Feb 24, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Russell Westbrook Blasts Nuggets Critics After Lakers Game

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Farbod Esnaashari | Last updated Mar 8, 2025 2:40 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets are a team that seems to be only talked about when the team loses, or when Nikola Jokic has a historic game.

Most NBA fans don't actually watch Nuggets games and seem to only speak on their opinions when the team is on national television. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, the team has lost a plethora of big national television games, like they did against both the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

After the Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Russell Westbrook addressed those critics.

“Obviously some people only watch the (national) TV games, so they watched the Boston game, and everybody has a comment,” said Westbrook. “But throughout the year, consistently, I didn’t hear any of this talk before. Now all of a sudden it’s like, oh, we lose to the Lakers … everybody’s losing their mind."

Even though the Nuggets are under the magnifying glass when they lose, they're still the third seed in the Western Conference and tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the second seed. Westbrook knows the team is playing the right brand of basketball, and he's not concerned.

“And personally, internally, we don’t panic. Play the right way," Westbrook said. Get stops. Run in transition. Because we’re the best transition team in the league. So when we get stops, you can’t load up (on Jokic) then. So our defense has gotta help our offense.”