Russell Westbrook, Nuggets mascot Rocky beef at the end of a stunning upset

The Sacramento Kings they may be in shambles as a franchise right now, but they still managed beat the Denver Nuggets 128-123 on Saturday night. Now, it’s worth noting that the Nuggets were on the second night of back-to-back games, so that certainly played a role. But the Kings need every win they can get right now as the franchise continues to decline.

One of the main catalysts for the Kings’ all-important win against the Nuggets was a former Denver player in Russell Westbrook. Playing against his former teams always seems to light a fire under the former MVP, and on Saturday that was the case once again. He had 21 points, six rebounds and 11 assists — and even made an enemy of the Nuggets mascot in the process.

With 10 seconds left and the Kings clinging to a three-point lead, 126-123, Westbrook appeared to walk in with Nuggets mascot Rocky. The Kings were about to inbound the ball along the hash line, and Rocky was at midcourt. Westbrook then chased him away field, knocking Rocky off the floor of the Ball Arena.

Russell Westbrook gets into it with the Nuggets mascot, Rocky, who then runs away from him. pic.twitter.com/PFViPFkIKI

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) November 23, 2025

Given that Westbrook always has an us-against-the-world mentality, it should come as no surprise that the Kings guard is so antagonistic toward someone he was once on the same page with.

But knowing Westbrook, this isn’t something anyone should take personally. He always enjoys competition, and Rocky just landed in his sights on Saturday night.

A Kings fire sale should still be imminent

A win against the mighty Nuggets could convince the team that they might not be as bad as they’ve been during the new campaign. But the Kings should stay away from that mindset. A fire sale should yet be inevitable, and it seems Sacramento will really scout the market when trade restrictions are lifted.

This Kings team doesn’t make sense as a unit, and they won’t compete this year, especially not in the loaded West. This win against the Nuggets is something to celebrate, but this is not something that should change how the front office approaches their roster building process moving forward.