In blow to Wizards, Westbrook out a week with injured leg

Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook is expected to sit out a week with an injured left leg, latest blow to a team that entered Monday with a 2-8 record. Wizards anunced before Monday night’s game against Phoenix Suns that Westbrook's left quriceps was hurt because of “repeated contact to area since beginning of season.” team said 2016-17 MVP and nine-time All-NBA selection would be re-evaluated at end of week. Washington is scheduled to play five games through next Monday.

“He got hit pretty b in his qu in training camp,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said before Monday's game with Phoenix. “And thing about him is, he's as tough as nails. He as tough a competitor I've ever been around as a player and as a coach, and it's bored him. He pushed through it with treatments and pding, but he's never me an excuse, t even to me.”

Westbrook, acquired shortly before preseason in tre that sent John Wall to Houston Rockets, is averaging 19.3 points, 11.3 assists and 9.7 rebounds through seven games with Wizards, including four triple-doubles. He is shooting 37.8% so far. “He kws he can play better,” Brooks said. “He was starting to get better. n, he hit it again, set him back a little bit."

Brooks said Westbrook aggravated injury on Jan. 6 at Philelphia, and he's also been playing with a dislocated finger. update on Westbrook came a day after Wizards said center Thomas Bryant has a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Bryant is likely to miss rest of season. He was one of only two players who started each of Washington’s first 10 games.

He was injured in first quarter of a 128-124 loss to visiting Miami Heat on Saturday.That was Washington’s third consecutive defeat overall. Brooks’ team is 0-5 at home this season.Brley Beal, who les NBA in scoring at 35.0 points per game, returned to lineup Monday after missing Saturday's game because of COVID-19 protocols.

(Im Credit: Pixabay/Representative Im)