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Russell Westbrook will sit out for a fifth consecutive game Saturday with a quad injury, according to sources.
Rockets guard Russell Westbrook as expected is out for Saturday’s Game 3. Did on-court work for first time on Friday.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) August 21, 2020
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier in the week that the team was feeling optimistic towards a potential return Saturday, but getting his first on-court work with just 24 hours until the game, the Rockets are looking to be cautious with this injury.
After last night’s win, Mike D’Antoni said they were looking to not rush Westbrook back onto the court.
“We’re going to be careful with Russ,” D’Antoni said. “He’s just too valuable to just throw out there no matter the situation.”
And the situation is a favorable one for the Rockets, even without their second-leading scorer. The Rockets have won each of the first two games in the series by double digits thanks to the team’s depth.
There is a sign for optimism knowing Russ is participating in on-court drills and that his return to the court is coming soon. If the Rockets were tied or trailing 0-2, there might be a world where Russ plays tomorrow, but the team has the cushion and ability to sit him without losing too much value.
What do you think, Red Nation? Are the Rockets treating this correctly or should Russ play?
Chime off in the comments below.