Russell Westbrook proves Michael Malone right in Nuggets’ Game 1 win vs. Clippers

The Denver Nuggets won a battle in the trenches on Saturday afternoon, outlasting the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers for a 112-110 OT win in Game 1.

We are so back, folks. There's just something about postseason basketball in the Western Conference. This is probably the best on-paper matchup of the first round. The Clippers were the best team in the NBA over the final month. The Nuggets have the best player in the world and a chip on their shoulder.

It has been a dicey few weeks in Denver. Former head coach Michael Malone was fired with three games left in the regular season, succeeded by interim coach David Adelman. General manager Calvin Booth was also let go as the Nuggets instigated sweeping organizational change mere days before hosting a playoff game.

That raised more than a few eyebrows. Malone, a champion in 2023, was among the longest-tenured head coaches in the NBA. The Nuggets finished the campaign as a bottom-10 defense, however, and Denver brass was ready to spark change, even if it meant drastic measures.

Malone and Booth were marred in an organizational power struggle. Among their biggest sticking points, apparently, was Malone's tendency to close games with nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook instead of second-year guard Jalen Pickett.

Well, Adelman closed Game 1 with Russ — and was richly rewarded. Westbrook supplied exactly what Denver needed on Saturday afternoon in the Mile High City.

Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like The Whiteboard, share it with an enemy!

Russell Westbrook leads Nuggets to Game 1 victory over Clippers with spritely fourth quarter and OT

Russ finished the afternoon with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals on 5-of-17 shooting in 34 minutes. It was not the most efficient scoring night for Westbrook, which is to be expected, but he found other ways to impact the game. Denver does not emerge victorious without Russ' pure effort and athleticism down the stretch.

He came up with the game-sealing deflection in the final seconds, the perfect summation of Westbrook's influence throughout the final quarter and OT.

That was not Russ' only shining moment, though. He finished with four offensive rebounds, giving Denver several second-chance opportunities in crunch time. He also drilled this corner 3 with less than a minute left in regulation, which put Denver ahead by two and ultimately kept the Nuggets alive for overtime.

A simple mindset has developed in Denver with regard to Russ: sink or swim.

He is one of the most accomplished players in the NBA right now. There are bad moments, of course, but Westbrook can also swing the momentum of a game with sheer effort and energy. He's one of the most competitive stars this league has ever seen. Russ lives for these moments and he is completely devoid of self-doubt. Sometimes it feels like Westbrook would benefit from a more measured approach, a bit more introspection, but it's what makes him special.

There isn't a single future Hall of Fame player who'd crash the boards, attack the rim, and step confidently into historically questionable shots like Russ did on Saturday afternoon. There are games when that effort yields negative results, like costly fouls and fruitless layup attempts. But then there are games like Game 1, when Russ single-handedly stymied the Clippers' momentum and secured the victory late.

Hopefully Michael Malone is on a distant beach somewhere, enjoying a cold beverage — and strong feelings of vindication.