Russell Westbrook played a hand in the Denver Nuggets embarrassing his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, in Game 7. It's hard not to look at what happened tonight and not think about the Utah Jazz's role in that.
For context, the Clippers traded Westbrook to the Jazz to get their hands on Kris Dunn, who was pretty good for them, all things considered. Besides the hilarity that this was the second time the Jazz acquired Westbrook only to waive him in a year and a half span, this also paved the way for Westbrook to sign with the Nuggets, and now look at what happened next.
The Clippers were right to believe in what Dunn could do for them—there's no argument about that—but man, trading Westbrook to get him really makes this situation look even worse, factoring in their individual impacts in this series.
Westbrook averaged 13.8 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the field and an astonishing (for him) near-42% from three. Dunn, by contrast, averaged 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 38.6% and 35.7% from three.
When looking at the stats between the two, it's pretty hard not to see how Westbrook didn't thoroughly outplay Dunn, which may have been all the Nuggets needed to get past the Clippers in this series. While the Nuggets outclassed the Clippers in Game 7, Westbrook's contributions staved them off in multiple games, and their season continues because of him.
The fact that Dunn never had those standout moments that Westbrook did should really make the Clippers grind their teeth. Warts and all, Westbrook is an all-time player who still has juice left, and he proved it against his former team.
That wouldn't have happened without the Jazz's hand in all of this.
Russell Westbrook is very aware of this
After the game, Westbrook definitely wanted to rub it in the Clippers' face. The Denver Gazette's Vinny Benzedetto revealed what Westbrook did after the game.
That is 100% petty on Westbrook's part, but all things considered, this is his moment, and he has the right to relish in it every second he can. He knows why the Clippers traded him to the Jazz, so he definitely knows who Dunn is, and he wanted to make it clear that the Clippers were wrong to pick the ex-Jazzman over him.
Again, this isn't a reflection on Dunn as much as it is an oversight on the Clippers that sticks out like a sore thumb in hindsight.
Sure, the Jazz only indirectly contributed to how things shook out in this series, but they were still involved nonetheless.