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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
Précieux dans la qualification des Nuggets pour les demi-finales de conférence Ouest, Russell Westbrook y défiera son ancienne équipe du Thunder. En grande forme, il a dès lors tenu à avertir les fans d’OKC avant son retour tant attendu sur place.
Like all great players, he has raised his game and lived up to expectations at the best of times. However, not everything has been rosy for Russell Westbrook since he joined the Nuggets. A regular starter at times, the star point guard has also come in for some harsh criticism, which has seen him relegated to his team’s rotation. As a result, he started the playoffs as a substitute.
But it took more than that to prevent him from getting his revenge against the Clippers, who let him walk free last summer. Determined to make them pay, Brodie proved formidable throughout the series. Including on 3-pointers, he was entitled to many open shots on the outside given his reputation as a poor shooter. A reputation he has once again belied in recent hours.
Russell Westbrook’s warning for the Thunder
Astonishing during Saturday’s Game 7, Westbrook helped Denver advance to the next round with a final 120-101 victory. An opportunity for him to complete his revenge against the Clippers, but also to meet up again with another of his former franchises. He will face the Thunder in the Western Conference semi-finals, and has already warned Oklahoma City fans ahead of time:
Russell Westbrook: I still have a lot of respect for the people there. The love they continue to give me is mutual. But the people there also know that the reason they love me is because I fight constantly. I do it every night. That’s all I know how to do. I go out there and give it my all. So I’m going out there to try and win at least one match.
Although still attached to OKC and its fanbase, Russ has no intention of doing them any favors. On the contrary, he intends to stay true to himself and give everything he’s got to regain home-court advantage at the Paycom Center. He’ll have his first opportunity to do so this Monday, just 48 hours after having to battle his way to qualification.
In any case, you can count on the 2017 MVP to deliver in terms of intensity in this match-up. After all, he has never disappointed in the playoffs at the Thunder. Witness his remarkable averages of 25.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.9 steals at this stage of the competition when with the franchise. The Nuggets can look forward to a repeat performance.
