Ahead of a pivotal playoff game at the Paycom Center, the dysfunctional state of the Denver Nuggets‘ locker room has finally been revealed. One anonymous Nuggets player blamed Russell Westbrook’s “immaturity” over the heated locker room altercation that boiled over after Game 2.
“Minutes after the Nuggets lost Game 2 of their first-round series against the Clippers, Adelman had a problem,” wrote Shelburne. “While he’d been at the postgame lectern, there’d been a heated discussion between Westbrook and Gordon in the locker room, multiple sources told ESPN. Gordon had challenged Westbrook about his attitude. Outside the locker room, one player relayed why Gordon might’ve done so. ‘He’s so immature,’ he said of Westbrook.”
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Westbrook has actually been a feel-good story for the Nuggets this season. After a chaotic tenure in his previous stops, Westbrook was a good fit in Denver and was crucial to their success this season. With averages of 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, he provided a major spark off the bench and had developed solid chemistry with Nikola Jokic.
In the locker room, however, there are signs that Russ is creating a toxic environment where the whole team is on edge. Teammates are shunned for calling him out on his mistakes, and it’s the same reason why the Nuggets decided against signing him in the past. This instability has been the experience with many teams regarding Russell Westbrook, but not everyone is buying into the narrative. Some, like former Nuggets guard Austin Rivers, are calling on the “anonymous sources” to speak publicly before speaking down on someone’s character.
Austin Rivers Speaks Out On The Russ Allegations
This isn’t the first time that Russ’ character has been attacked, but the timing is questionable with Denver on the verge of a critical playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Austin Rivers, who is a former Nuggets guard and teammate of Westbrook, the claims are baseless and completely out of bounds coming from an anonymous source.
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“I’m done with the ‘anonymous source’ when discussing an athlete’s character!! Either speak with ur chest saying what you feel or name your source who says such things,” wrote Rivers on X. “Btw I was Russ teammate, ‘immature’ is the last thing that comes to mind… smh.”
Westbrook can be described as passionate, and it’s an attitude that extends both on and off the court. When he’s playing, his stubborn spirit and fearless approach often make him an enormous asset to his team, and it sets the tone for the entire game.
Of course, it can also lead to problems in the locker room, like when Russ turned sour on the Lakers and was described as being a “vampire” sucking the life out of the team. he also turned on the Clippers after being bench by Tyronn Lue.
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Now, with his newest team getting pushed to their limit in the second round, has Westbrook once again overstayed his welcome? After scoring just six points in a loss in Game 4, things don’t appear to have gotten better for the Nuggets, and if they lose this series, Westbrook’s reputation may never recover.
Related: Russell Westbrook Has Not Talked To LeBron James In A Long Time
