Eric Gordon out vs. Boston, to return after All-Star break

Rockets guard Eric Gordon (bruised shin) is out Tuesday. When combined with the All-Star break, he’ll have nearly two weeks of rest.

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon will miss Tuesday’s home game versus the Boston Celtics due to his lower left leg contusion.

The 31-year-old also sat out Sunday’s home loss to Utah and had a wrap around his shin in the locker room. He said the injury, which occurred two weeks ago, had progressively become more painful.

Gordon had recently been starting at small forward for the Rockets. In his absence Sunday, the Rockets started newcomer Robert Covington, who is likely to again get the start against the Celtics.

Head coach Mike D’Antoni updated Gordon’s status at Monday’s practice from Toyota Center, where the Rockets (33-20) and visiting Celtics (37-15) will tip off at 8:30 p.m. Central time on Tuesday night. The game will be televised nationally on TNT.

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The injury occurred in the Jan. 27 game at Utah, which was when Gordon scored a career-high 50 points and led the short-handed Rockets to an unexpected win without both James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

According to D’Antoni, Gordon was accidentally kicked in the leg during that game, which led to the contusion.

Gordon said Sunday that the injury isn’t anything serious, but it’s progressively tightened up in the games since then. “Each game it’s been getting worse and worse,” said Gordon, who played only nine minutes before leaving early during Friday night’s loss at Phoenix.

He didn’t think about coming out in Utah, though, given his career-high outburst of 50 points. “Adrenaline kicks in,” Gordon said with a smile.

The injury could help explain a sudden downturn in his performance from that point forward. In Gordon’s first 13 games since returning from right knee surgery on Dec. 29, Gordon averaged 20.0 points in 30.4 minutes per game on 39.8% shooting from 3-point range.

In six games since the shin injury in Utah, Gordon has averaged 11.5 points in 27.2 minutes on just 22.2% 3-point shooting. The shin injury is to his left leg, which is not the one that had the surgical procedure.

Considering Tuesday is Houston’s the final game before the All-Star break, resting Gordon against the Celtics will buy him nearly two full weeks without having to play in a game on the injury.

After the All-Star break of more than a week, Houston resumes play on Thursday, Feb. 20 against the Warriors (12-41) in San Francisco. Based on comments at Monday’s practice, it sounds as if the expectation is for Gordon to be available at that time.

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