Russell Westbrook is known for his games that are never boring, always leaving a mark whether positive or negative. His presence on the court is always felt, regardless of what the stats say. As Nuggets coach David Adelman put it, `Russ is Russ.`

Game 1 against the Clippers was a perfect example of `Russ being Russ`, perhaps even the most `Russ` game ever. This was evident throughout the game, culminating in a sequence at the end of Game 1 that perfectly captured the Westbrook experience.

With just 24 seconds left and Denver down by two, Jokić passed to Westbrook in the corner for a crucial three-pointer. Westbrook, known for being a historically inconsistent three-point shooter, especially in high-pressure situations, surprisingly nailed the three, putting Denver ahead by two.

However, Harden then tied the game for the Clippers, giving Denver one last chance. Again, the ball went to Westbrook beyond the arc. This time, he hesitated and couldn`t get a shot off before time ran out.

This short sequence perfectly sums up Westbrook`s current career phase. Anything can happen when he`s playing. He might miss many shots and then win the game with a crucial one. He could miss an easy layup and give the opponent a fast break. Expect a mix of good, bad, and ugly, with unpredictable outcomes play by play.

Fortunately, in this game, the good outweighed the bad. Despite shooting poorly (5-of-17) and some turnovers leading to fast breaks for the Clippers, Denver outscored their opponents by seven points when he was on the court, in a game they won by only two. He grabbed four offensive rebounds, which felt like more given their importance. Adelman specifically praised Westbrook`s defense, which has been inconsistent throughout his career.

Adelman said Westbrook`s defense was `absolutely incredible,` describing him as playing `free safety.` He believed Westbrook`s roaming defense contributed to Clippers` turnovers, even when Westbrook wasn`t directly forcing them. This was very beneficial for the team.

The Nuggets forced nine more turnovers than the Clippers and scored 20 more points from those turnovers. This difference in points off turnovers was key to Denver`s win.

`Chaos` accurately describes what Westbrook brings to a team at this stage of his career, and it`s not necessarily negative. It depends on the situation. Westbrook`s fit with James and Davis on the Lakers didn`t work primarily because of his high salary. With all three earning top salaries, the Lakers lacked financial flexibility to build a strong supporting cast. With many minimum-salary players, they lacked overall talent. The high expectations and demands on the Lakers meant they couldn`t handle Westbrook`s inconsistencies and therefore couldn`t fully utilize his strengths.

Denver is a different situation. Westbrook is on a minimum contract, and expectations are much lower. Also, the Nuggets have historically lacked bench depth throughout Jokić`s time there. If Westbrook played poorly, it wouldn`t be much different from their usual bench performance. They invested very little in acquiring him, only a roster spot. The risk was low, and the potential reward was high, which has proven to be true in Denver.

It was reported that coach Malone and former GM Booth disagreed about Westbrook`s playing time. In Adelman`s first game as coach, he initially gave more minutes to Jalen Pickett than Westbrook. It seemed Westbrook`s role might decrease significantly.

However, it`s now clear that Westbrook`s role will be flexible, changing game by game. In this particular game, Porter Jr. wasn`t performing well. Adelman realized he needed to take the risk with Westbrook because the potential reward was necessary for a win.

He delivered in this game, but he might play fewer minutes in the next one. Having Westbrook on a minimum contract gives Denver this flexibility. They are not heavily invested in him and can evaluate his performance each game, deciding how best to utilize him. It`s controlled chaos, not disruptive chaos.

Outside of his peak years, this is the best situation any team employing Westbrook can hope for. The idea that he would eliminate the downsides of his game was unrealistic. But the positive aspects are still there, and when balanced with the team`s needs on any given night, as Game 1 showed, the Russell Westbrook experience can still be very exciting.