BUBBLE WRAP
The Thunder closed its regular season with a game against the Clippers
Luguentz Do rt did not play Friday night against the Clippers, and according to coach Billy Donovan, it's too early to know if the Thunder rookie will be ready for Game 1 against the Rockets on Tuesday.
“We obviously have three days going into the Houston series, but right now it's something
that needs to be evaluated continually,” Donovan said Friday. “Obviously I trust our medical staff. They'll do a great job, and Lu will do a great job getting treatment, but it's too early to say and too early to diagnose how long this could be. We'll just have to wait and see how this unfolds.”
Dort, who's emerged as the Thunder's top perimeter defender, suffered a right knee sprain Wednesday night against the Heat.
If available, he will likely defend James Harden in the Houston series.
Chris Paul sat out Friday with a left hand sprain, but his injury isn't thought to be serious.
“We don't think so, but we're just being cautious with him,” Donovan said. “He should be fine when we get around to playing Game 1. Lu's a different situation. I have uncertainty whether or not he'll even be available for Game 1.”
Russell Westbrook's availability for the first round of the NBA playoffs against his former team remains up in the air, Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said Friday.
“Time will tell when he's ready,” D'Antoni said during a Zoom interview with reporters before Friday's game against the 76ers. “I don't think they have a specific timeline, yet. Obviously, we have to hold serve until he gets back.”
The Rockets announced on Wednesday that an MRI revealed Westbrook had a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg that would sideline him for Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and possibly the first few games of the Thunder-Rockets playoff series next week.
Oklahoma City and Houston are slated for the four- five matchup in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Game 1 will tip off at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on TNT.
Westbrook is averaging 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists in his first season with the Rockets after coming to Houston in a trade last July that sent guard Chris Paul and two first-round draft picks to Oklahoma City.