The NBA regular season continues with the game between the Nuggets and the Hawks. Before the game, almost all fans predicted that the Nuggets would easily win, given the disparity in strength between the two teams. As expected, after the game started, the Nuggets quickly took control of the court, dominating both offensively and defensively. Ultimately, after four quarters of play, the Nuggets easily defeated the Hawks 139-120.
However, despite the Hawks' loss, Trae Young put on an impressive performance. In the entire game, Young played for 30 minutes, shooting 8 for 17, including 4 for 10 from three-point range and 10 for 12 from the free-throw line, scoring 30 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists. Whether it was personal offense or organizing the team, Young did everything he could, leaving the Nuggets with no solution.
Some fans might ask, if Young performed so well, why did the Hawks still lose the game? The answer is quite simple: the Nuggets' Westbrook and Jokic were simply outstanding. I'm not sure how everyone evaluates these two players, but my evaluation is very straightforward: "Westbrook, still Megatron! 6 shots for 16+11 to become the team's offensive brain, Capela is beaten into a toy." This phrase couldn't be more fitting.
First, let's talk about Jokic. In this game, Jokic played for 29 minutes, shooting 8 for 16 and making all 6 free throws, scoring 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists. On the court, Jokic was truly at ease, doing whatever he wanted. Offensively, against Capela's defense, Jokic could score however he wanted, whether it was mid-range shooting or strong drives to the basket. Capela had no way to stop him. Defensively, Jokic completely shut down Capela, making it impossible for him to score inside and lacking a stable outside shooting touch. By the end of the game, Capela's eyes were filled with despair, and his mentality had completely collapsed. To quote a fan, Jokic simply turned Capela into a toy.
Moving on to Westbrook, in this game, Westbrook played for 25 minutes, shooting 5 for 6 and making all 5 free throws, scoring 16 points and 11 assists. After joining the Nuggets, Westbrook has adapted to his new role. Previously, Westbrook was always the core player and the go-to option for offense. However, since joining the Nuggets, Westbrook has transformed into the team's offensive brain, especially when Jokic is tired, the ball is basically in Westbrook's hands. It's not an exaggeration to say that the Nuggets getting Westbrook is like adding wings to a tiger. With Westbrook, Jokic plays more easily, and now the Nuggets are like having two engines moving forward, with their strength significantly enhanced.
Since we're talking about Westbrook, let me add a few more words. Before joining the Nuggets, everyone said that Westbrook was old and struggling to adapt to the pace of the NBA because his playing style didn't suit any championship-winning team. However, the facts prove that our views were wrong. Perhaps Westbrook's competitive abilities have declined significantly, or perhaps his explosiveness has declined significantly. But, Westbrook's sense of the big picture and experience in dealing with games are invaluable assets. The current Westbrook is still the all-powerful Megatron of the league.