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Russell Westbrook Injury Update: Return Date Set For ex-MVP Just 3 Weeks After Fracturing Hand

Published 03/24/2024, 9:22 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The LA Clippers finally see a ray of hope after three weeks. Ever since Russell Westbrook exited the LA fold with a broken hand, the team has struggled to generate wins. The second unit was completely strangled and failed to contribute to the team during his absence. However, after three weeks, a recent injury report dropped Beastbrook’s return date.

According to Joey Linn, a Sports Illustrated reporter, Russ will return to the floor tomorrow for the game against the Indiana Pacers. He also highlighted in his X post that Russ would return exactly 3 weeks after his surgery.

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In February, during a game against the Wizards, Russell Westbrook fractured his hand when he attempted to collect a loose ball. The star immediately left for the locker room and didn’t return for the remainder of the game. Following the game, the team announced that Russ would need surgery to fix his fracture.

In the meantime, everyone expected the LA side to continue their dominance. Instead, they faced a massive slump. In Russ’ absence, the Clippers played 12 games and won only 6 of them. It resembled their initial losing streak after the inclusion of James Harden. While everything seemed to be going wrong for the team, Tyronn Lue made a minor change by sending Russ to the bench. And it did the trick.

Similarly, Russ’ return could also do the trick for the current slump. They are just one loss away from losing their 4th seed to the New Orleans Pelicans. Zion Williamson & Co. took advantage of the Clippers’ recent poor run and almost chased down the Clippers’ record. Brandon Ingram‘s recent injury may slow down their dominant run and give a little breathing space for the LA side.

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Will Russel Westbrook’s return help the Clippers take down the Pacers?

Earlier reports stated that Westbrook would return right before the playoffs. If that was the case, the team could have gotten into more trouble. Anyhow, Russ is all set to return with 12 games remaining in the regular season. The team could use these games to regain their lost momentum right before the playoffs.

On the other hand, the Pacers are fresh off their win against the struggling Warriors and will face the Lakers tonight before taking on the Clippers. At the same time, the Clippers will return to the court after their loss against the shorthanded Sixers. Moreover, Russ’ contribution could cover up Harden’s recent lack of form and also boost the bench points.

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Will Russ’ return help the Clippers win tomorrow’s game? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is a Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Master's Degree in journalism from a distinguished institute, his journey into sports writing began during his college days, and since then, Shahul has been captivated not only by the remarkable consistency of Stephen Curry but also by the enduring legacy of LeBron James. He specializes in covering the live basketball action.
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Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja