The Nuggets got to the foul line 30 times to Sacramento’s 14 on Wednesday, but that didn’t stop Michael Malone from leaving the game frustrated with a specific officiating trend.

Russell Westbrook delivered a strong performance Wednesday night, leading the Denver Nuggets with a team-high 25 points in their 116-110 comeback win over the Sacramento Kings.

Westbrook went for 25 points, two steals, two blocks and a corner three with 1:28 to go that doubled Denver’s lead. Sacramento did not go quietly — Zach LaVine answered 20 seconds later to creep back within one score — but the Nuggets made the stops and free throws necessary to escape.

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook recently returned from a left hamstring injury that cost him seven games leading up to the All-Star break. Upon returning, the 17-year NBA veteran has rejoined the second unit.

Malone decided to go with Christian Braun over Russell Westbrook in the first game after the break, which made sense for a number of reasons. Braun had been playing very well for awhile before the All-Star break, and Jamal Murray had been coming into his own in the last two months as well.

The Nuggets’ coach and his generational star, who spent much of Wednesday’s win over Sacramento frustrated with the officiating, said a lot by hardly saying anything at all.

Most of Zeke Nnaji’s work this season has been done in the background, after games. He’s taking advantage of a moment in the foreground now.