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Russell Westbrook is now out indefinitely.
The Los Angeles Clippers veteran broke his left hand Friday night in their 140-115 win over the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena, the team confirmed. Details about the broken hand are not yet known. It is unclear if he will need surgery or if he will be able to return at some point this season.
Russell Westbrook has broken his left hand. He is out for the rest of the game.
-Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) March 2, 2024
Westbrook appeared to injure his left hand early in the second quarter while trying to reach from behind and knock the ball out of the hands of Wizards guard Jordan Poole while on defense. Westbrook quickly grabbed his left hand after doing so, clearly in some pain, but remained in the game.
Westbrook took his left hand again in the next stoppage of play. He was eventually subbed out of the game and did not return.
Westbrook is the second player in the league to break his left hand on Friday night. Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes did the same in their loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Westbrook had six points and an assist in 10 minutes off the bench on Friday. The 35-year-old entered Friday’s game averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Clippers, his first full season with the team.
The Clippers, who announced Westbrook’s injury midway through the third quarter, had a 14-point lead over the Wizards at halftime. The Clippers then easily took the lead in the second half and cruised to a 25-point victory without a hitch. They held the Wizards to just 21 points in the third quarter and committed just eight turnovers as a unit.
Kyle Kuzma led Washington with 32 points and seven rebounds. Poole added 16 points off the bench. The Wizards are now 9-51 on the season, which is the worst record in the league.
James Harden led the Clippers with 28 points and eight assists after going 6 of 9 from behind the arc. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and nine rebounds, and Paul George finished with 22 points. The Clippers shot better than 57% from the field as a team.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Clippers, who have now won just two of five games after the All-Star break. They have a record of 38-20 and will travel to the Western Conference leading the Minnesota Timberwolves next Sunday.