What Westbrook's Injury Means

   The news today was shocking to say the least. Russell Westbrook, the Thunder's dynamic point guard and half of highest scoring duo in the NBA would be out indefinitely due to surgery on his torn meniscus. Not only was the news pure shock because Westbrook has never missed a game in his basketball career, but also because the Thunder's title chances are effectively over, after most expected them to rematch with Miami in the Finals. So what does this mean for OKC, Durant and the rest of the playoff teams?

   For the Thunder, it means Reggie Jackson will be playing around 36 minutes a night, after averaging only 13 in his short career. It means Derek Fisher will have to do more than he expected when he signed on with the Thunder two months ago. It means a more aggressive Kevin Martin. It means Serge Ibaka as the Thunder's second best player. But really for OKC, it all starts with one man.                      

   Kevin Durant said in Sports Illustrated this week that he's tired of being second. Well now, without Westbrook, OKC may not advance far enough to even be second. Durant has absolutely no reason to hold anything back now. Going for 40+ points will have to be the norm, and even that won't guarantee a Thunder win. The Thunder have always been Durant's team, and now, the man who helps him (most of the time) run the show is gone. For the rest of these playoffs, everyone will be giving KD the same advice: Just keep shooting. 

   How do the Thunder stack up in the West without their point guard? Already up 2-0 on Houston, they should still be able to dispatch the Rockets sans Westbrook. After that, it's iffy. The winner of Clippers-Grizzlies will have just won a tough series, and will be plenty primed to knock off OKC. The Spurs, getting healthier now, will be waiting should the Thunder meet them in the conference finals. And if the Thunder somehow make the Finals and Westbrook is not back? Miami will feel good about a matchup in which they have three of the four best players. 

   For the second year in a row, the NBA playoffs will be partly associated with the injury to one of the league's best point guards. Westbrook has his critics, but today, everybody's on his side and hoping he makes a fast recovery. Who would have thought that a seemingly minor collision between two point guards would cause such a shake up in the playoffs?