A tough start to the 2022-23 season continues for Russell Westbrook.
After struggling offensively in the team’s opening three games, the Lakers guard is being sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered in preseason.
The Lakers are already thin at the point guard position. In addition to Westbrook, Los Angeles is without Dennis Schroder, who underwent surgery on his right thumb and is expected to be out for another two-to-three weeks.
What’s next for Westbrook? Here’s everything we know about his injury and the latest news on when he may return to the court.
MORE: Russell Westbrook’s shooting is part of a much bigger Lakers problem
What is Russell Westbrook’s injury?
According to the injury report, Westbrook is dealing with left hamstring soreness.
Westbrook suffered a left hamstring injury in the Lakers’ preseason finale, leaving the team’s matchup with the Kings in the first quarter. He said changing his routine from starting to coming off the bench “absolutely” influenced his injury because he had “been doing the same thing for 14 years straight” and didn’t know what to do pregame.
Asked by @DanWoikeSports whether he thinks that coming off the bench and breaking from his normal routine could have influenced his hamstring injury in Sacramento, Russell Westbrook said “absolutely,” and said he wasn’t sure how to stay warm once the game started: pic.twitter.com/L4oYmp8D73
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) October 19, 2022
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said afterward that Westbrook told him he thought he’d be OK. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports later reported that Westbrook didn’t suffer any structural damage and would be listed as day-to-day.
Westbrook didn’t miss any time with the injury initially. He played in the Lakers’ first three games of the regular season, posting averages of 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals in 28.7 minutes.
How long will Russell Westbrook be out?
Following their trip to Denver on Wednesday (Oct. 26), the Lakers will travel to Minnesota to face the new-look Timberwolves (Oct. 28). They will then return to Los Angeles for a four-game homestand that will see them play the Nuggets (Oct. 30), Pelicans (Nov. 2), Jazz (Nov. 4) and Cavaliers (Nov. 6).
Westbrook is said to have joined the team on their two-game road trip to Denver and Minnesota. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there’s hope Westbrook will return on Friday against the Timberwolves.
Russell Westbrook career stats, highlights
- 22.8 points per game
- 8.4 assists per game
- 7.4 rebounds per game
- 1.7 steals per game
- 0.3 blocks per game
- 4.1 turnovers per game
- 34.7 minutes per game
- 43.8 percent field goal shooting
- 30.4 percent 3-point shooting
- 78.3 percent free throw shooting
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