According to the latest reports, the Denver Nuggets have the worst offensive rating every time Nikola Jokic steps out on the floor. Well, their spread scoring against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 9th tells a different story.
Balanced Scoring Powers Nuggets Past Clippers
Six Nuggets players scored double digits in a blowout win against the Clippers, 126-103. Jamal Murray had an impressive 21 points and 9 assists, while Russell Westbrook was excellent on both ends of the floor, putting up a nice 19 points and 8 rebounds. The former MVP is also +21 on the court even without Jokic and Gordon. Moreover, Brodie gave his best defensive night after clamping and hustling on the floor.
Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and DeAndre Jordan all contributed with 19, 15, 16, and 12, respectively.
It was an impressive overall team effort to eradicate being dubbed as the team with the worst offense when their superstar sits. To be fair, Denver is a pretty deep team and their win against the Clippers proved just that.
Another key reason behind their win is the absurd playmaking disparity against LA. The Nuggets completed 29 assists, compared to the Clippers’ 14.
Russ Fits Well
After beating the slander against him, Russell Westbrook showed everyone that he’s a great fit in Denver, contrary to what critics and analysts thoughts back in the offseason when Denver signed the 36-year-old athletic guard.
After a back-to-back dub without Jokic, fans want to see Russ keep the same energy until the playoffs when it really matters.
