Nikola Jokic looks good to Russell Westbrook in Denver great

As the ball dropped through the net Thursday night, the thought struck me: What’s more impressive for Nikola Jokic — sinking a 73-foot shot or believing in Russell Westbrook?

On the court, Jokic remains unavoidable. And nothing seems impossible. He enters Saturday averaging a triple-double of 30.2 points (third overall), 13.4 rebounds (third) and 10.1 assists (second) per game.

Absent voter fatigue or faulty logic, Jokic will win his fourth MVP award. It was actually supposed to be his fifth, but Troel Embiid whined his way to the trophy two years ago.

Of all the notable things Jokic has accomplished this season, however, having a vision for Westbrook in Denver ranks at the top of the list. Westbrook is on his sixth team in seven seasons, and it didn’t end particularly well with the Wizards, Lakers and Clippers. He struggled as a starter, lost his identity as a reserve and had his name tarnished during his time with the Lakers.

As a Nugget, Westbrook has been reborn. Coach Michael Malone trusts the former MVP and tells him to be himself. And Jokic, beyond the mutual respect, loves Westbrook’s energy, passion and insatiable appetite to cut to the basket. It’s clear with every driving layup why Jokic pushed for Denver to add him this offseason.

“He makes it easy for me and I do my best to make the game easy for him,” Westbrook said.

This partnership has worked so well that Malone has to keep starting him. It doesn’t have to be permanent, but the Nuggets are 6-0 with Aaron Gordon coming off the bench as a concession to his calf-related minutes restriction. And they are 12-3 over their last 15 games with Westbrook averaging 15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists.

In a perfect world, Westbrook is a catalytic force as the sixth man. But seeing him mingle with Jokic, Malone has to let Russellmania play out in the starting lineup. There’s just no getting around the fact that Jokic and Westbrook are becoming the primary reason the Nuggets are so compelling.

Coaching Castle: The AFC West is now the AFC Best when it comes to coaches. With the Raiders’ hiring of Pete Carroll, every coach in the division has either won a Super Bowl or a college national championship. Carroll is 73, making the Broncos’ Sean Payton, 61, the youngest coach in the West.

VJ refused: The Broncos’ newfound respect in NFL circles isn’t universal. Can someone please tell me how Vance Joseph was not among the five finalists for Assistant Coach of the Year? Joe Brady, Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson received the nod. With all due respect, Joseph had a much stronger case than Glenn and Flores.

There’s a flash, men: And the Cowboys see that in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Marty Schottenheimer’s son has been hired to replace Mike McCarthy. Could there be a less inspired choice? This smacks of Jason “Coach Clap” Garrett, 2.0. I have to admit I’m surprised owner Jerry Jones didn’t make another run at Deion Sanders or Jason Witten.

Shot by Daniels: Jayden Daniels is aiming to become the first rookie quarterback to start in a Super Bowl. Here’s the deal: If Jalen Hurts’ crooked knee forces him to pass more, Daniels will move on.

Email Time

Two things. No matter what the staff tells you, Jamal Murray is not the “heart” of the Nuggets. Second, Murray didn’t deserve the contract. The kicker is, if Denver didn’t pay him, another team would have.