The Los Angeles Lakers are listing point guard Russell Westbrook as doubtful to play Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets due to a hamstring injury.
The team says it's the same hamstring injury that Westbrook suffered coming off the bench in Los Angeles' final pre-season game against the Sacramento Kings.
Days after that Oct. 14 pre-season game, Westbrook said coming off the bench "absolutely" could have caused the injury.
"I've been doing the same thing for 14 years straight," Westbrook said Oct. 19. "Honestly, I didn't even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. ... That's something I just wasn't accustomed to."
Westbrook has started in all three games for the Lakers this season, with the team going 0-3, and has received a fair share of criticism for his play on the court.
The nine-time all-star is averaging just 10.3 points in 28.7 minutes, shooting a shocking 28.9 per cent from the field and 8.3 per cent from three.
His struggles with the Lakers, which date back to last season, and his inability to mesh with LeBron James and Anthony Davis have spurred widespread calls for him to come off the bench on a permanent basis.
Westbrook has also been at the centre of trade rumours for the last several months. The 33-year-old is in the final year of his contract, making $47 million.
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