Star guard Russell Westbrook finds himself on the receiving end of heavy backlash after his crucial mistakes doomed the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
After the game went the distance and extended to double overtime, the Nuggets had a chance to win when Westbrook stole the ball with 17.7 seconds left in the second OT.
With the Nuggets leading 139-138 at that point, Westbrook had a clear path to the basket to score and get a more comfortable lead. However, the one-time NBA MVP missed an easy layup, providing the Timberwolves one more chance to score.
As the clock was winding down, Anthony Edwards found Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the corner and passed the ball to him. Alexander-Walker had little time to make a shot, so he needed to quickly get the ball up.
Westbrook, however, contested the shot and was called for a foul with no time left. As a result, the Timberwolves got three free throws, with Alexander-Walker making two for the 140-139 win.
Russell Westbrook steal
Russell Westbrook missed layup
Russell Westbrook foul on a 3PA
Nickeil Alexander-Walker sinks two FTs to win in 2OT.pic.twitter.com/3xJLjEOuLp
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 2, 2025
Naturally, Russell Westbrook's poor play and bad decision-making towards the end of the game sparked outrage and criticism. After all, not only did the Nuggets lose a winnable game, but it also ruined a career night for Nikola Jokic.
The Joker dropped 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the losing effort. Westbrook, meanwhile, finished with 12 points, six rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocks.
"I hate Russell Westbrook with a passion!!!! Most unclutch player in the NBA," an angry commenter exclaimed. Another frustrated viewer shared, "Russell Westbrook I HATE YOU like omggggg."
A social media user posted, "The Russell Westbrook experience." A fourth follower echoed the same sentiment, noting, "The entire Russell Westbrook experience in 20 seconds. This is basketball."
"Russell Westbrook is NOT a winner, he's a loser .. An all timer loser. Stop putting him in conversations with the all-time greats, he's not even close to that stratosphere," a disappointed fan shared.
"Jokic masterclass but it will be remembered as the game Russell Westbrook probably lost the Nuggets fan base rest of his time as a Nugget," a poster further stated.
The Nuggets remain in the top four in the Western Conference standings despite the loss. Still, the loss was quite the brutal blow as they try to secure a playoff spot and a better seeding.
Making it even worse is the fact that the Nuggets had the win in the palm of their hands before they lost it.
Related: Nuggets Center Has Priceless Reaction to April Fool's Prank
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 1:49 AM.