All-Star Rockets guard Russell Westbrook has suffered a strained right quadriceps muscle, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). After undergoing an MRI, Westbrook was a late scratch for today’s game against the Pacers, and will also miss Houston’s regular season finale Friday against the Sixers.
Spears notes that Westbrook may miss the start of the NBA playoffs next week, but his injury will be reassessed ahead of the first round.
Luckily for Houston, today also marks the first game back since March 10 for much-needed former Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon. The veteran Rockets guard has missed all of the team’s prior six seeding games with a left ankle injury. Gordon should help make up for the loss in backcourt scoring production.
Westbrook has been able to keep the team afloat when the Rockets’ other All-Star, MVP candidate James Harden, is off the court. That offensive load must now be replicated by committee, with Gordon and fellow impressive guards Austin Rivers and Ben McLemore needed to step up.
At 44-26, Houston is currently the No. 4 seed in the West. The club could fall as far as No. 6 depending on the outcomes of these final two seeding games. The Thunder and Jazz are the Rockets’ competition for virtual home court in the first round of the playoffs.
Usually it takes 10 days to heal
Can they beat Thunder and Paul
Paul is healthier than Westbrook
For now. Westbrook will return at some point during the series, although there is still a slight chance that Utah catches OKC for the #5 spot. The backups for Houston look very good right now, so guys like Ben McLemore, Austin Rivers, and Jeff Green will take up the slack if Westbrook has to miss a game or two next week.
Yeah their backups really picked up the slack! Can’t even beat Indiana and you think they’re going to beat the LAC or LAL? You’re delusional, bruh!
I know a lot of people like to dump on Westbrook but he iseWAAAY better than McLemore, Rivers and Green. If they don’t have him in the first round they are very vulnerable.
Grade 1 or 3？
Mild or tear？
Damn…I wanted see how far small ball could go!
I don’t!!!
I hope rockets and thunder play.. Chris paul waving goodbye to harden and Westbrook would hilarious..it’s also means the paul will have taken the thunder farther than when Russ had the team even with pg
Never underestimate what a True PG can do. With the new look PG. That is a stat counter. Bron playing PG. You got playmakers and scorers playing PG. Luka, Westbrook, Harden, eve Dame. One of most important job is to run a team. Get them in stets and matchups that favor your team. CP3 at 35 is perfect example of this. Lonzo is not the scorer yet. But he has it too. A real PG is still a valuable asset to have. Like a Real Big, Embiid, Jokic. You can’t teach high basketball IQ. You can’t teach size. Basketball has always been about. Great center and great PG. That was the formula of NBA greatness. It still works lols.
Rockets coach plays starters too many minutes？
Amare injures
Nash injures
Paul injures
Westbrook injures
D’Antoni is a playoffs underachiever
Knicks Lakers Rockets owners did not give him a stable job s he has to play the starters more minutes and starters are very tired
Nah. D’Antoni just isn’t a very good coach.
Is “virtual home court” really any advantage?