LA Clippers dealt devastating blow to their NBA Finals chances

The LA Clippers suffer a devastating blow to their NBA Finals chances with Russell Westbrook’s injury.

The LA Clippers picked up a big win against the Washington Wizards on Friday night as they ended a tough streak in which they lost five of eight games. However, they may have suffered even greater vision loss in the process. The Clippers will have to survive the next few weeks, at least, without the presence of Russell Westbrook.

After leaving Friday night’s game against the Wizards with a hand injury, Westbrook is now reported to have officially suffered a broken left handan injury that will likely keep him out of the field for an extended period of time.

There is currently no schedule yet for Westbrook and this will likely be determined once they have developed an action plan for an agreed rehabilitation plan. However, he is expected to miss at least a few weeks. And with just six weeks until the start of the NBA Playoffs, there’s at least a chance he ends up missing the rest of the year.

At the very least, the schedule which will probably be given in the coming days should be monitored closely. Los Angeles’ chance of making the Western Conference playoffs could very well depend on it.

Even though Westbrook is no longer a starter, his presence, leadership (on and off the court) and production off the bench will be missed. For a team that already doesn’t have much depth, losing Westbrook could be even bigger than many think.

Westbrook started the season as a starter for the Clippers but was moved to a bench role shortly after acquiring James Harden. Before the hand injury, Westbrook was averaging 11 points, five rebounds and four assists on 45 percent shooting from the field off the bench for Los Angeles.

The Clippers are one of the most talented teams in the league and have been playing as such for three months, but their chances of winning have always been tied to their ability to stay healthy. Westbrook’s injury could be the type of loss that could impact their title chances.

But if Westbrook can return sooner rather than later, there’s still a chance the Clippers emerge as a real threat to win the Western Conference.