After he makes a big shot, likes togesture with his hands as though theyre pistols and then blow the pretend smokeaway.

But did he get too trigger-happy in Game 4?

1. Game 1:at OKC

   DEN 103, OKC 107 - Final

   Recap | Box Score

    

   Game 2:at OKC

   DEN 89, OKC 106 - Final

   Recap | Box Score

    

   Game 3:at DEN

   OKC 97, DEN 94 - Final

   Recap | Box Score

    

   Game 4:at DEN

   OKC 101, DEN 104 - Final

   Recap | Box Score

    

   *Game 5:at OKC

   DEN 97, OKC 100 - Final

   Recap | Box Score

    

   * - If necessary

   Series Breakdown

   After Oklahoma Citys All-Star point guard attempted 30 shots for just thethird time in his career as the Denver Nuggets cut their series deficit to 3-1,even his coach thought so.

   You cant play great basketball every time. His heart and determinationare always in the right spot. Thats all I care about with Russell, Thundercoach Brooks said Tuesday.

   Did he take too many shots? Absolutely. But that being said, you learnfrom it and you move on and you get better from it. Russell is a player thatwill get better every year.

   Brooks said that Westbrook wasnt the only Thunder player who didnt play athis best during a 104-101 loss in Denver on Monday night, and he found otherreasons Oklahoma City didnt pull off the sweep than his point guardshigh-volume shooting night.

   Namely, defense.

   The Thunder allowed the Nuggets their most points in six meetings thismonth, having won the previous five. Brooks wasnt happy with Oklahoma Citysinterior defense early, its 3-point defense in the second half and he saw toomany fouls throughout.

   I would like to say that were going to win every game and were going tohave multiple sweeps, but thats not the way this league works, Brooks said.Theres usually two teams that are trying to win, and they did.

   We knew that they were going to give us their best shot. They were adesperate team. Any athlete that has any self pride is not going to want toget beat by a team every time you play them.

   Denver got a career playoff best 27 points from and 18 second-halfpoints from in winning Game 4, sending the series back toOklahoma City for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

   The moods good right now. We got the monkey off our back and put it ontheirs, Lawson said after the Nuggets arrived at their hotel Tuesday evening.

   So, well try to put a little pressure on them with a good game here andgo back home.

   At the Thunders practice facility, Westbrook shrugged off suggestions thathe took too many shots.

   The only two other times hed had more than 25 field goal attempts in a gamecame in a triple-overtime win at New Jersey this season that NBA scoringchampion missed with an ankle injury and a loss at Dallas twoseasons ago when Durant left in the first quarter.

   Just another game, Westbrook said. We didnt win as a team, and atough loss for us.

   Westbrooks frequent firing was highlighted when he missed three 3-pointersin the final minute with the Thunder within striking distance. He finished0-for-7 from 3-point range and 12-for-30 overall, scoring 30 points.

   Durant had 31 points on 8-for-18 shooting, making five of his six 3-pointattempts, but wasnt about to call his teammate a ball hog.

   Hes a star, too, Durant said. You know, hes an All-Star, too. Hesshown that he can win games for us. He did it before. I felt that I had to playmy role.

   Brooks said hed consider 30 shots a lot in a game for any player on histeam, but his primary complaint about Westbrook was location and not volume.Instead of attacking the basket, or even his best shooting range, Brooks thoughtWestbrook was settling too much for long jumpers.

   Hes a terrific mid-range shooter and when he gets to that sweet spot, heknocks that down, Brooks said. I dont look at Russells game last night andsay, `You know what? The sky is falling. Hes a terrific player. He hasimproved a lot, and he is going to get better.

   Youre not seeing Russell at this level for the rest of his career. Hewill develop into a better player.

   What Brooks wants just as much, though, is a return to Oklahoma Citysstrong defensive ways against Denver. The Thunder had held the Nuggets below 95points in four of their six meetings this month, including a pair of 89-pointoutings by the NBAs highest-scoring team.

   Denver shot 44 and 45 free throws in the two games on its home court in theseries.

   I think were definitely fouling too much, Brooks said. I thinktheyre averaging 40 free throws a game against us. That leads the league by 10.You want to do a better job of defending.

   Ive always felt if youre a good defensive team, youre not fouling asmuch.

   Just who should be the focal point of that defense could be in question on aNuggets team without Joining Lawson and Gallinari with biggames on Monday was who was benched in Game 2 for his role inOklahoma Citys blowout win.

   who has made just one of 14 shots in the last three games,took over Smiths spot on the sidelines in Game 4.

   Thats the nature of NBA playoff basketball. No ones consistent in NBAplayoff basketball, Nuggets coach George Karl said. Some guys can get 40 onenight and the next night they can be 4-for-20. Thats adjustments, and the otherteam says, `No, youre not going to do that.

   I think we have to be ready for that and the depth of our teams got to beready for it, whoever gets the hot hand or the opportunity.