DENVER – The conversation between Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and his new point guard Russell Westbrook was direct. It was also a sign of mutual strengthening.

Malone needed leadership in his locker room. He needed someone who could move the basketball forward and take some of the pressure off his superstar Nikola Jokić. Westbrook needed a coach who believed in him and a system that would allow him to be the player many in the NBA thought had long since disappeared.

“He was honest with me, and that was all I needed,” Westbrook said. “He told me what he expected. He wanted me to be myself. He wanted me to be Russ, to go on stage and make the guys better. He wanted me to bring energy and toughness.

“I have to tell you, we’re just getting started. If we’re fully healthy, I think we can be a dangerous team.”

After Friday night’s 124-105 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Ball Arena, the Nuggets are 22-15 this season. They sit in fourth place in the Western Conference and are establishing themselves as a team to watch in the playoffs. They’re far from a perfect product, but they’re at least within shouting distance of where they want to be.

To be clear: Jokić had a lot to do with it. He’s the best player in the world, and he returned Friday after a two-game absence (illness) to record what seemed like the easiest triple-double in history with 35 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds.

But Westbrook has been one of the best and most surprising stories in the NBA this season. He was in the starting lineup when Aaron Gordon was sidelined with injury and has been beyond great, which is a revelation to some. He is having his best season since his first year with the Washington Wizards. He has breathed life into a Denver squad that was a bit stale at the start of the year.

“I told him I wanted him to challenge himself to be the best version of himself,” Malone said. “No offense to any of his previous coaches, but when you corner Russell Westbrook you don’t get the whole package. We tried hard to get the ball into his hands this season.”

Against the Nets, Westbrook recorded his own triple-double, scoring 25 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. He and Jokić became the first duo in NBA history to record a triple-double of 25 points in the same regular season game.

Westbrook reacts after hitting a three-pointer in Friday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

Westbrook’s weaknesses have been well-documented and discussed in recent seasons: his shot failed in his prime. He’s lost some explosion from dribbling and his vertical jump. But the Nuggets have done a great job allowing Westbrook to do what he does well. He was able to advance the ball in transition and direct Denver’s offense. He was able to spontaneously create opportunities for himself and others.

He has become one of the bargains of the NBA offseason.

“You have to give Russell a lot of credit,” Malone said. “He came here and tried to fit in and not stand out. There are moments when you watch him and Nikola on the floor together where they are so in tune with each other. With these two, we have two of the greatest triple-double players in the history of the game. I don’t take that for granted.”

Westbrook’s season with the Nuggets was mutually beneficial. Denver has long been looking to replace the swagger, rim pressure and ability to fly around defensively that Bruce Brown provided during the 2023 NBA title race. Brown brought an edge to the field that balanced an otherwise meek lineup, and when he left, last season’s Nuggets couldn’t find that in anyone else.

Westbrook is a different player than Brown, but he offers similar intangibles. While Brown is currently a better and more versatile defender, Westbrook has done some very good things in that regard this season.

However, Westbrook’s style of play was and is top class. More importantly, Jokić’s dominance has given Westbrook space and opportunity to make plays for himself and others, especially in the halfcourt. With Westbrook still being a top-notch playmaker but also being able to make these plays from a secondary position on the court, this has given Denver’s offense a significant boost.

“He’s special because he’s so dynamic,” Jokić said of Westbrook. “He is able to pick up the pace and get others involved. You can see the guys running through the lanes when he has the ball in transition because they know the ball will find them if they are open.”

The Nuggets are fifth in the NBA in transition points this season at 26.1 per game. They average 1.15 points per transition, good for ninth in the league. They played faster with Westbrook and scored easy baskets with him at the controls. In a season where Denver is constantly looking for ways to relieve pressure on Jokić on offense, being able to easily score points has helped.

Jokić is still imbued with offense on the half of the pitch on almost every possession. But especially on Friday, even those possessions were easier. Several of Westbrook’s assists came via a precise pass that allowed Jokić to easily catch the ball and convert an uncontested layup. There were several times when Jokić was double-hit in the post but then turned around and saw Westbrook going to the basket and making a layup.

Westbrook and Jokić have developed into a top-notch duo, and their partnership has thrived particularly well as Malone increased their minutes on the floor together.

“Nikola is the best player in the world,” said Westbrook. “He does a great job and makes the game easier for everyone. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been trying to do the same thing: make the game easier for him and others. If we can both do that, our team will be really good.”

(Top photo of Nikola Jokić and Russell Westbrook: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)