Russell Westbrook and the Denver Nuggets finally broke through into the win column with a thrilling 127-125 come-from-behind victory on the road over the Toronto Raptors.
Apparently, a change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered for the Nuggets, who lost both of their first two games of the season in Mile High City. The Raptors game was a fun watch for basketball fans, and it even added to its entertainment value when things got heated between Nuggets and Toronto players, particularly involving Westbrook, Aaron Gordon, and Scottie Barnes.
Things got chippy in Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors after a Russell Westbrook hard foul
It all started when Barnes absorbed a hard foul from the former league Most Valuable Player while he was trying to finish a layup. After Westbrook and Barnes exchanged words, Gordon entered the picture and traded shoves with Barnes.
The two were eventually separated to prevent the situation from devolving into a worse situation. Westbrook was slapped with a flagrant foul, as Gordon and Barnes each got called for a technical foul.
Things getting heated between Scottie Barnes and Aaron Gordon after a flagrant foul from Russell Westbrook 👀 pic.twitter.com/gqD6vmtsAN
— THE SHIFT (@theshift_sports) October 29, 2024
The Nuggets got the win despite being behind by as many as 15 points. Nikola Jokic led Denver, with the reigning MVP exploding for 40 points on 18-for-27 shooting from the floor to go with 10 boards and four assists in 44 minutes. The other four starters also had solid outings, as they each produced at least 13 points. Westbrook scored just nine points but he fared so much better than he did in the last two games, at least offensively.
Meanwhile, Barnes paced Toronto, which dropped to 1-3, with a near triple-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.
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