Russell Westbrook Undergoes Surgery on Injured Hand to Repair Fracture
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook underwent surgery Saturday to fix the fracture in his right hand suffered in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers two days prior.
According to the team's press release, Westbrook will be re-evaluated in four weeks to determine how the recovery process is going:
While the statement didn't give an exact timetable as to when Westbrook will return, it does fall in line with the initial prognosis. Per Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, the All-Star point guard was expected to miss four to six weeks:
"It could keep the Thunder's electric point guard sidelined through mid-December and add him to an already ridiculously long list of injured Oklahoma City players who are expected to miss the season's first month.
The projected recovery time would cost Westbrook 15 games on the low end and as many as 21 contests. He would rejoin the lineup between Nov. 28 and Dec. 12.
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The Thunder have endured a string of bad luck in the early part of this NBA season. Westbrook's injury came on the heels of reigning MVP Kevin Durant suffering a foot fracture in the preseason, leaving Oklahoma City without its top two players for an extended period.
The full extent of these injuries can be seen in this projected win total from ESPN Stats & Info:
Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks told reporters after the Clippers game that the only response his team can have is continuing to play hard.
"It's unfortunate the way it is right now, but we have to figure out how to get better from all of our experiences," Brooks said. "Good teams and good players bounce back from adversity, and our guys understand that."
Playing in the Western Conference doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for teams to start slowly. The Thunder will certainly get better when Westbrook and Durant are back in the starting lineup, but with no definite return date for either one, it's going to be a steep uphill battle for the rest of the team.
Brooks has proved capable of galvanizing his locker room, even if the talent isn't always there. Oklahoma City is still a playoff contender because the two superstars will return, though the Thunder's ceiling depends on how successful they are upon returning and how the team fares in their absence.
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