This Western Conference Semifinals matchup between the OKC Thunder and Denver Nuggets is one that inherently has a ton of hot-topic talking points attached to it.
From the league’s top-two MVP candidates in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic going head-to-head to the sheer narrative of the established championship team facing the up-and-coming current title favorites, this round two bout is undoubtedly water-cooler-buzz worthy.
However, easily the most captivating and emotionally charged storyline is how Oklahoma City’s beloved former cornerstone, Russell Westbrook, now finds himself serving as a member of the opposition, where, not only is he a regular rotation member, but, according to 20-year veteran Jamal Crawford, he’s the “biggest X-factor” left in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Russell Westbrook tabbed as ‘biggest X-factor’ in Thunder series
during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Showthe legendary sixth-man extraordinaire talked up Westbrook’s impact in Denver while coming off the pine, specifically highlighting his recent journey from being written off as a washed-up commodity to a key participant on a contending team and how that has had and could continue to have a positive effect on the Nuggets.
“Three years ago people tried to cancel Westbrook, [saying] ‘He’s a vampire in the locker room, he’s this, he’s that.’ All accounts I’ve ever talked to, all his teammates love him, he’s one of their favorite teammates. He brings life. He’s not the perfect player but he’s a Hall of Famer and he’s got moxie and he’s got heart. The bigger the moments, the better Russ is. He’s bringing that whole different swagger,” Crawford said.
-This description of Westbrook has been well known by the Thunder faithful for years, as he spent 11 stellar seasons out in Oklahoma City where he captivated fans on a nightly basis, with key highlights including three straight seasons averaging a triple-double, two scoring championships, nine All-Star nods, an MVP award, nine playoff appearances, and their lone NBA Finals trip in the Sooner State era.
Now, their beloved all-time great finds himself morphed into an enemy soldier, looking to hand OKC their second-straight round two elimination.
So far, Westbrook has proven to be quite a handful for the Thunder to square off against, as he dropped 18 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds on 53.8 shooting from the field during Denver’s shocking last-second win during the series opener.
Frankly, such contributions and high-end impact is nothing new for the Nuggets during their ongoing postseason run, as the 36-year-old has been regularly praised throughout their run for the energy and efforts that he provides on a nightly basis.
Though Thunder fans should always wish Russell Westbrook the best, and hope that he one day earns that much-deserved championship ring before his playing career comes to an end, at least during this West semifinal showdown, they’ll be rooting for his demise, which undoubtedly will be an odd and emotionally draining experience.
