2d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook (knee) won't be rushed back ahead of the season opener Oct. 16 against the Warriors, Royce Young of ESPN reports.
Impact
Westbrook underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Sept. 12 and has already been ruled out of preseason action. Thunder GM Sam Presti reiterated Thursday that the team will continue to take a cautious approach with their superstar point guard and there's no guarantee he's back in the lineup for the season opener. It will obviously be a situation to monitor closely over the next month or so and if Westbrook isn't ready for the opener, Dennis Schroder would likely be in for a hefty workload in the backcourt while Paul George would see a bump in usage as the go-to scorer.
10d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman reports.
Impact
Westbrook has already been ruled out for the preseason and is at risk for missing the beginning of the regular season. He reportedly felt knee stiffness last weekend and opted to have the surgery prior to training camp rather than missing a chunk of time during the season. The procedure marks Westbrook's fourth right knee surgery, with three of them coming in 2013 after suffering a lateral meniscus tear during the playoffs. If Westbrook misses regular season time, Dennis Schroder would start at point guard, while Paul George would likely be asked to carry a heavier scoring burden than usual.
147d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook provided 46 points (18-43 FG, 7-19 3Pt, 3-6 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals across 44 minutes during Oklahoma City's 96-91 loss to the Jazz in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Impact
After putting up 39 shots in Game 5 to keep the Thunder alive, Westbrook was at it again in Game 6, although this time, his gargantuan efforts came up short. The multi-time All-Star put up some air balls late from distance, and he finished the game visibly upset after the referees failed to whistle Rudy Gobert despite him appearing to make contact with Paul George on a three-point attempt in the closing seconds. Westbrook's overall production appeared to be somewhat affected while dealing with Ricky Rubio (hamstring) in the first four games of the series, but his significant uptick over Games 5 and 6 allowed him to finish with averages of 29.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 39.2 minutes over the six contests against the Jazz.
149d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook supplied 45 points (17-39 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 15 rebounds and seven assists across 44 minutes during Oklahoma City's 107-99 win over the Jazz in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Impact
With the Thunder 25 points down at the 8:34 mark of the third quarter, Westbrook stared elimination in the face and ultimately prevailed. The perennial All-Star lived up to every bit of his stellar reputation by pouring in 33 of his 45 points in the second half on a 12-for-23 tally from the field. It was a stark departure from the first two periods, when Westbrook had drained just five of 16 shots on his way to what seemed destined to be another underwhelming performance on the scoreboard. Both Westbrook's scoring and rebounding numbers served as series highs, and he'll likely be pressed into a similar level of massive usage when OKC once again attempts to stave off elimination in Game 6 on Friday.
151d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook supplied 23 points (7-18 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 9-11 FT), 14 rebounds and three assists across 36 minutes during Oklahoma City's 113-96 loss to the Jazz in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Impact
Westbrook bounced back in the scoring column after scoring 19 and 14 points in Games 2 and 3, respectively, although his shooting percentage remained under 40.0 percent for the third straight contest. The perennial All-Star notably propped up his final line in significant fashion by making a series-high 11 visits to the free-throw line. Westbrook's overall production through the first four games against Utah -- 21.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.8 steals -- is highly impressive by normal standards, but still remains below what he's made his personal norm. He'll be poised to play a particularly pivotal role in Wednesday's Game 5 as the Thunder tries to stave off elimination on its home court.
153d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook generated 14 points (5-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 11 rebounds, nine assists and two steals across 37 minutes during Oklahoma City's 115-102 loss to the Jazz in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Impact
Westbrook's final line looked solid overall, but it belied the significant struggles he experienced with his shot for the second straight game. The perennial All-Star has drained just 12 of his 36 attempts over the last pair of contests, keeping him under the 20-point mark in both games. His rebounds and assists do remain in line with his typical levels of production, but he'll undoubtedly have to do more on offense to help the Thunder even the series at 2-2 in Monday's Game 4.
156d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook scored 19 points (7-19 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT) to go along with 13 assists, nine rebounds and four steals across 37 minutes during Wednesday's 102-95 loss to the Jazz.
Impact
Westbrook totaled more assists than the rest of his teammates combined while also leading the way in scoring and finishing second in rebounding. He struggled from the field, but he didn't get much help on a night when the Thunder shot 40 percent as a team. Westbrook suffered a large dropoff from a much more effective Game 1 and will look to bounce back quickly as the series shifts to Salt Lake City on Saturday.
160d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook produced 29 points (10-25 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 9-9 FT), 13 rebounds, eight assists and one steal across 37 minutes in Sunday's 116-108 victory over the Jazz.
Impact
Westbrook struggled shooting Sunday night, but even when he struggles from the outside, Westbrook's ability to drive is too potent to be stopped. He garnered most of his points that way and from the charity stripe, while corralling 13 rebounds on the night as he continues to perform far and above almost all other point guards in the league.
163d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook scored six points (2-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT) to go along with 20 rebounds, 19 assists, and two steals in 37 minutes during Wednesday's 137-123 win over the Grizzlies.
Impact
Thanks to his big night on the boards, Westbrook managed to average a triple-double for the second straight season. He'll face a very stingy Jazz defense in round one of the playoffs, particularly at the rim in Rudy Gobert. However, Westbrook has never been one to back down from a challenge, so expect him to be his usual aggressive self during this weekend's Game 1.
165d | RotoWire
News
Westbrook scored 23 points (8-21 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT) while adding 18 rebounds, 13 assists and a steal in 38 minutes during Monday's 115-93 win over the Heat.
Impact
The win locks up a playoff spot for the Thunder. Westbrook now has 25 triple-doubles on the season, and he's scored more than 20 points in nine of the last 10 games -- just missing in the 10th game by a single point. With playoff seeding and home court in the first round still potentially on the line, expect Westbrook to finish the regular season with another big performance Wednesday against the Grizzlies.
2008: R1 4th
