LOS ANGELES — Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook underwent facial surgery Saturday and will miss at least one game and perhaps more, the team said.
Westbrook, the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, had a successful procedure to address a fracture to the zygomatic arch of his right cheek.
The procedure was performed by Dr. John Joseph Rehm and Dr. Jason Hamilton at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles. Thunder medical personnel also were on hand.
A statement from the team said Westbrook would not play in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and would be re-evaluated during the week. Oklahoma City hosts Philadelphia on Wednesday and visits Chicago on Thursday.
Westbrook suffered the injury when he fell and was hit in the face with the knee of teammate Andre Roberson late in Friday’s 115-112 loss at Portland.
Westbrook had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his third straight triple-double. The last player with three straight triple-doubles was LeBron James in 2009.
The injury again leaves the Thunder without Westbrook and reigning MVP Kevin Durant, who is sidelined after having surgery last week to replace a screw in his repaired foot fracture.
Westbrook missed 14 games in November with a broken hand, while Durant also was out with a Jones fracture in his foot. The Thunder went 4-10 in those games and has been scrambling to get back into the Western Conference playoff picture ever since.
Oklahoma City (32-27) is in the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, one-half game ahead of New Orleans (31-27) and one game ahead of Phoenix (31-28). Its streak of four consecutive Northwest Division titles and five consecutive playoff berths are in jeopardy.
Westbrook had been nothing short of phenomenal in February, averaging 31.2 points, 10.3 assists and 9.1 rebounds. He is the first player since Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson to reach those thresholds for an entire month.
For the season, Westbrook is averaging 26.5 points, 8.1 assists and 6.8 rebounds in 45 games. Durant is averaging 25.4 points, making them the highest-scoring duo in the NBA.
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