FILE–Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
Los Angeles point guard Russell Westbrook exited the Lakers’ 133-86 loss to host Sacramento Kings in the NBA preseason finale with a left hamstring injury.
Westbrook, a former league Most Valuable Player and nine-time All-Star, came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season in what new Lakers coach Darvin Ham called a “realignment” of the team’s roles as opposed to a “demotion” for Westbrook specifically.
Westbrook entered the game with 7:30 left in the first quarter and departed some five minutes later. It wasn’t immediately clear when the injury occurred. He missed two 3-pointers and finished with two turnovers.
Westbrook will be reevaluated on Saturday. According to Spectrum SportsNet, Ham said that Westbrook expected it not to be a serious injury.
The Lakers closed out their preseason with a loss to finish 1-5. They begin the regular season on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
In 14 NBA seasons, Westbrook has averaged 22.8 points, 8.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds in just under 35 minutes per game. He has averaged a triple-double in points, assists and rebounds four times in his career.
Westbrook spent his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and then spend one season apiece with the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards and Lakers.