Even if he is one of the most divisive stars to ever enter the NBA, Russell Westbrook will still leave the NBA as one of the best point guards to ever play.
Currently, Westbrook is not the player he once was, but he has impressively transitioned pretty smoothly to more of a role player as his prime has wound down. In fact, after playing a key role in the Denver Nuggets’ Game 1 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Westbrook made history.
How Russell Westbrook Entered NBA History Books
After the Nuggets won the game, Polymarket Hoops confirmed that following Westbrook’s performance, he now has the fifth-most playoff points by a point guard in NBA history. With the 18 points Westbrook scored, he surpassed Chris Paul on the list, as he now has 2,984 playoff points and counting.
That is a bit of a coincidence because the two were exchanged for one another during the 2019 NBA Offseason. The only players Westbrook trails are Stephen Curry (4,134 and counting), Tony Parker (4,045), Magic Johnson (3,640), and Jerry West (3,241).
If that’s not enough, Westbrook achieved this feat while playing against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, with whom he spent the majority of his prime from 2008 to 2019.
At 36 years old, there’s no telling if Westbrook will be able to reach any higher in the standings for most playoff points among all-time NBA point guards, but it doesn’t matter because it serves as proof that Westbrook truly was one of the best to ever play in his position.
For years, Westbrook always divided audiences because, despite how flashy he could be, his teams never quite reached their potential. However, Westbrook’s ambitions were never questioned when he took the court. The fact that he has as many playoff points as he does shows that he came through as best he could for many playoff teams.
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The Nuggets don’t count on Westbrook as much as the Thunder used to in his heyday, but Westbrook has proven himself to be the difference-maker since embracing his bench role in Denver. It’s how the Nuggets beat Westbrook’s other former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and how they just stole homecourt advantage from the wildly favored Thunder.
He’ll get the chance to add to his points total as the 2025 NBA Playoffs continue. Following the Nuggets’ upset victory over the Thunder, it remains to be seen how long Westbrook will keep adding to that tally.
