Mark 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Acts 16:30-31 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Trying to imagine Jokic and MJ on a team lmaoooo 😂😂😂 its INSANE he's not on all-time starting 5s. There's NO CEILING on a Jokic offense. The better pieces you give him, the better the offense will be. He has so many counters on every single defensive action, its unreal
Something that I think gets overlooked a little bit. Because Jokic has such good hands he is able to catch some of Russ' crazy passes that I think would otherwise be turnovers if he were to be passing to a different center.
@@captainobvious90 Players play off of Jokic, which makes the game easy and why his teammates shoot better with him. Players play through Lebron, and they basically have to wait on him. Basically Lebron IS the offensive system. Only certain kinds of players work really well in it (usually spot-up shooters).
Im a HUGE fan of Russ' maturity. Going from Young playoff contender, to big fish, MVP, huge struggles on 2 teams, to huge pay cut. Taking it like an absolute champ and playing his damn heart out every night WANTING to improve. Class act.
Don't forget that Russ' NBA future had been all but written off by most of his former teammates, coaches, fans and the media for the past 2 seasons. That gave him the urge to prove he can still compete at the highest level. When Denver picked him up, most people were scratching their heads about this decision, while I was hoping he might pull off a Rasheed Wallace comeback (for The Pistons). He is looking rejuvenated under Malone's coaching, and has been keeping his big ego and unpredictable behavior in check very well so far. A lot of that, in his own words, was because of Jokić's style of play, reassuring Russel that putting teamwork above all else can, and does, pay off for every player on that team in the long run. Now let's hope he finally gets to win a championship, complete his redemption arc and prove all his detractors wrong.
Mark 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Acts 16:30-31 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
I'm not joking when I say jokic is already on a goat trajectory, the way he makes his teammates better is absolutely insane and so effortless. What a beast!
Mark 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Acts 16:30-31 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
@@bballbreakdown cook em coach. Now cover how James harden is carrying a far less talented team all year and overachieving unlike Steph who's bench was the absolute goat most year lol
Mark 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Acts 16:30-31 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Mark 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Acts 16:30-31 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
What people don’t understand about turnovers is, if a pass has a 40% chance of being a turnover but the field goal attempt that results has a 95% chance for success, then it is a high percentage play as long as it is not the type of turnover that leads to easy transition buckets for the other team. Say you take Russ’s turnover percentage of 16%, if those passes lead to very high percentage baskets for his teammates, which they do, he is creating very efficient offense contrary to popular knowledge and that is borne out in the success he’s had in his career. But people are just too focused on the overall turnover number. Westbrook has a turnover percentage 3% worse than Chris Paul, but Westbrook can create at least 6% more opportunities due to his speed.
Love your comment. Russ has always played like that. Slightly higher risk, much higher reward basketball. It looks bad on the boxscore, but leads to more wins. He used to drive hard to the basket all the time in his prime (except the middy, which became broken along with his FTs -seriously, what the f**k-). His FG percentage was 3-4% below star-level and his turnovers were 25% above. But what critics were too happy ignoring was that Steven Adams (or even Enes Kanter) would make a career of grabbing easy ORB's and stick layups/dunks, thanks to those risky assists and high gravity drives which left no opposition in the paint. I think this is why some absolutely trash teammates who disappeared from basketball once they left the Thunder looked playable next to him. Once he had assumed all the risks and the job was "grab the ball, make the layup", they looked competent.
@@a-j.2002yeah the rule change that said you couldn’t walk near the top of the key on free throws really messed up Russ’s shooting. It was very strange. This year his whole shooting form changed and he’s been shooting much better- feet closer together, more compact. I wonder if it’s the Denver shooting coaches. His shot selection is better too. It seems to me decreasing his pull up jumpers with more catch and shoot, really helped.
Very few passes are worth .95 ts, and you must know how likely to be intercepted that pass is. For those high leverage plays, it's likely more than 16%
The jokic effect makes him have good impact. We in europe often have westbrook stereotypes and we find ways for them to use just their own gifts like russ has in athleticism. And jokic envisioned how it will help him get easier buckets too, plus for jokic he has high respect for him unlike the US-people/media who obsess over how bad russ stats are. Russ Looks Almost Natural Out There now, hes clearly having an easier time doing everything than without jokic
@@rockysalvatore7352 Nah, l don't think that's what he's saying at all, nor do I think it would be a good idea. Murray/Jokic P&R is still ridiculously successful and Murray is a hell of a lot more efficient than Russ is on offense. I agree with the video, the harder the teams, the more difficult this will be to maintain. Murray is the only Nugget besides Jokic who can create his own shot. That is needed come playoff time.
@@fueldr9597 nope. You don't watch. They're smoother wo Murray and joker gets easy looks. Murray is just a better Reggie Jackson. Russ better defense better breaks better at improving teammates including joker lol. If Murray is so good carry the bench. That's all they need. Joker already carries
@@bballbreakdown Yes, you did not cover his playmaking a lot in this video (not a criticism), but Murray is a yo-yo and Westbrook has a completely different mindset even if he spends a possession taking the air out of the ball. And you can see how Braun and Jokic (the most intelligent cutters in the starting lineup) benefit from it. It happens with Gordon too.
I think it'd be one of the late-career rings that would receive the most compliments from other players. He is maybe the player with the biggest ratio of player and coaches respect over media respect.
Jokic as of today has 4 consecutive triple-doubles, all in only 3 quarters. He's averaging 20 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists per 30 minutes of play in the last 4 games.
Great vid Coach! One other thing, I don’t know what the metrics and analytics say about Russ’s defense, but he’s seems to bring great energy and defensive intensity as well! Additionally it helps that he can handle the ball, lessening the burden on Jamal as well!
Its really an aura thing . Even if russ isn't necessarily the best offball defender. The fact if you make a mistake you know if he gets the ball it's a fastbreak you can't guard. So technically his offense bleeds into his defense psychologically. Idk if that makes sense
I’ll def admit I was wrong about Russ to the Nuggets. Very cool to see him thrive with Jokic and be completely selfless. Never been a big fan of Westbrook but gotta give him a ton of respect for adjusting his game
as an okc fan im happy to see russ finally seeming to find a place to stay after getting hot potatoed for the past few years. if okc somehow chokes and doesn't make it to the finals im hoping it's the nuggets because Russ deserves a ring
@ hot potatoed as in passed around. to the rockets, to the wizards, to the lakers, to the clippers, and now the nuggets. like he's treated as a player no one wanted to hold on to.
He takes way better care of his body than Shaq and is willing to guard every position on the floor despite being 6'3. Shaq big ass didnt wanna step out and guard players at the mid range, forget the 3. I'd say Russ is like a super athletic, bigger version of a Rondo not as good as shooter as CP3 but can play like a pure pg with the right pieces. Definitely more involved in the team scoring than Rondo tho. I see him closer to a guard version of Dwight Howard than Shaq, willing to play any role he can to win despite not being the most skilled. A guy who can do it all at an elite level for his size but isn't the best at any one particular skill. Russ with a calm and focused mindset is one of the best passers in the league, when he keeps his turnovers down, and Dwight is one of the best post defenders and shot blockers ever when he doesn't foul. Both can do pretty much everything on the court as well but stick to what they are best at and both bring lots of energy. Any HOF player, even with flaws, can succeed with the right teammates. And Denver looks like the best team Russ has ever been a part of. Imagine if he was in his athletic prime how annoying they would be to guard. Constant dunks on ppl who try to double Jokic and recover. All these shooters with size guys wouldn't wanna contest Russ's dunks in case he passes out to any one of his teammates. If Murray was closer to an SGA or a Jaylen Brown they would be unstoppable rn.
In fact, he is quite the opposite. Hard work vs reliance on genetics and talent. Maybe David Robinson or Pat Ewing would be closer, particularly the latter.
Russ always had good connections with centers so his synergy with Jokic comes naturally. Him getting paired up with not just any center but an ALL-TIME one just makes it easier for him. I love this team.
Man i love Westbrook as a person and as a basketball player but lets wait for the playoffs and see if he can perform the same there. I really hope he earns his ring this year he deserves it
I watch every Nuggets game. It's very clear that Westbrook's been a huge part of their success the last couple months. Turnover prone? Yep. But it's very evident that his energy, rim aggression, defensive play, scoring, and most importantly, his coordination with Jokic far outweigh any negatives. He's won us several games this season already!
As a Suns fan who only sees KD and Book take turns in ISO’s and the rest of the team just shooting 3’s, this kind of teamwork is so refreshing to see. Makes basketball more fun and dynamic.
isn't it amazing when players are willing to cut instead of waiting on the three point line to jack up 3s? this is how basketball is actually played, its called moving without the ball, people should really try it
Excellent Narrative! Appreciated the time. Agree with all. Over the years I've not been a huge Russ fan, even though he's very very talented. I too was very skeptical the Nuggets brought him on. I was sure there would be issues in the locker room and on the floor. I don't know if I've ever been happier to be wrong about something. Thank you Joker and Nuggets for pushing for this acquisition. Thanks again for the excellent breakdown!
Nikola Jokic is a GENIUS for seeing the value and superb synergies formed with Russ when no one else did. With his profound understanding of team composition and strategy, he could easily retire and become a GM or an Owner and have another dynasty. He's far better than the fake GOAT they have on the Lakers.
Give & Go Play with Russell Westbrook as the cutter for layups. Former Laker teammate LeBron James did it all wrong, Westbrook off the ball at the right wing for a catch during Give & Go Play possessions.ran Pick & Pop for his own stats, Westbrook at the right wing to catch the pass instead of Westbrook being the cutter with A.D in the opposite short corner.
I saw Russ improvement when he was at the clippers. He was making one handed hand off that he wouldn’t do when he was at OKC, and tried running off ball, but didn’t find success. At this age, he knows he can’t relies on physicality anymore but maturity. I hope he will win a championship this year!
@@mirnivoznik8536 I think he's horrible. He can't generate good looks wo joker. His sets aren't special. His lineups and mins are weird and he needs to bench Jamal
I'm so glad Wes has figured out how to play without the ball. I always thought he would be more effective running cuts as the non-ball handler. He'd run the defense ragged with his endless energy. He's looking so good!
I too am shocked that when a player adjusts his game instead of telling everyone that he's not being allowed to do what he's been doing for his career, that he can have continued success.
The main reason Russ didn't cut in OKC, LA, Washington and Houston is because that's how the offense's were. He did play with great passers like Harden and LeBron but they don't operate as a hub like the big man in Denver where guards can read exactly what the defense will do once Joker gets the ball from spots where he can also read what the defense will do. With LeBron and Harden, they are more drive and dish type of assist men. Joker passes out of the post and short roll and off the rebound in transition so it's a lot easier to play off of his talent
He talks about him like he’s the only ball dominant point guard that’s how most offenses are ran with the guard dominating the ball 🙄. Please show me the tape of Chris Paul, Chauncey billups, or Steve Nash doing a bunch of back cuts you won’t find many from either. And you also have to have a competent passer to do this in OKC who was their next best playmaker after him oladipo? Alex abrines?
@@bballbreakdown how many cuts was rondo, Jason Kidd, or ja morant doing? There’s some non shooters for you. Plus you need competent passers to do this who was supposed to be doing it in OKC Steven Adam’s? Raymond Felton? I watched that whole 2020 rockets there’s plenty of harden Russ baseline cuts but you conveniently left that out.
@@bballbreakdown I think the main thing I learned from the video about Russ is that you need good coaching and good passers to make it work in the NBA and I'm think it's a good idea for older players to seek good coaching that they can trust in the back ends of their career. Like Steph and SGA will be useful in any offense because they can get to their spots off ball after they get older and can't blow by younger guys off the dribble. Russ even at 6'3" still has some bounce to work through the seams even though his jumper hasn't historically good. Keeping spacing and making sure one cutter doesn't draw eyeballs or help to the another cutter takes practice time and communication and I don't think even the warriors are have more than 2 counters into their offense any more because it's harder to install unless you have guys like Russ and Joker who will take the chance to thread the needle
Steven Adams is a master at providing both hand offs and back door passes to cutters. He is also the best screen setter in the NBA and held that title every single year he played with Russ and Ja.
Any one else see Jokic give the middle finger move. Both hands at the 10:40 mark. Watch all nuggets games and don't really notice Russ turn over that much because what he will do after that. Make a lot more good plays then bad for sure.
Man that would’ve been cool if these two could’ve linked up earlier in Westbrook career. Don’t think they can win a chip this year but they will be one of the greatest what if dynamic duos.
i'm with nick, i didn't think this was gonna work. But boy was i and nick wrong. He's playing exactly how i and nick wanted him to play. His iq legit went up by 50 points overnight. Truly a beautiful thing by westbrook. He has gained my respect and if ithis is what i remembe about him, i'll see him in a positive light. I wish him a chip and the best. Btw west was really smart in school .Teh dude had like a 4.0 gpa. lol his problem was ego
New to this channel. I liked how he discussed not just the best moments but also the areas of improvements for Russ. Maybe those exact areas were what hurting the lakers team before and they weren’t wrong for letting Russ go 🤔 anyways, happy for Russ man
Jokic team mates themselves said just cut to the basket answer and jokic will find you. It's Jokic quick decision making even though the ball and offense goes thru him the majority of the time when he is playing. Some people of the players are rubbing off of jokic in terms of play style since they are cutting to the basket more and even making flashy looking passes since aaron gordan and peyton watson are making jokic type passes when watching the games. It makes sense because the team is following the leader of the team and it begins to resonate with players on the team but certain players still needs to work and refine parts of there game in the offensive end plus the defense needs improvement in terms of consistency. When the nuggets play, they sometimes look like they are ready to play aggressive and attack the basket and sometimes the players just settle for jump shots instead of the consist team oriented style to play consist and they would just randomly jack up low percentage shots and the shot selection needs some improvement and cut down on turn overs. The way jokic and westbrook are playing, they look like they have been playing together for many years and they built chemistry as team mates fairly quickly.
As much as i hate Gordon not starting, he really makes the second unit a true force. He is more adaptable than Westbrook and does better than him off the bench. Their second unit is about 3 times better now and that was their weak point.
I honestly think this team is looking better than the championship Nuggets. If Murray can be the best version of himself and fit into this system they are a serious threat
russ should not pick his dribble right away if he dont see open man or basket, he should watch carefully the defense thats why he is predictable in the lane.
Jokic will make sure you get the ball, the ring and the bag, just be there, make sure you give it your all. He will acknowledge that and make sure you are not being pushed to the side.
Its a pleasure to see someone adapting a new style to their game. Russ cutting more hes moving off ball now he utilising his speed. Just need to learn cut on turnover.
Russ has the skill, talent and smarts to make it work, to me it was just about his attitude, does he want to make the adjustment ... of course it helps to have someone like Jokic's caliber as well (Jokic's skill and attitude also plays a huge part). Good to see it's working out for both he and the Nuggets.
The most surprising thing to me is how a 36 year old Westbrook is able to take advantage of Jokic’s gravity and get so many layups at the basket. And even more surprising is how none of his teammates could do the same while being much younger.
This is a great video. Great job Coach. I feel like Russ has gotten a lot of flack in the past, but it's good to see him doing better somewhere that is putting him to good use. You are correct in pointing out some lingering problems though. Hopefully, they can get over the hump and he will improve that aspect of his game.
Why would Russ not compliment Jokic and the nuggets? He’s exactly the kind of player Jokic likes to play with. I think it’s insane how often I hear “Oh I didn’t think Jokic and Westbrook would work”. He’s literally a guard version of Aaron Gordon who’s had a ton of success in Denver. Y’all count Russ out way too easily and obviously don’t look at anything other than “oh he isn’t a shooter”
@@rockysalvatore7352 in terms of how Denver has been using Westbrook, they’re literally utilized the exact same way, except Westbrook applies his guard skills. You quite apparently haven’t been watching any Denver games
@@tracelawson1367 you haven't been watching. Russ isn't in dunkers spot and runs pnr and operates break. Chase defense vs body up defense. Gordon plays more like a mismatch and Russ plays like an engine and cutter. Gordon seals oops and mismatch post guy. That's a lot lol
@@bballbreakdown speed size huge difference. Operator vs finisher. One attacks smalls the other bigs. One needs joker the other can engine wo better. Fb menace vs fb finisher
5:51 It was abundantly clear here that Russ thinking about hogging the ball for a second. He then realizes this was Jokic. He has complete trust in him that if he passes to Jokic, he will get the ball back.
I've been telling this for years that russ should be taking advantage of his insane athleticism and explosiveness by cutting and moving without a ball more often. Also I'm glad he be doing more on defense this year.
It works for them because it's difficult to double off of other players because they are good shooters like MPJ and Murray. Maybe teams are deciding that it's better to give two points to Russ than three points to others.
Gotta give Russ his flowers a 6’3 guard at 36 years old is still one of the most athletic and explosive players in the league the dude is a freak
No more stat padding
Apparently they actually list him at 6'4 now he's probably somewhere between 6'3 and1/2 and 6'4
They should make more videos about Christian Braun🙂😎🥸 Check out Brian's highlights...he is the Nuggets secret weapon😎🥸🙂
@@gizzys-bigwizzy7629 no
@@gizzys-bigwizzy7629 I actually agree it's crazy but Braun could be the fastest most athletic white player of all-time .
Nobody thought it would work except Jokic. Jokic knows basketball.
Russ thought it would work
I did, anyone who said the Nuggets aren't contenders anymore clearly does not watch Jokić
Mark 1:15
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 16:30-31
and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And Paul Pierce 😉
Anyone that knows basketball knew it would lmao
Jokic is THE ultimate complementary player, and THE ultimate #1 option
He is the authentic "he can do the right play" Because his shots are high percentage. Unlike LeBron, his right play is to pass the ball.
@@Nothing-nf8ve you mean unlike Steph right
Trying to imagine Jokic and MJ on a team lmaoooo 😂😂😂 its INSANE he's not on all-time starting 5s. There's NO CEILING on a Jokic offense. The better pieces you give him, the better the offense will be. He has so many counters on every single defensive action, its unreal
@@rockysalvatore7352ummm no... the right play w steph is shoot the ball
@@rockysalvatore7352 no. Definitely LeBron because they are comparable.
Something that I think gets overlooked a little bit. Because Jokic has such good hands he is able to catch some of Russ' crazy passes that I think would otherwise be turnovers if he were to be passing to a different center.
Yes this makes sense to me lolz
It goes both ways, Russel has never played with anyone like Jokic, and the same vice-versa; high IQ patient player and an intense athletic guard.
@@farmingnodak got me thinking, why couldn't the Lakers and LeBron make it work with Westbrook...
@@captainobvious90 Because LeBron isn't as good as the media try to make him seem
@@captainobvious90 Players play off of Jokic, which makes the game easy and why his teammates shoot better with him. Players play through Lebron, and they basically have to wait on him. Basically Lebron IS the offensive system. Only certain kinds of players work really well in it (usually spot-up shooters).
Im a HUGE fan of Russ' maturity. Going from Young playoff contender, to big fish, MVP, huge struggles on 2 teams, to huge pay cut. Taking it like an absolute champ and playing his damn heart out every night WANTING to improve. Class act.
Hall of fame career and mentality. I can't help but respect Russ
Don't forget that Russ' NBA future had been all but written off by most of his former teammates, coaches, fans and the media for the past 2 seasons. That gave him the urge to prove he can still compete at the highest level. When Denver picked him up, most people were scratching their heads about this decision, while I was hoping he might pull off a Rasheed Wallace comeback (for The Pistons). He is looking rejuvenated under Malone's coaching, and has been keeping his big ego and unpredictable behavior in check very well so far. A lot of that, in his own words, was because of Jokić's style of play, reassuring Russel that putting teamwork above all else can, and does, pay off for every player on that team in the long run. Now let's hope he finally gets to win a championship, complete his redemption arc and prove all his detractors wrong.
Mark 1:15
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 16:30-31
and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
I'm not joking when I say jokic is already on a goat trajectory, the way he makes his teammates better is absolutely insane and so effortless. What a beast!
If he wasn't white he'd be in the conversation
Already replaced Tim Duncan and Olajuwon in my dream team.
I follow basketball since 2006 and Lebron is my favorite player, but Jokic is the best player I've ever seen. This guy is from another planet!
Mark 1:15
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 16:30-31
and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
@@acctsysdamn😂
I don't want to jinx it, but russ winning a ring would be just insane.
totally insane and I'm here for it
It's quite a shock to hear coach say good things about Westbrook 😆
Put Russ in GS
Then near the end of the video he reverted back
lol at reverted. It's called fair and balanced analysis
@@bballbreakdown cook em coach. Now cover how James harden is carrying a far less talented team all year and overachieving unlike Steph who's bench was the absolute goat most year lol
@@bballbreakdownYeah it's fair when you aren't biased.
The transition connection between Russ and Braun too, those guys sure have motors
Yeah, it's been so fun! I had a great moment I didn't use where Russ gives him a huge hug after another transition finish
Mark 1:15
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 16:30-31
and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Mark 1:15
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 16:30-31
and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And Jokic just dropped a 35-22-17 masterpiece plus a 66-footer. Good timing coach!
What people don’t understand about turnovers is, if a pass has a 40% chance of being a turnover but the field goal attempt that results has a 95% chance for success, then it is a high percentage play as long as it is not the type of turnover that leads to easy transition buckets for the other team. Say you take Russ’s turnover percentage of 16%, if those passes lead to very high percentage baskets for his teammates, which they do, he is creating very efficient offense contrary to popular knowledge and that is borne out in the success he’s had in his career. But people are just too focused on the overall turnover number. Westbrook has a turnover percentage 3% worse than Chris Paul, but Westbrook can create at least 6% more opportunities due to his speed.
Love your comment. Russ has always played like that.
Slightly higher risk, much higher reward basketball. It looks bad on the boxscore, but leads to more wins.
He used to drive hard to the basket all the time in his prime (except the middy, which became broken along with his FTs -seriously, what the f**k-).
His FG percentage was 3-4% below star-level and his turnovers were 25% above. But what critics were too happy ignoring was that Steven Adams (or even Enes Kanter) would make a career of grabbing easy ORB's and stick layups/dunks, thanks to those risky assists and high gravity drives which left no opposition in the paint.
I think this is why some absolutely trash teammates who disappeared from basketball once they left the Thunder looked playable next to him. Once he had assumed all the risks and the job was "grab the ball, make the layup", they looked competent.
@@a-j.2002yeah the rule change that said you couldn’t walk near the top of the key on free throws really messed up Russ’s shooting. It was very strange. This year his whole shooting form changed and he’s been shooting much better- feet closer together, more compact. I wonder if it’s the Denver shooting coaches.
His shot selection is better too. It seems to me decreasing his pull up jumpers with more catch and shoot, really helped.
Very few passes are worth .95 ts, and you must know how likely to be intercepted that pass is. For those high leverage plays, it's likely more than 16%
@@SoloPerICommenti Dunks are a good percentage of Russ’s assist results. 16% is Westbrook’s average percent of plays that end in a turnover.
Your comments are very interesting. U know where can I find statistics like that? @@leonyses2887
The jokic effect makes him have good impact. We in europe often have westbrook stereotypes and we find ways for them to use just their own gifts like russ has in athleticism. And jokic envisioned how it will help him get easier buckets too, plus for jokic he has high respect for him unlike the US-people/media who obsess over how bad russ stats are.
Russ Looks Almost Natural Out There now, hes clearly having an easier time doing everything than without jokic
I'd also argue Jokic is scoring more because of Russ
@@bballbreakdown #benchmurray
@@rockysalvatore7352 Nah, l don't think that's what he's saying at all, nor do I think it would be a good idea. Murray/Jokic P&R is still ridiculously successful and Murray is a hell of a lot more efficient than Russ is on offense. I agree with the video, the harder the teams, the more difficult this will be to maintain. Murray is the only Nugget besides Jokic who can create his own shot. That is needed come playoff time.
@@fueldr9597 nope. You don't watch. They're smoother wo Murray and joker gets easy looks. Murray is just a better Reggie Jackson. Russ better defense better breaks better at improving teammates including joker lol. If Murray is so good carry the bench. That's all they need. Joker already carries
@@bballbreakdown Yes, you did not cover his playmaking a lot in this video (not a criticism), but Murray is a yo-yo and Westbrook has a completely different mindset even if he spends a possession taking the air out of the ball. And you can see how Braun and Jokic (the most intelligent cutters in the starting lineup) benefit from it. It happens with Gordon too.
I'm just happy for Russ
I'm happy for Braun also🙂🤗...I wish that they would make more videos about Braun😎🥳🙂
@@gizzys-bigwizzy7629 go away Christian
@@gizzys-bigwizzy7629same
I really want the Nuggets to win the championship this year. I would cry to see WB win one given his circumstances from Houston to the Clippers.
I think it'd be one of the late-career rings that would receive the most compliments from other players.
He is maybe the player with the biggest ratio of player and coaches respect over media respect.
Really Happy for him, hopefully it continues to work Out.
that looking at eachother chemistry looks crazy, honestly if they can just exploit this fully, another championship could be inbound
Jokic as of today has 4 consecutive triple-doubles, all in only 3 quarters. He's averaging 20 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists per 30 minutes of play in the last 4 games.
Great vid Coach! One other thing, I don’t know what the metrics and analytics say about Russ’s defense, but he’s seems to bring great energy and defensive intensity as well! Additionally it helps that he can handle the ball, lessening the burden on Jamal as well!
On ball he's still good. Unfortunately, he's still got that off ball, ball watching, weakness.
Its really an aura thing . Even if russ isn't necessarily the best offball defender. The fact if you make a mistake you know if he gets the ball it's a fastbreak you can't guard. So technically his offense bleeds into his defense psychologically. Idk if that makes sense
@@trollking4058Agreed, and I feel that’s a general thing with the Nuggets. Feels like MPJ and Murray do that a bit too 😅
@@shiftydj9275it does make sense. I also love some of the steals cause they feel timely, and swing the momentum sometimes.
I’ll def admit I was wrong about Russ to the Nuggets. Very cool to see him thrive with Jokic and be completely selfless. Never been a big fan of Westbrook but gotta give him a ton of respect for adjusting his game
as an okc fan im happy to see russ finally seeming to find a place to stay after getting hot potatoed for the past few years. if okc somehow chokes and doesn't make it to the finals im hoping it's the nuggets because Russ deserves a ring
@@connorbowen3987 he didn't potato in clips. It took like a year but he was great and then harden completely dwarfed his value after a month or so
@ hot potatoed as in passed around. to the rockets, to the wizards, to the lakers, to the clippers, and now the nuggets. like he's treated as a player no one wanted to hold on to.
You mean if they do not play vs Dallas in first round?
Russ is the Shaq of point guards.
He takes way better care of his body than Shaq and is willing to guard every position on the floor despite being 6'3. Shaq big ass didnt wanna step out and guard players at the mid range, forget the 3. I'd say Russ is like a super athletic, bigger version of a Rondo not as good as shooter as CP3 but can play like a pure pg with the right pieces. Definitely more involved in the team scoring than Rondo tho. I see him closer to a guard version of Dwight Howard than Shaq, willing to play any role he can to win despite not being the most skilled. A guy who can do it all at an elite level for his size but isn't the best at any one particular skill. Russ with a calm and focused mindset is one of the best passers in the league, when he keeps his turnovers down, and Dwight is one of the best post defenders and shot blockers ever when he doesn't foul. Both can do pretty much everything on the court as well but stick to what they are best at and both bring lots of energy. Any HOF player, even with flaws, can succeed with the right teammates. And Denver looks like the best team Russ has ever been a part of. Imagine if he was in his athletic prime how annoying they would be to guard. Constant dunks on ppl who try to double Jokic and recover. All these shooters with size guys wouldn't wanna contest Russ's dunks in case he passes out to any one of his teammates. If Murray was closer to an SGA or a Jaylen Brown they would be unstoppable rn.
Nope. He’s Russ all the way. Happy for Brodie.
In fact, he is quite the opposite.
Hard work vs reliance on genetics and talent.
Maybe David Robinson or Pat Ewing would be closer, particularly the latter.
Russ always had good connections with centers so his synergy with Jokic comes naturally. Him getting paired up with not just any center but an ALL-TIME one just makes it easier for him. I love this team.
Never been a fan of Westbrook basketball decisions (shot selection and defense), but the guy brings instant energy.
Man i love Westbrook as a person and as a basketball player but lets wait for the playoffs and see if he can perform the same there. I really hope he earns his ring this year he deserves it
I watch every Nuggets game. It's very clear that Westbrook's been a huge part of their success the last couple months. Turnover prone? Yep. But it's very evident that his energy, rim aggression, defensive play, scoring, and most importantly, his coordination with Jokic far outweigh any negatives. He's won us several games this season already!
As a Suns fan who only sees KD and Book take turns in ISO’s and the rest of the team just shooting 3’s, this kind of teamwork is so refreshing to see. Makes basketball more fun and dynamic.
isn't it amazing when players are willing to cut instead of waiting on the three point line to jack up 3s? this is how basketball is actually played, its called moving without the ball, people should really try it
I love TH-camrs acknowledging they were wrong about Russ. Early days as a starter but they #1 offence since then
“Can I has more please?” Killed me good shit coach
🐈 🤣😂
Excellent Narrative! Appreciated the time. Agree with all. Over the years I've not been a huge Russ fan, even though he's very very talented. I too was very skeptical the Nuggets brought him on. I was sure there would be issues in the locker room and on the floor. I don't know if I've ever been happier to be wrong about something. Thank you Joker and Nuggets for pushing for this acquisition. Thanks again for the excellent breakdown!
it started with a compliment but it end up with a passive attack
You know Russ is playing exceptional when BBALLBREAKDOWN appreciates him.
Nikola Jokic is a GENIUS for seeing the value and superb synergies formed with Russ when no one else did. With his profound understanding of team composition and strategy, he could easily retire and become a GM or an Owner and have another dynasty. He's far better than the fake GOAT they have on the Lakers.
If nuggets win a chip with Westbrook it's gonna a slap in Lebron's face
but lebum loves being slapped in the face at diddy parties.
10:05 as a Heat fan, nothing hurts more than to be compared to Portland and Utah. But I guess you have a point
@@BobbyKnuckles21 Portland brighter future. Deni worf sharpie Simons ayton and Rob to trade and grant too
Ware looks like a beast
I knew it and i am very happy for Westbrook.
That give and go game has always been effective players today just to selfish to give and lazy to go
Give & Go Play with Russell Westbrook as the cutter for layups. Former Laker teammate LeBron James did it all wrong, Westbrook off the ball at the right wing for a catch during Give & Go Play possessions.ran Pick & Pop for his own stats, Westbrook at the right wing to catch the pass instead of Westbrook being the cutter with A.D in the opposite short corner.
I'm happy that russ found a place to fit in. He deserves it, i like that he's rarely injured
Great video coach keep up the good work 👍🏼
Thx so much!!
Two things is important. Russ and Jokic get along and Russ is having fun again.
I started following coach Nick when he has was the biggest Russ critic. Glad to see this turn around.
My favourite video this year!
I saw Russ improvement when he was at the clippers. He was making one handed hand off that he wouldn’t do when he was at OKC, and tried running off ball, but didn’t find success. At this age, he knows he can’t relies on physicality anymore but maturity. I hope he will win a championship this year!
Always happy to hear good news for Westbrook.
And he was the one to actually want him, better logic than the front office
Malone runs a good ship there. Congrats!
He absolutely does
@@mirnivoznik8536 I think he's horrible. He can't generate good looks wo joker. His sets aren't special. His lineups and mins are weird and he needs to bench Jamal
I'm so glad Wes has figured out how to play without the ball. I always thought he would be more effective running cuts as the non-ball handler. He'd run the defense ragged with his endless energy. He's looking so good!
Nice breakdown! Now subscribing!
The duo that we didn’t know we need and love
This really is beautiful to see 🥹
I too am shocked that when a player adjusts his game instead of telling everyone that he's not being allowed to do what he's been doing for his career, that he can have continued success.
The main reason Russ didn't cut in OKC, LA, Washington and Houston is because that's how the offense's were. He did play with great passers like Harden and LeBron but they don't operate as a hub like the big man in Denver where guards can read exactly what the defense will do once Joker gets the ball from spots where he can also read what the defense will do. With LeBron and Harden, they are more drive and dish type of assist men. Joker passes out of the post and short roll and off the rebound in transition so it's a lot easier to play off of his talent
He talks about him like he’s the only ball dominant point guard that’s how most offenses are ran with the guard dominating the ball 🙄. Please show me the tape of Chris Paul, Chauncey billups, or Steve Nash doing a bunch of back cuts you won’t find many from either. And you also have to have a competent passer to do this in OKC who was their next best playmaker after him oladipo? Alex abrines?
a big difference btwn Chauncey, Nash, and CP3 is that they were all good shooters
@@bballbreakdown how many cuts was rondo, Jason Kidd, or ja morant doing? There’s some non shooters for you. Plus you need competent passers to do this who was supposed to be doing it in OKC Steven Adam’s? Raymond Felton? I watched that whole 2020 rockets there’s plenty of harden Russ baseline cuts but you conveniently left that out.
@@bballbreakdown I think the main thing I learned from the video about Russ is that you need good coaching and good passers to make it work in the NBA and I'm think it's a good idea for older players to seek good coaching that they can trust in the back ends of their career. Like Steph and SGA will be useful in any offense because they can get to their spots off ball after they get older and can't blow by younger guys off the dribble. Russ even at 6'3" still has some bounce to work through the seams even though his jumper hasn't historically good. Keeping spacing and making sure one cutter doesn't draw eyeballs or help to the another cutter takes practice time and communication and I don't think even the warriors are have more than 2 counters into their offense any more because it's harder to install unless you have guys like Russ and Joker who will take the chance to thread the needle
Steven Adams is a master at providing both hand offs and back door passes to cutters.
He is also the best screen setter in the NBA and held that title every single year he played with Russ and Ja.
Excellent video brother
🙏🏀🙏
Any one else see Jokic give the middle finger move. Both hands at the 10:40 mark. Watch all nuggets games and don't really notice Russ turn over that much because what he will do after that. Make a lot more good plays then bad for sure.
Man that would’ve been cool if these two could’ve linked up earlier in Westbrook career. Don’t think they can win a chip this year but they will be one of the greatest what if dynamic duos.
A rare positive Russell Westbrook video from Coach Nick. Interesting times lol
i'm with nick, i didn't think this was gonna work. But boy was i and nick wrong. He's playing exactly how i and nick wanted him to play. His iq legit went up by 50 points overnight. Truly a beautiful thing by westbrook. He has gained my respect and if ithis is what i remembe about him, i'll see him in a positive light. I wish him a chip and the best. Btw west was really smart in school .Teh dude had like a 4.0 gpa. lol his problem was ego
New to this channel. I liked how he discussed not just the best moments but also the areas of improvements for Russ. Maybe those exact areas were what hurting the lakers team before and they weren’t wrong for letting Russ go 🤔
anyways, happy for Russ man
Welcome to the conversation! I'm glad you enjoyed the video -lots more coming up
i am just happy that russ is having fun
Coach we need a Kings video with the resurgence under Doug Christie
Working on it - next week! Should have a special guest on for it
Im just glad Brodie being treated like a superstar he is not a Scapegoat.
@@MaverickZ007 not a all star even rn. Still better than Murray
@@rockysalvatore7352he should be
He looks happy now. Im glad for Russ man, he looked bad on other teams and Jokic undertands him.
Can you make something about the clippers game today?
Jokic team mates themselves said just cut to the basket answer and jokic will find you. It's Jokic quick decision making even though the ball and offense goes thru him the majority of the time when he is playing. Some people of the players are rubbing off of jokic in terms of play style since they are cutting to the basket more and even making flashy looking passes since aaron gordan and peyton watson are making jokic type passes when watching the games. It makes sense because the team is following the leader of the team and it begins to resonate with players on the team but certain players still needs to work and refine parts of there game in the offensive end plus the defense needs improvement in terms of consistency. When the nuggets play, they sometimes look like they are ready to play aggressive and attack the basket and sometimes the players just settle for jump shots instead of the consist team oriented style to play consist and they would just randomly jack up low percentage shots and the shot selection needs some improvement and cut down on turn overs. The way jokic and westbrook are playing, they look like they have been playing together for many years and they built chemistry as team mates fairly quickly.
As much as i hate Gordon not starting, he really makes the second unit a true force. He is more adaptable than Westbrook and does better than him off the bench. Their second unit is about 3 times better now and that was their weak point.
I honestly think this team is looking better than the championship Nuggets. If Murray can be the best version of himself and fit into this system they are a serious threat
I honestly thought Russ was just Gona run the bench unit which I was okay with but this is better haha
I just saw a video from 11 years ago with Austin rivers you made
And your still going 🙏🏾🙏🏾🖤
russ should not pick his dribble right away if he dont see open man or basket, he should watch carefully the defense thats why he is predictable in the lane.
Jokic will make sure you get the ball, the ring and the bag, just be there, make sure you give it your all. He will acknowledge that and make sure you are not being pushed to the side.
Kareem and Oscar ---- Jokic and Westbrook
Say this after they win a few playoff series that’s where you’ll kno if Russ truly fits this is regular season heaven
Its a pleasure to see someone adapting a new style to their game. Russ cutting more hes moving off ball now he utilising his speed. Just need to learn cut on turnover.
Russ has the skill, talent and smarts to make it work, to me it was just about his attitude, does he want to make the adjustment ... of course it helps to have someone like Jokic's caliber as well (Jokic's skill and attitude also plays a huge part). Good to see it's working out for both he and the Nuggets.
The most surprising thing to me is how a 36 year old Westbrook is able to take advantage of Jokic’s gravity and get so many layups at the basket. And even more surprising is how none of his teammates could do the same while being much younger.
Braun constantly does that.
See what happens when you move without the ball instead of just standing in the corner? That's why I hate iso ball. Cut to get easy baskets man.
Jok & Russ will be unstoppable in the PO and if Jamal start to hoop, mmm damn
I'm a diehard Jordan guy but Jokic will be the goat
This is a great video. Great job Coach. I feel like Russ has gotten a lot of flack in the past, but it's good to see him doing better somewhere that is putting him to good use. You are correct in pointing out some lingering problems though. Hopefully, they can get over the hump and he will improve that aspect of his game.
Thx so much!! 🙏🏀🙏
@ No problem! 🙏🏀🙏
Russ is a real deal this season, Jokic has his best season ever… Nuggets can run very deep if they stay healthy
Russell shoots better for the Nuggets because he gets better quality shots due to the spacing Jokic commands.
Why would Russ not compliment Jokic and the nuggets? He’s exactly the kind of player Jokic likes to play with. I think it’s insane how often I hear “Oh I didn’t think Jokic and Westbrook would work”. He’s literally a guard version of Aaron Gordon who’s had a ton of success in Denver. Y’all count Russ out way too easily and obviously don’t look at anything other than “oh he isn’t a shooter”
@@tracelawson1367 him and Gordon nothing alike lol
Well, when he first signed, it was like: "they're adding a guy who doesn't move well off the ball and can't shoot."
@@rockysalvatore7352 in terms of how Denver has been using Westbrook, they’re literally utilized the exact same way, except Westbrook applies his guard skills. You quite apparently haven’t been watching any Denver games
@@tracelawson1367 you haven't been watching. Russ isn't in dunkers spot and runs pnr and operates break. Chase defense vs body up defense. Gordon plays more like a mismatch and Russ plays like an engine and cutter. Gordon seals oops and mismatch post guy. That's a lot lol
@@bballbreakdown speed size huge difference. Operator vs finisher. One attacks smalls the other bigs. One needs joker the other can engine wo better. Fb menace vs fb finisher
Nuggets did beat the thunder (best team in the league) where Russ had 29 points on 15 shots. Please do your research
@@ifailatblackops1 exactly wo Jamal leeching off them. That's their best lineup w Watson and Russ. Gordon Jamal should bolster bench
I dont even think this channel is real, i think its ai generated
@@Itchyboy_ dumb dumb. Coach goes live lol
can’t lie i wrote him off too soon. love to see russ thriving
Glad to see Russ reinventing himself and being Happy on the court again.
Great to see - I wonder how far they can get in the playoffs
This is it. Rus looks better now than back when he was averaging a triple double.
Gotta hand it down to Jokic. He achieved something Lebron could not. Dude is different, a Superstar player genuinely want to be around.
One of the most random Duos to happen 😂
💯 correct. They’re like fire and Ice… all Blades of Glory and shit.
5:51 It was abundantly clear here that Russ thinking about hogging the ball for a second. He then realizes this was Jokic. He has complete trust in him that if he passes to Jokic, he will get the ball back.
Coach Nick also have gone through the 'whole Russ experience'. 😉 Happy for the electrical veteran.
Prob the spacing helps as well. Good one russ!
it really is such beautiful form of basketball to watch. if you disagree then you don't know ball
I've been telling this for years that russ should be taking advantage of his insane athleticism and explosiveness by cutting and moving without a ball more often. Also I'm glad he be doing more on defense this year.
seems like they have mastered the give and go
Where is the regular music ….
Joker expressly asked for him, no? Looks like it was another move with good reason
It works for them because it's difficult to double off of other players because they are good shooters like MPJ and Murray. Maybe teams are deciding that it's better to give two points to Russ than three points to others.
the king of triple doubles with the new king of triple doubles - if this keeps up, Denver is certainly in the finals.
He's playing great with jokic. This helps Westbrook's legacy.