Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook exits win with hamstring tightness

PHILADELPHIA — Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook left Denver’s 137-134 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night because of left hamstring tightness and did not return.

Westbrook, who had 4 points, 7 assists and 6 turnovers in 25 minutes, exited after a quick timeout by Nuggets coach Michael Malone 50 seconds into the fourth quarter, and though the team listed him as questionable to return, he never took the floor again.

Malone didn’t have an update on Westbrook’s status, though he noted Westbrook had “a big smile on his face” following Denver’s victory. And while Westbrook didn’t speak to the media postgame, he left the arena without any sort of visible limp.

The Nuggets will close out a five-game road trip across eight days Saturday night in Charlotte, the second of a back-to-back.

After losing the first three games of the road trip in Minnesota, Chicago and New York, Denver looked for much of this game like the same thing could happen again. The Nuggets found themselves trailing 123-122 after reigning MVP Nikola Jokic committed a travel with 2:39 remaining.

But then, over the final 2:30, Jokic was perfect, going 4-for-4 from field for 11 points and assisting on a Christian Braun layup — the only other shot attempt by a Nugget during that stretch — to close out the game and snap Denver’s three-game losing streak.

“That’s just what he does,” Braun, who will step back into the starting lineup in Westbrook’s place if he has to miss extended time, said of Jokic. “He made some big plays for us, and that’s who he is.”

Since Westbrook entered Denver’s starting lineup on Dec. 27, he has averaged 14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 53.8% from the field. It was unclear whether Westbrook would officially remain in the starting lineup over Braun as Denver has slowly been working Aaron Gordon back into the lineup after a calf injury, but the switch was fully made Wednesday when Gordon returned to the starting five and Braun went to the bench for what became a loss to the Knicks.

“Never an easy decision,” Malone told reporters Wednesday. “Christian Braun has been great for us this year. Not good — he’s been great. And he’s done everything that’s been asked of him. But I just like keeping Russell out there.

“I think the Russ-and-Nikola dynamic is the best two-man combination in the NBA right now, and I didn’t want to disrupt their rhythm.”

Source: espn.com