As the Denver Nuggets have surged back in the Western Conference to secure the second-place spot, NBA executives believe the team cannot "afford to lose" Russell Westbrook if the Nuggets move him out of the starting five.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic found himself in familiar territory as the second half of the season began to dawn, firmly entrenched in this season's MVP race alongside Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Russell Westbrook finished with 17 points, four rebounds and one assist while shooting 7/17 from the field and 3/7 from the three-point range in 24 minutes. Many people were talking about Westbrook on social media.

Malone decided to go with Christian Braun over Russell Westbrook in the first game after the break, which made sense for a number of reasons. Braun had been playing very well for awhile before the All-Star break,

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook has missed the last seven games due to injury after playing 48 straight games to begin the season. In his 17th NBA campaign, the nine-time NBA All-Star is averaging 13.

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) and Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David

The star of the show for Denver was star guard Jamal Murray, who scored a career-high 55 points on 20-of-36 from the field with seven three-pointers in the victory. Murray also became the first player in Nuggets history to record 55+ points,

Westbrook (hamstring) will be available for Thursday's game against Charlotte. Westbrook missed Denver's final seven games before the All-Star break, but he practiced in full Wednesday and is no longer appearing on the injury report.

The Denver Nuggets have been one of the NBA’s best teams this season, boasting a 37-20 record that places them No. 3 in the Western Conference. Despite their success, questions surrounding what the Nuggets’ starting five should look like have started to circulate.

The Denver Nuggets have made an announcement on Russell Westbrook's injury status ahead of Wednesday's contest

In his first season with the Denver Nuggets, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is having a bit of a bounce-back year. While not the same player he was when he took home the NBA MVP award in 2017,

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook is in his 17th NBA season, and has been an important piece for his new team. Traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Utah Jazz during the offseason, Westbrook was bought out by Utah before signing in Denver.