All-Star guard Russell Westbrook is again sidelined by a right quad injury, according to a Houston Rockets medical update issued Wednesday.
“The results revealed a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg,” the update said. “Westbrook will be out for Friday’s game versus Philadelphia, and his status will be re-evaluated before the playoffs start next week.”
Westbrook missed a pair of Houston victories last Thursday versus the Los Angeles Lakers and Sunday against Sacramento due to what the team listed as a right quad contusion. He returned Tuesday with 20 points in 28 minutes against San Antonio, but Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said Wednesday that Westbrook had woken up “kind of sore.”
As for whether Westbrook will be ready for the playoffs, D’Antoni said:
We hope. We’ll re-evaluate in a couple days. We’ll see how it responds. We’ll see next week, I don’t know right now. …
They’re checking it out and making sure it can respond to treatment.
D’Antoni said he did not believe Westbrook reaggravated the injury against the Spurs, noting that he felt fine during and after the game.
D'Antoni says he doesn't think Westbrook reaggravated it against the Spurs, says Russ felt fine during and after the game. Woke up today "kind of sore."
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) August 12, 2020
The Rockets are locked in as either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, which meams that Friday’s late game is not relevant to their playoff bracket or opponent. As a result, if Westbrook only misses that game, his absence shouldn’t have much significance, as it pertains to the team’s ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship.
But if he’s unable to return by the team’s first-round series — likely against Oklahoma City — or plays but is limited by injury, it would be a clear setback. Game 1 will take place either Monday or Tuesday.
Now 31 years old, Westbrook is averaging 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in 35.9 minutes per game during a brilliant debut season in Houston. A nine-time NBA All-Star and the league’s 2017 MVP, Westbrook is shooting a career-high 47.2% with the Rockets — whose small-ball approach has opened up more opportunities to attack the rim.
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