Russell Westbrook is now out indefinitely.
The Los Angeles Clippers veteran broke his left hand during Friday night’s 140-115 win over the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena, the team confirmed. Details on the broken hand are not yet known. It is unclear if he will need surgery or if he will be able to return anytime this season.
Russell Westbrook broke his left hand. He is out for the rest of the game.
– Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) March 2, 2024
Westbrook appeared to injure his left hand early in the second quarter when he reached behind and knocked the ball out of Wizards guard Jordan Poole’s hands while on defense. After doing this, Westbrook quickly reached for his left hand, clearly in some pain, but remained in the game.
Westbrook reached his left hand again on the next stop of the game. In the end, he was out of the game and did not return.
Westbrook became the second player in the league to break his left hand Friday night. Toronto Raptors star Scotty Barnes did the same in their loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Westbrook had six points and an assist in 10 minutes off the bench on Friday. The 35-year-old entered Friday’s game averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Clippers in his first full season with the team.
The Clippers, who announced Westbrook’s injury midway through the third quarter, had a 14-point halftime lead over the Wizards. The Clippers then pushed forward easily in the second half and went on to win by 25 points without any problems. They held the Wizards to just 21 points in the third quarter and committed just eight turnovers as a unit.
Kyle Kuzma led Washington with 32 points and seven rebounds. Poole added 16 points off the bench. The Wizards are now just 9-51 on the season, the worst record in the league.
James Harden led the Clippers with 28 points and eight assists after shooting 6-of-9 from behind the arc. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and nine rebounds, while Paul George finished with 22 points. The Clippers shot better than 57% from the field as a team.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Clippers, who have now won just two of their five games since the All-Star break. They hold a record of 38-20, and next Sunday they will travel to the Western Conference led by the Minnesota Timberwolves.