With the bowling pins falling and the LA Clippers hitting strikes, Russell Westbrook drilled a 26-foot three and forced head coach Tyronn Lue to signal a timeout to officials. The lead had been cut to ten, and the Denver Nuggets were like a nagging pest, not going away.
Out of the timeout, there was 6:23 left, and by halftime, the Clippers' lead had been brought up to 18 points. This brief intermission halted a fuming Nuggets team from firing back and gave LA's players a couple of minutes to stand still and take deep breaths.
Shortly thereafter, David Adelman had Westbrook walk to the sidelines. This gave the impression of a regular substitution, as he was not playing well, and the player who assumed his place, Michael Porter Jr., could provide a fizz of shooting.
Adelman wanted Westbrook in action but could not play due to left foot inflammation. He was questionable, and this was a fortuitous update as the injury appeared mild.
Twenty-two minutes later, ESPN writer Ramona Shelburne communicated via 'X' on social media that the night was over for the two-time champion.
Westbrook will not return https://t.co/jn9I84lIXA
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 25, 2025
Russell Westbrook's injury complicates Denver's scoring and gives the Clippers a prominent depth advantage
Prior to his nine minutes in game three, Russell Westbrook was the Denver Nuggets' fourth-leading scorer. His field goal percentage was not good, but he shot 41.7% from three and gave David Adelman excellent nail-biting minutes.
It would be unfortunate for the Nuggets not to have Westbrook in a necessary game four, down 2-1, because of injury. Additionally, they would need Michael Porter Jr., on a bad shoulder, to score higher than 8.3 points per game.
On the flip side, the Clippers could gain a depth advantage, as Westbrook's return is unknown, and Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. had a remarkable game three.
Jones Jr. scored 10 points and finally hit some threes with a sensational slam before the break. This was a beautiful find from Kawhi Leonard, who located 'Airplane Mode' in the dunker's spot.
Furthermore, the 'French Knight,' Batum, was a monster everywhere, as he posted 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and four three-pointers in 27 minutes. He also had a crowd-pop three that surged excitement into every fan watching live at Intuit Dome and from home.
That said, the Nuggets' public relations team may have an updated timeline on Westbrook as soon as Friday morning.