Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook underwent surgery Saturday to repair a fracture in his right cheekbone and will not play against the Lakers on Sunday.
Sam Presti, the Thunder’s executive vice president and general manager, announced that the procedure to repair the zygomatic arch was a success.
“The procedure was performed by Dr. John Joseph Rehm and Dr. Jason Hamilton with Thunder medical personnel present at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles,” Presti said in a statement released on the team’s website. “Westbrook will miss tomorrow’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and will be re-evaluated later this week.”
Westbrook, 26, has been among the NBA’s top performers the last month. He has recorded three consecutive triple-doubles, including a 40-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist effort in a 115-112 loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland on Friday night.
Westbrook was injured when he fell during a scramble Friday night and his head struck the knee of teammate Andre Roberson.
The Thunder, which is without All-Star forward Kevin Durant for several weeks following surgery to replace a screw in his surgically repaired right foot, is scrambling for a playoff spot. Oklahoma City is currently eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 32-27, half a game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans (31-27) and a game ahead of the Phoenix Suns (31-28).
Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average more than 30 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds a game for a month when he finished February with averages of 31.2 points, 10.3 assists and 9.1 rebounds. For the season, Westbrook is averaging 26.5 points, 8.1 assists and 6.8 rebounds a game.
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