The Denver Nuggets have found their rhythm, and for Erie High School juniors Chris Smith and Braylon Englehart, much of that success can be attributed to a key lineup adjustment: Russell Westbrook taking over at point guard.
“I think the biggest part was putting Westbrook at point guard,” Smith said. “Kind of let him dictate the game, let Jamal Murray play off-ball, get more open shots, and kind of just let Westbrook really dictate the game.”
It wasn’t an immediate adjustment. As Englehart pointed out, the Nuggets had to figure out how to integrate Westbrook into their system after adding him earlier in the season, one of the most anticipated additions in the offseason. “At the beginning of the season, people were kind of trying out different roles,” he said. “You know, with the addition of Russell Westbrook, how did he fit into the team? And so it kind of made it a slow start.”
Now, however, Denver appears to have found the right balance. Nikola Jokić remains the dominant force at the center of it all, but Westbrook’s presence has energized the team in a way that wasn’t there last season.
“I think he just brings like a leadership role and kind of just an energy that the Nuggets don’t usually have or didn’t have last year,” Smith said. Englehart echoed that sentiment, describing Westbrook as a key motivator. “He’s a big energizer. I think he adds a lot of flavor and flair, and that’s his biggest contribution.”
With the playoffs looming, the question is whether the Nuggets can maintain their momentum. Smith believes the second seed in the Western Conference is within reach, though Oklahoma City remains a formidable obstacle. “Obviously, they’re not going to overcome OKC for that one seed because OKC is about insane right now,” he said. “But I think hopefully they could keep their momentum and get to the two seed.”
Englehart agrees, pointing out Jokić’s continued dominance as a major factor in Denver’s chances. “Jokić is playing out of his mind. Like he just had like 30/20/10 the other day or something like that. Something crazy,” he said.
But even if the Nuggets secure a top seed, the road to the Finals won’t be easy. Both Smith and Englehart identified the biggest threats in the West: the Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“They haven’t beat the Wolves in like the last eight games,” Smith noted. “So I think those are the two toughest teams, but I think if they can overcome that, they’ll be champions, hopefully.”
Englehart emphasized how competitive the conference will be come playoff time. “The biggest challenge is going into the playoffs, the West is stacked,” he said. “OKC and all those teams, so yeah, that’s probably gonna be their biggest challenge.”
With Westbrook settling into his role and Jokić continuing to dominate, the Nuggets appear to be hitting their stride at the right time. Whether they can overcome their toughest challengers remains to be seen, but for now, Erie High students are watching with high hopes.
