Russell Westbrook made history earlier this week, becoming the first player ever to notch 200 career triple-doubles. Then, on Saturday, he reminded everyone of his talent, despite the Los Angeles Lakers crowd initially booing him. The 2017 MVP turned the boos into silence with his all-around performance, showing he’s still got it. Westbrook wrapped up the game with 14 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. After draining a clutch three-pointer in the fourth quarter, which gave the Denver Nuggets a commanding 116-90 lead, he made sure the Lakers’ fans felt it.

You could almost hear the swagger in his response as he let the crowd know exactly who was in control. He said “Boom B***h” after he hit the three. He’s got a lot to say for his former team after he was blamed for the Lakers 2021-22 season failure. So after defeating his former team, he took to Instagram to fire shots at the Lakers.

Adding a caption that simply said “LOL.” to his video. To top it off, he chose Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” as the soundtrack. It was a move that definitely sent a message—Westbrook clearly enjoys his moments and isn’t afraid to show it. That track choice? It just added to the vibe.

Even Rui Hachimura could feel the heat that Westbrook brings against the Lakers. Talking to the media after the game, Hachimura said,”He, he bring the energy and you of course, feel some type of way, you know, against always against against us. Um,he gonna play so hard and trying to beat you. So, Um, Well, he, he for sure he changed the game. He brought the energy for the team.”

With this loss, the Lakers have now lost 13 of their 14 previous matches against the Nuggets!

A familiar script, an abysmal second-half performance from the Lakers hands Nuggets the victory

The Lakers fell 127-102 to the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night, extending their struggles against Denver. Despite high hopes for a new season, the Lakers were second best after halftime, getting outscored 70-39, including a 37-15 deficit in the third quarter. The loss dropped the Lakers to 10-6 and ended their perfect home record.

Rui Hachimura, returning from an ankle injury, pointed out, “We kind of relaxed for some reason.” Looks like the “new chemistry” didn’t work out. Coach JJ Redick agreed, criticizing the Lakers’ lack of energy and effort, especially on defense. Their transition defense faltered again, allowing the Nuggets to score 31 points off turnovers and 26 fast-break points.

Nikola Jokic led the way for Denver with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists dominating the Lakers inside. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis struggled, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-19 shooting. LeBron James had 18 points but was plagued by turnovers, giving up six of the Lakers’ 15 total turnovers. Redick noted that Denver’s defense was effective against LeBron, especially in pick-and-roll situations.

Austin Reaves (19 points) and Max Christie (12 points) had solid games, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Denver’s third-quarter explosion. By the fourth, the Nuggets had built a commanding 23-point lead, and Mr. Triple Double sealed the game with a three-pointer, pushing Denver’s lead to 26.

With Denver now winning 13 of the last 14 matchups, the Lakers are left searching for answers. As Reaves put it, “Last year’s last year,” but the road ahead won’t be easy. The Lakers will need to regroup quickly before their road trip to Phoenix on Tuesday.