The reeling and short-handed Houston Rockets, who entered Friday with just eight healthy players and 14 consecutive losses, could be much closer to full strength within just a few days.
According to head coach Stephen Silas, star center Christian Wood (right ankle sprain), five-time All-Star guard John Wall (left knee contusion), and reserve forward Danuel House Jr. (right knee contusion) could all return from injury in time for Tuesday’s home game versus Atlanta.
“Christian is coming along,” Silas said Friday. “Hopefully he’ll be playing… maybe not next game, but the game after that. John Wall, kind of the same. … I anticipate a similar lineup to what we have tonight, adding Victor [Oladipo] for Sunday. Then for Tuesday and Wednesday, hopefully we’ll be pretty close with Christian, John, and House.”
Oladipo does not have an injury, but he sat out Friday’s game for planned maintenance on the second night of a back-to-back.
Stephen Silas runs down the #Rockets injuries including Eric Gordon (right groin strain), who Silas says will be evaluated in 4 weeks and Christian Wood who may return after the next game. pic.twitter.com/GmmCAYSeij
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 13, 2021
The Rockets (11-24) were 7-1 in the eight games prior to Wood’s Feb. 4 ankle sprain, and they haven’t won in the 14 games since. Thus, the return of Houston’s 6-foot-10 big man appears to be the most significant.
Now 25 years old, Wood is averaging 22.0 points and 10.2 rebounds in 31.2 minutes per game in the 2020-21 season. In a breakout year that has earned the 6-foot-10 big man consideration for both the All-Star Game and Olympics, he’s shooting 55.8% overall and 42.1% on 3-pointers.
Wall is Houston’s second-leading scorer (21.0 points per game) and assists leader (6.0), while House would provide athleticism, defensive versatility, and some needed depth and stability to Silas’ rotation.
Whenever that trio returns, the only absences for the Rockets among top-tier players would be Eric Gordon (right groin strain) and veteran forward PJ Tucker, who is away from the team as he seeks a trade.
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