Russell Westbrook Injury Update: Thunder Star Has Procedure on Cheek Fracture
The Oklahoma City Thunder can't catch a break. Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who took a knee to the head late in OKC's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, will miss at least one game after undergoing a procedure Saturday to address a fracture to the zygomatic arch of his right cheek.
The Thunder announced Westbrook will miss the team's Sunday tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers:
With just 2.5 seconds left in the game against Portland, teammate Andre Roberson accidentally struck Westbrook with a knee in the right side of his face. The star point guard remained in the game, but he did stay down on the court for several seconds after the collision.
Making matters worse for the Thunder: Kevin Durant, who has been sidelined since Feb. 21 due to a recurrence of foot problems, remains out. Westbrook has posted three straight triple-doubles—becoming the first player to do so since LeBron James in March 2009—but Oklahoma City is just 1-2 in those games.
The Thunder still have a half-game lead on the New Orleans Pelicans for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, but Westbrook's absence will only make things more difficult for OKC to make a playoff push.
