The Denver Nuggets are hoping to get hot in the remaining weeks of the NBA regular season and make a serious run at a second championship in three seasons. They’re facing the Washington Wizards, who came into Saturday with the worst record in the league, and one has to figure that, in all likelihood, they will come away with a victory.

Guard Russell Westbrook scored 11 points and hit three 3-pointers in four attempts during the first half, which ended with Denver ahead 72-63. One of those treys made him just the 24th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points.

The Nuggets franchise honored this accomplishment with a post on X.

Not too long ago, Westbrook averaged a triple-double four times in a span of five seasons, and he led the NBA in scoring average during the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons. Still, he has had to endure plenty of criticism from those who accuse him of being a selfish player who looks to pad his own stats at the expense of his team.

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4).

© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

He isn’t the irresistible force he was several years ago, but he remains a good player who has had a positive impact on the Nuggets this season. He made his 32nd start on Saturday and came into the game versus Washington with averages of 13.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 27.8 minutes a game.

The Nuggets are in second place in the Western Conference with a 43-24 record, and with Westbrook’s help, they rank first in field-goal percentage, assists per game and fast-break points per game.