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Westbrook, a former league Most Valuable Player and nine-time
All-Star, came off the bench for the first time since his rookie
season in what new Lakers coach Darvin Ham called a
"realignment" of the team's roles as opposed to a "demotion" for
Westbrook specifically.
Westbrook entered the game with 7:30 left in the first quarter
and departed some five minutes later. It wasn't immediately
clear when the injury occurred. He missed two 3-pointers and
finished with two turnovers.
Westbrook will be reevaluated on Saturday. According to Spectrum
SportsNet, Ham said that Westbrook expected it not to be a
serious injury.
The Lakers closed out their preseason with a 133-86 loss to
finish 1-5. They begin the regular season on Tuesday against the
Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
In 14 NBA seasons, Westbrook has averaged 22.8 points, 8.4
assists and 7.4 rebounds in just under 35 minutes per game. He
has averaged a triple-double in points, assists and rebounds
four times in his career.
Westbrook spent his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City
Thunder and then spend one season apiece with the Houston
Rockets, Washington Wizards and Lakers.
--Field Level Media
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