon multiple times and we have to close. We have to bounce back tomorrow.

The Nuggets lost a sixth-straight game to the Wolves by blowing an 11-point four-quarter lead, a key defeat in the standings, and they now have to rally to play the Spurs on Wednesday.

“Knowing Russ the way I do. He’s probably gonna put a lot of this on him, but we lost. We, as a collective group, lost the game tonight. Not one player.”

It wasn’t just online; Westbrook seemed to get in exchange with a fan in person coming off the floor.