Russell Westbrook has gained a supporter in the media, and it isn’t someone who you would expect to back him.
The Denver Nuggets are one of the biggest wildcards heading into this playoff run. After firing head coach Michael Malone just weeks before the playoffs, no one knows where they are headed.
Nuggets team principal Josh Kroenke admitted Nikola Jokic played a big part in Malone sticking around as long as he did.
In the interim, David Adelman will be the head coach, presumably till the Nuggets’ playoff run ends. Adelman is playing it safe by giving Nikola Jokic full autonomy heading into the post-season.
Adelman has also shown respect to Russell Westbrook, noting how much he will rely on him heading into the playoffs. And Chandler Parsons believes that is the right decision.
Chandler Parsons backs Russell Westbrook
Speaking on Run It Back, Chandler Parsons discussed the selection conundrum between Russell Westbrook and Jalen Pickett.
He noted that while Pickett is a talented young star, Russell Westbrook has a wealth of playoff experience. While Pickett can start, Westbrook is the one who should be closing games.
“If I’m Adelman, I’m going with Westbrook. In a playoff series, I’m trusting Russell Westbrook, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, more than a [Jalen] Pickett.”
“You can start Pickett. But I feel like, [when] you’re closing games to close a series, I’m going with Russell Westbrook.”
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Westbrook questionable in key moments
There is no doubt that Russell Westbrook is one of the greatest players of all time. But he has a questionable track record in important moments.
Look back to the Nuggets’ last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Westbrook blew a lay-up and gave the Timberwolves three free throws with a reckless foul.
Not to mention, Westbrook has a poor history of underperforming in the playoffs. This is why playing Westbrook to close out games is not a clear-cut decision.
For all his talent and athleticism, Westbrook is a terrible decision-maker who isn’t able to make the right calls during the closing stages of games. And the Nuggets would be better off not giving him the platform to make some mistakes.
