One round through the NBA Playoffs and Russell Westbrook is already doing what the Washington Wizards desperately hoped he could do for them, even at age 36.
When the Wizards traded for Westbrook in 2020, they were getting a former MVP still in his prime coming off a monster season with the Houston Rockets, where he averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7 assists during his lone season.
The move to land Westbrook was partly due to taking the best package available to offload John Wall and his contract after his relationship with the Wizards soured, but it was also due to the idea that the star guard paired to Bradley Beal at the time could be the right combination to get Washington back where they wanted to be competing in the East.
Considering a backcourt filled with Westbrook and Beal was without a doubt one of the best in the league made sense as to why the Wizards believed that pair could work, especially if they put the correct supporting cast around them.
However, in his lone season with the Wizards, Westbrook's presence didn't help push Washington to where they needed to go despite averaging 22.2 points, 11.7 assists and 11.5 rebounds along the way.
His play inspired the Lakers to make a blockbuster move for the guard and that was the start of a downhill climb for the UCLA product's career. After bouncing around between both LA-based teams, the guard found himself a free agent before signing with the Nuggets this offseason, becoming yet another Wizards guard to join the Mile High squad..
It took some time for the veteran to find his role, but when he did, he immediately became the go-to do-it-all option for Denver down the stretch and carried that into the postseason.
Through the first-round of the playoffs for the Nuggets, Westbrook averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists, while averaging 1.3 steals on the opposite end of the court.
The former All-Star proved that he can still be a difference-maker and his timely winning plays and unlimited effort for all 48 minutes is a large part as to how Denver managed to get past the LA Clippers, who many believed would end their season after firing head coach Michael Malone weeks before the playoffs began.
Despite it all, Westbrook has found his spot and while he couldn't help the Wizards reach their ultimate goal, he had the opportunity to keep a trend involving his former team alive if he can continue to elevate the Nuggets as the postseason continues.