ABU DHABI — Veteran guard Russell Westbrook made his debut for the Denver Nuggets as they opened the National Basketball Association preseason by losing to Boston in Abu Dhabi on Friday but was in awe of one of his new teammates.
Nikola Jokic 'sits in a category of his own,' Westbrook, a 16-year NBA veteran, said after the game.Playing the first of two preseason games against the Boston Celtics in the UAE capital, the Nuggets, the 2023 NBA champions, squandered a 14-point lead and lost 107-103 to the team that took the crown at the end of last season.Westbrook, a 35-year-old former league MVP and nine-time All-Star, joined the Nuggets in July after spending last season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
'He's so unique in the sense of he's so unselfish,' said Westbrook of the three-time MVP.'He loves to be able to make the game easy for his teammates, and he's done that and won a championship and multiple MVPs and he's still the same person since I've been around.'I'm grateful to be on his team and learn from him as well.'Jokic had 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a 71.4 field goal percentage in under 17 minutes of play.
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