In Oklahoma City Thunder’s 122-1166 win over New Orleans Pelicans, Russell Westbrook folded his left ankle. Although the team gave the all-clear after a first investigation, if and how long the Point Guard will be cancelled, it is not yet certain.
Late in the third quarter Westbrook, trying to get a rebound against Anthony Davis, landed strangely on the floor and bent his left ankle. The 29-year-old was in pain and finally limped into the cabin with the help of coaches.
“Russ has a pretty big pain threshold, so I saw that it must have been something serious,” team-mate Paul George said after the match, in which Dennis Schröder took the scepter after the Westbrook injury with a strong performance in the fourth quarter.
After all the Thunder could give a first, small all-clear in the late evening (local time). According to Royce Young of ESPN, no damage was found in an X-ray examination.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan spoke of a sprained ankle, but still wants to wait with a precise diagnosis. Donovan explained that on Tuesday you know more.
George, on the other hand, was initially relieved: “I just hoped that it wasn’t the knee. I thought I saw him holding his knee. However bad it may be, we’re glad it’s not the knee, it’s just a sprained ankle.”
Westbrook had already missed the start of the season after undergoing a knee operation in the summer. Whether and for how long the 2017 MVP will be cancelled has not yet been determined.