HOOPSAHOLIC

Russell Westbrook stormed to the locker room in the second quarter of the Thunder's 93-90 loss to the Clippers on Thursday night, and all OKC fans braced for the worst. The way Westbrook reacted let us all know that something was seriously wrong. The only other time we've seen a reaction quite like that from Russ, was when he injured his knee against the Rockets in the 2013 playoffs. Westbrook even had a verbal exchange with a Clippers fan while walking into the tunnel, letting his frustration spill out for everyone to see. After the game, Scott Brooks informed the media that Westbrook suffered a fracture to his hand and will be evaluated today (Friday). AKA: Westbrook will be out for about a month. 

This leaves OKC in a situation they only imagined in their worst dreams. The Thunder will now need other players to fill the void that's left with two of the top five player in the NBA out with injury. Last night after Westbrook was out, Perry Jones took on most of the scoring load, tallying 32 points. If the Thunder are lucky, they'll get that showing from Jones on a consistent basis. There's no way Jones will average that many points per game, but he'll need to continue the agressiveness while looking for his shot. He's an athletic freak, so if he can assert that into his nightly performance he'll prove himself as a pro player. 

There's a chance that Reggie Jackson will return this weekend from his injury, so that should work in the Thunder's favor moving forward. Jackson is not Westbrook, but he's a viable scoring option. Last season he averaged 13 points and four assists per contest, but he'll be looked upon to carry a heavier load in the short term. The duo of Jackson and Serge Ibaka will need to carry this team if it has any chance of surviving without its two best players. Ibaka missed the game tying three pointer at the buzzer last night, but he's proved to be a legit scoring threat in this league. OKC also played great defense against the Clippers last night, holding them to only 93 points. Their stout D is really what kept them in the game without the scoring punch of Westbrook. 

The Thunder are currently appealing the NBA's rule which only allows 15 players on a roster. Now with eight injured players, the Thunder will need to bring someone in that'll be an extra body who can help get the team through this injury crisis. The question is: How big of a name will the Thunder go after? I personaly think they should try and over pay Ray Allen to come play for his former organization. There's rumors that Allen may eventually sign on with the Cavs, so it'll be interesting to see what the sharp shooter decides. One thing's for sure, the Thunder could use his scoring punch right about now. OKC could use anybodys help right now. Keep an eye on how this team performs in the short term, because if they can stay above water, then this team will be better from this experience in the long-term.