The Denver Nuggets secured their second consecutive victory with a commanding 120-98 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, improving to 13-10 in their first 23 games of the NBA season.

Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Nikola Jokic spearheaded the offense with double-digit points, but it was veteran Russell Westbrook who earned widespread praise for his defensive brilliance against his former team.

Westbrook contributed five points, one rebound, five assists, three steals, and one block in 24 minutes. However, his impact extended far beyond these stats.

In the Nuggets’ victory, Westbrook was the driving force behind their defense, a performance that even garnered a standing ovation from the home crowd. Despite Jokic’s consistently impressive numbers, Denver’s defense has been a major concern this season.

Ranked 15th in defensive efficiency with a rating of 113.7, the team has struggled to balance its explosive offense with solid defense. Their humiliating loss to the Washington Wizards last week highlighted this issue, as the Wizards, who were on a 16-game losing streak, exploited the Nuggets’ defense to score 32 points per quarter.

Jokic, who set a career-high in the loss to the Wizards, currently leads the Nuggets in defensive rating with 109.2, underscoring how much the team has leaned on their superstar this season.

However, Friday’s game was a different story. Westbrook smothered the Clippers’ offense, including James Harden, who committed nine turnovers. His stifling defense was so effective that Jokic didn’t need to play in the fourth quarter.