Russell Westbrook and Aaron Gordon
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Aaron Gordon shot down the notion that there's beef between him and Russell Westbrook after the Nuggets latest loss
The Denver Nuggets suffered a tough 112-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinals series on Tuesday night, putting them on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6. After the game, though, Aaron Gordon opted to talk about reports suggesting there was beef between him and Russell Westbrook, rather than the game itself.
It was a tough night for Gordon and Nuggets players not named Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray. While Jokic dropped 44 points and Murray poured in 28 himself, Gordon was the only other player to score in double-figures, but it took him 13 shots to get his 13 points on the night. With the Thunder receiving a balanced scoring effort across the board, they were able to win the fourth quarter 34-19, resulting in Denver suffering a brutal loss.
Aaron Gordon Shoots Down Beef Between Him and Russell Westbrook
Ahead of Game 5, a report surfaced indicating that these may be some internal tension between Westbrook and several players on the Nuggets. An article published by ESPN indicated that Gordon and Westbrook got into a heated argument after Denver’s Game 2 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers in their first-round series, with one of Westbrook’s teammates going as far as to label him “immature.”
The good news for Denver was that, even if this did happen, they managed to overcome it to send Los Angeles packing, as they won that series in seven games. They have also played Oklahoma City tough to this point, as they were tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5. After suffering a loss, though, the Nuggets backs are up against the wall.
This isn’t exactly a position that the team is unfamiliar with, but Gordon was more concerned with the perception that he and Westbrook aren’t on the same page. After the game, he took aim at the piece written about him and Westbrook, saying that there’s no bad blood between them, while also boldly declaring that the former MVP is going to play a big role in helping Denver win their next two games.
“Russ is one of the most talented basketball players that has ever played the game of basketball,” Gordon said of the article after the game. “Quite frankly, he’s been great for us all year long. We’re brothers, we spend more time with our team than we do with our own families. Of course there’s gonna be disagreements, but that conversation wasn’t for anybody other than our own group.”
“That article is just so arbitrary and so far from the truth,” Gordon continued. “Russ has been amazing for us, and not only is he a great basketball player, but he’s an even better human being. He’s gonna continue to be great for us, and he’s gonna make a huge impact, and he’s gonna help us win these next two games.”
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets Looking to Fend Off Elimination in Game 6
Russell Westbrook and Aaron Gordon
GettyAaron Gordon shot down the notion that there’s beef between him and Russell Westbrook after the Nuggets latest loss
Regardless of where things stand between Gordon and Westbrook, it’s clear that the team needs to focus their attention on Game 6 immediately, because if they lose, their season is over. The good news for Denver is that Gordon shot down the notion of him and Westbrook having beef, as he instead gushed over his veteran teammate and his impact on the squad.
The Nuggets will head back to Ball Arena for Game 6, where they will attempt to pick up a victory in front of their home crowd. Tip-off for Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, as Denver will look to keep their season alive and force a Game 7 in this hard-fought series.