Nuggets' Malone backs Westbrook after disastrous late-game sequence
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone had Russell Westbrook's back after the veteran made costly errors that allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to prevail 140-139 in double OT.
"He's a guy that hates to lose," Malone told reporters postgame, per ESPN. "So he may not want to hear any of that stuff because he's a perfectionist and he's a competitor.
"And knowing (him) the way I do, he's probably going to put a lot of this on him. But we lost tonight. The Denver Nuggets, we as a collective group, lost a game tonight, not one player."
With the Nuggets up 139-138, Westbrook caught an errant pass from Anthony Edwards and went flying upcourt on a 2-on-1 sequence. Instead of running some more clock, he went for the layup and missed an uncontested point-blank attempt.
On the ensuing possession, Westbrook fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on his 3-point attempt just before the buzzer. The T-Wolves guard made the first two free throws to put Minnesota ahead and intentionally missed the third.
Westbrook left the arena before the Nuggets' locker room was open to media.
"Obviously, I feel awful for Russ," Malone said. "That last play we get the turnover, we don't convert, and then the foul. It was not from a lack of effort or care.
"Sometimes it goes like that, and that's why we've just got to be strong. We've got to be resilient."