The Denver Nuggets have enjoyed a successful run in the 2025 NBA Playoffs to this point, as they have battled the Oklahoma City Thunder hard in their Western Conference semifinals series after they dispatched the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games to open the postseason.
Under the surface, though, there may be some issues boiling to the surface involving Russell Westbrook.
For much of the playoffs, Westbrook has been arguably the most divisive player in the league. Some nights, he's a complete game changer for Denver, making an array of hustle plays and timely shots to help them come out on top. Other nights, he's been hurting his team more than he's helping them.
While the Nuggets have publicly expressed their support of Westbrook, behind the scenes, things may be different. Reports have emerged indicating that Westbrook and Aaron Gordon got into a heated argument after the team's Game 2 loss to the Clippers.
The incident led to one of Westbrook's Denver teammates labeling the former MVP as "immature."
"After the Nuggets lost Game 2 of their first-round series against the Clippers, Adelman had a problem," Ramona Shelburne reported for ESPN. "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."
The good news is that the Nuggets managed to overcome this issue and eliminate the Clippers, but with their series against the Thunder now tied at two games apiece, the spotlight on Westbrook will be shining quite bright over the next few games. And with his impact often swinging the pendulum for Denver, it's not a stretch to suggest his play could determine which team wins this series.
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