Russell Westbrook shines in return, leads OKC to blowout win
For a team with hopes of a championship this June, the Oklahoma City Thunder have approached the first few months of this season as a time to be endured. With Kevin Durant out since training camp with a stress fracture in his foot and Russell Westbrook sidelined since late October with a broken hand, the West’s runner-up in 2013-14 had been without its two superstars for all but 41 combined minutes of action prior to Friday’s home game against the New York Knicks. Not coincidentally, they entered the night with a 4-12 record, outside the playoff picture at 13th in the conference.
Westbrook returned for Friday’s game, on the more optimistic side of the four-to-six-week recovery estimate that accompanied the news of his injury. He did not show any signs of rust. For proof, just check out his first points via this dunk:
Westbrook didn’t stop there — he actually outscored the Knicks 14-13 in the first quarter as the Thunder opened up a 30-13 lead. The margin eventually made it all the way to 35 points as OKC won 105-78 in a blowout.
The Thunder’s returning star finished with 32 points (12-of-17 FG), eight assists and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes, which speaks to his extreme effectiveness and the extent to which his conditioning wasn’t really tested. It’s hard to imagine a better first game back for Westbrook — he played very well, didn’t have to overextend himself, and lent the Thunder some much needed swagger. If he can stay healthy, then OKC could soon return to the ranks of the West’s best. It won’t hurt when that Durant guy comes back soon, either.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
