Woj: Clippers' Russell Westbrook Has Hand Surgery; Injury Return Eyed Before Playoffs
Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook underwent surgery Monday to repair his fractured left hand, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski noted that "the hope is that he will return" before the beginning of the postseason. Westbrook suffered the injury during Los Angeles' 140-115 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.
The 35-year-old had previously appeared in each of the Clippers' first 58 games of the season before the hand issue.
Westbrook adjusted to a reserve role after starting the first 10 games of the year, as head coach Tyronn Lue switched up his rotation several times following the blockbuster James Harden trade on Oct. 30.
The 2016-17 MVP remained effective while coming off the bench, averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 21.2 minutes per game as a backup before Friday night's matchup with Washington.
His impact on the Clippers extends beyond his statistical totals, as Harden discussed exactly what the team will miss with Westbrook out for the foreseeable future.
"[We'll miss] everything he brings to the game," he said, per Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated. "His athleticism, his energy, his playmaking ability, his leadership."
It'll be a surprisingly short regular season for Westbrook, who has typically remained healthy as he's entered his early 30s. In fact, he appeared in at least 70 games during six of his past eight seasons.
In the meantime, the Clippers will replace his minutes by giving an increased role to Bones Hyland. The 23-year-old fell out of Lue's rotation due to his inconsistent shooting, although he played in Los Angeles' matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
"It's been a long time, but honestly I'm just ready to keep contributing to the team, build up these wins and carry this momentum into the thing that we all want to do," he said, according to Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.
With the Clippers holding the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, a trip to the playoffs appears imminent. When the postseason begins, Los Angeles will be hoping that Westbrook is able to come back.
