Before suffering a fractured left hand, LA Clippers guard Russell Westbrook had played in 79 consecutive regular season games since joining the team midway through last season.
Westbrook’s absence has been noticeable since the former MVP was sidelined, as was evident again on Sunday evening when the Clippers were defeated by an Atlanta Hawks team missing Trae Young. Speaking to reporters after the game, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was asked about Westbrook and stated, “He’s another guy that comes in with energy, giving us a fast pac.
Another defender, another scorer. We definitely miss him.” Leonard acknowledged that the Clippers still have five other players on the court who can step up and bring intensity, but that is not happening at the moment. The Clippers’ lackluster effort was a point of emphasis for Leonard on Sunday, echoing recent comments made by his co-star Paul George.
The Clippers have posted a 4-5 record since Westbrook’s injury, ranking 23rd in the league defensively during that span. While Westbrook is a significant offensive contributor, his absence is particularly evident in his point-of-attack defense, which has been sorely missed.
but the Clippers are eager to have him back to address their issues with effort, pace, defense, and more.
