Westbrook is officially out after left foot inflammation limited him to nine minutes in Game 3 on Thursday. His absence frees up rotation minutes for Julian Strawther and Jalen Pickett. However, with Denver needing a win to even the series, starters Jamal Murray and Christian Braun may play more minutes than they usually would.

Westbrook played nine minutes in the first half of Thursday’s Game 3 defeat and did not return after halftime. Julian Strawther moved into the rotation but was ineffective, missing his lone shot attempt in 11 minutes of action. Strawther and Jalen Pickett may pick up a few additional minutes if Westbrook cannot play. However, given the stakes, it’s more likely that Denver asks starters Christian Braun and Jamal Murray to shoulder even more of the perimeter workload.

Westbrook only played nine first-half minutes before heading to the locker room with an inflamed left foot. His exit resulted in second-half rotation minutes for Julian Strawther, who missed his lone shot attempt and finished with one rebound and one blocked shot in 11 minutes. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, the turnaround will be quick, as Game 4 is on Saturday. Strawther and Jalen Pickett will be asked to contribute more if Westbrook is unable to play.

Due to an inflamed left foot, Westbrook’s availability for the remainder of Thursday’s game is uncertain. He played nine minutes in the first half, scoring three points (1-of-5 FGs) with one rebound, one assist and one three-pointer. Julian Strawther entered the rotation during the third quarter after not playing in either of the first two games. While he can provide three-point shooting, Strawther is not the defender that Westbrook is.