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The Los Angeles Lakers realized first-hand on Monday night how difficult life truly is without LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the mix. Both superstars were out of action against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, and as expected, a shorthanded LA side ended up on the losing end, 122-109.
Russell Westbrook was one of the few bright spots in another forgettable evening for the Lakers, with the former league MVP finishing with a team-high 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds, seven assists, and a steal in 31 minutes of action.
After the game, Westbrook revealed that he actually suffered an injury in the first half of the game:
“I dislocated my pinky but I should be all right,” Westbrook said, via Spectrum SportsNet. “I got X-rayed — nothing. So, I'll be all right. As a point guard, your fingers are [often] getting messed up.”
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Russell Westbrook said he dislocated his right pinky finger in the first half and popped it back into place twice. pic.twitter.com/uoYNtZEEaK
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 10, 2023
Westbrook didn't seem concerned with the injury and he did say he was going to be alright, so we'll have to take his word for it. It's also worth noting that Russ played through the dislocated pinky on his shooting hand in the second half, and he looked fine.
Russ went 10-of-13 after the break, which just goes to show that his finger didn't really bother him. He told reporters that he merely “locked in” to come out with a strong performance in the second half.
Unfortunately, Russell Westbrook's heroics were not enough for the Lakers on the evening. They're back in action on Thursday against Luka Doncic and the Mavs, so hopefully, Russ can keep it going for that one.
