Russell Westbrook — who has settled into a sixth-man role for the Clippers and become a key part of their rotation — underwent surgery on his left hand Monday, which he fractured Friday night against the Wizards.
There is no official timeline for his return (and no details about which bone was fractured and operated upon), but the hope is he can return before the playoffs, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The injury happened early in the second quarter against the Wizards when Westbrook went for a steal against Jordan Poole.
Here’s the play where it appears that Russell Westbrook suffer his hand injury. He grabs at and flexes his hand multiple times immediately after trying to poke the ball out of Jordan Poole’s hands. https://t.co/we7FFBzDxX pic.twitter.com/vqgUTDt7px
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 2, 2024
Westbrook is averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game for Los Angeles, but the counting stats sell short the energy he brings off the bench, changing the pace of the game when he enters and putting a lot of pressure on the rim (even if he doesn’t finish like he once did). Westbrook has also played the best defense of his career of late. He’s accepted the bench role and has become a vital part of the rotation.
That role now falls to Bones Hyland, who had been squeezed on the depth chart following the James Harden trade. Hyland brings one thing to the table Westbrook does not — better shooting (36.2% from 3 for his career, although that is down to 29.4% this season; regular minutes may change that flow). Hyland and Brandon Boston Jr. will get the chance to prove they deserve the sixth-man role and more run in general.
