Russell Westbrook’s Electrifying Dunk Sparks Nuggets’ Crushing Defeat of Clippers—What It Means for the Playoffs

There’s something almost poetic about watching Russell Westbrook — yes, that Russell Westbrook — come full circle in a playoff shootout that had more twists than a suspense thriller. After being cast aside by the Clippers and shuffled through the Jazz, Westbrook landed with the Nuggets, far from the star-studded prodigy of yore but still hungry to make noise. And boy, did he deliver in Game 7, against the very team that let him go. That moment he snagged the ball late in the fourth quarter and thundered down a dunk, hanging on the rim with a defiant grin flashing to the jeering crowd — it was vintage Westbrook at his most unfiltered and electric. At 35, the guy’s no All-Star anymore, but his relentless tenacity still rattles cages and reminds everyone why he’s never just another player. Meanwhile, Kris Dunn, the defensive specialist who exchanged hats with Westbrook in the off-season shuffle, faded into the background as Denver surged ahead, leaving the Clippers’ hopes in disarray yet again. With the Nuggets setting their sights on the Thunder next — Westbrook’s first NBA home — this saga is far from over. And trust me, that rematch? It’s gonna be something worth tuning in for. LEARN MORE.

AdvertisementMeanwhile, Dunn finished with three points on 1-of-4 shooting after falling out of the starting lineup for Game 7. He was a defensive standout for the Clippers this season, but saw his role shrink significantly over the course of the Nuggets series.Advertisement

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The loss once again ends the Clippers’ season in disappointing fashion, while the Nuggets will advance to face another old team of Westbrook’s, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who spent the first round ripping apart the Memphis Grizzlies.Westbrook finished the game with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, plus five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two turnovers.

AdvertisementThen he hung on the rim until the officials gave him the technical foul he was clearly looking for, and yelled “I don’t give a f*** as he revved up a delighted Ball Arena crowd.