With the Oklahoma City Thunder opening training camp, all eyes will be on injured star pointguard Russell Westbrook who is recovering from a knee injury that he sustained in the first round of the playoffs and which prevented the Thunder from making a run at the NBA championship.
Yahoo! Sports is reporting that there is no timetable yet for the return of Westbrook, who has said that he will take part in drills during training camp. 'First day of training camp, I'll be on the floor,'' Westbrook said during the OKC Thunder media day.
Thunder coach Scott Brooks said there is still some swelling in Westbrook's right knee although he added that it was common in such injuries. The OKC mentor added that he expects his star pointguard to play smarter this season after sitting out of the playoffs. Westbrook, a sixth-year pro, averaged 23.2 points and 7.4 assists a game for the Thunder, which was booted out by the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round.
''He was able to see the game differently last year toward the end of the year,'' Yahoo! Sports quoted Brooks as saying. ''It's not something that we all wanted him to look at the game differently, but when you're looking at the team with an injured eye, you look at it differently. He's been a great, positive force for all of our players during that time, and we are excited to have him back.''
Westbrook tore his lateral meniscus in the right knee when he collided with Houston Rockets pointguard Patrick Beverley.
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