Scottie Barnes and Russell Westbrook out long term with hand injuries

As there are less than two months left in the National Basketball Association season, two NBA All-Stars have hand injuries. According to Gilbert McGregor of Sporting News on Sunday, Toronto Raptors shooting guard Scottie Barnes of West Palm Beach, Florida broke a bone at the base of his middle finger of his left hand that required surgery and is expected to be out for 41 days, which will make it doubtful he will return this season. Barnes underwent his surgery on Monday after breaking his bone on Friday in a 120-105 Raptors loss to the Golden State Warriors. Barnes’s injury happened when his hand was accidentally kicked by Immanuel Quickley as he leaped up to block a shot according to Rogers Sportsnet. 

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook of Long Beach, California also broke his hand on Friday. The break came in a 140-115 Clippers win over the Washington Wizards as Westbrook was trying to poke the ball away from Jordan Poole according to the Associated Press.

This season, Barnes was an All-Star for the first time after being the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2022. In 60 games, he averaged 19.9 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 6.1 assists per game, 1.5 blocks per game, and 1.3 steals per game, with a field goal percentage of .475, three-point percentage of .341, and a free throw percentage of .781.

Westbrook is in his first full season with the Clippers after joining the Clippers in the latter stages of last season. In 2023-24, he is averaging 11.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game, with a field goal percentage of .452, three-point percentage of .268 and free throw percentage of .677.

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