Inside The Nuggets

Russell Westbrook Makes NBA History in Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat

Denver Nuggets star Russell Westbrook made history off the bench.
Joey Linn|
Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena.
Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat on Friday night in Jamal Murray’s return to the starting lineup. Murray had missed the last three games due to concussion protocol, but returned in a big way.

Tallying 28 points, six assists, and four rebounds, Murray had his best game of the NBA season. His return moved Russell Westbrook back to the bench, and the nine-time NBA All-Star had another impactful performance.

Not asked to shoulder a large scoring load in this game with Murray back, Westbrook showed off his playmaking ability, recording 10 assists in just 24 minutes of play. The 17-year veteran also continued his strong defensive play.

In addition to the win, Westbrook also made NBA history in this game.

With his 18th career game recording at least 10 assists off the bench, Westbrook overtook Earl Watson for the seven-most such games in NBA history. This is very impressive when considering Westbrook has appeared in just 129 games off the bench, while Watson played 651 games as a reserve.

Averaging 18.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.7 steals on 50 percent shooting as a starter this season, Westbrook has proven he can still produce at a high level. While this isn't his role every night, he is able to impact the game in several different ways.

Spending most of his career as a starter, Westbrook broke numerous records during his prime. Now primarily a reserve, Westbrook continues to make NBA history with his 36th birthday just days away.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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