As knee improves, Eric Gordon makes second start for Rockets

Reserve guard Eric Gordon has been a much improved 3-point shooter for the Houston Rockets since his recent return from knee surgery.

In a six-game span since returning from knee surgery, Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon will make his second start Tuesday night in Memphis.

Gordon is starting in place of Russell Westbrook, who is sitting out for planned maintenance on night one of back-to-back games.

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Gordon isn’t likely to remain in the starting lineup long-term, but his availability for extended minutes does reflect his improving health.

Speaking at Monday’s practice in Houston before the team’s departure for Memphis, Gordon said of his condition:

It’s progressing. It’s definitely getting better. Like I said, there’s going to be ups and downs along the way. But down the road, it should be just continuing to get better, and I am feeling better.

Unlike last week, when he sat out in Oklahoma City on Thursday after playing at Atlanta the night before, Gordon plans to play in both ends of this week’s back-to-back on Tuesday in Memphis and then Wednesday at home versus Portland. “I’ve just got to contine to get better conditioning, and playing back-to-backs will only help,” Gordon said at practice.

To this point, Gordon’s biggest improvement since returning to the Rockets (26-12) has come in the form of 3-point shooting.

In nine games before undergoing surgery in November, Gordon averaged 10.9 points in 29.4 minutes on 28.4% shooting from 3-point range.

Entering Tuesday, in five games since returning, Gordon has averaged 15.6 points in 26.9 minutes on 38.6% 3-point shooting.

In Saturday’s 30-point home win over Minnesota, Gordon scored 17 points in 26 minutes and tied his season-high with five made 3-pointers.

When asked postgame about Gordon’s contributions and his health, Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said:

I think the knee is good. I’m glad he had a really good second half that he can play on that. He’s going to go through some — you know, he hadn’t played with a good knee for about six months, and then he was out for six weeks. So he’ll have ups and downs for a while. But we don’t have to worry about Eric. He’ll be there.

Gordon will start Tuesday alongside James Harden, Ben McLemore, P.J. Tucker, and Clint Capela. In addition to his offensive contributions, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gordon regularly draws the defensive assignment of Rookie of the Year frontrunner Ja Morant, as well.

Tip-off between the Rockets and Grizzlies (18-22) is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central from FedExForum in Memphis.

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