Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green will miss at least one more week due to a strained left hamstring, head coach Stephen Silas said on Friday.
Green suffered the injury on Nov. 24 toward the end of the first quarter in a win over the Chicago Bulls. He injured himself on a drive to the basket and was slow to get up. He eventually shot his two free throws and went straight to the locker room.
Silas said on Wednesday that Green is itching to get back onto the court but the team is being cautious with the injury and will not rush him back. Green is improving but does not appear to be close to returning.
“He is still injured,” Silas said. “He is progressing in a good manner but slowly. We’re going to just continue to evaluate week by week but he is not going to play anytime soon.”
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Green is off to a strong start with the Rockets, averaging 14 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 18 games. He was nominated for Western Conference Rookie of the Month and ranks fourth in scoring average among all first-year players, fifth in minutes and sixth in field goals.
Since Green was injured, the Rockets have reeled off five consecutive wins after defeating the Orlando Magic on Friday. They now have the longest active winning streak in the NBA after the Phoenix Suns lost to the Golden State Warriors.
The team knows Green wants to return, but it will not rush him back into action too quickly. The NBA season is 82 games, and the Rockets do not want him to suffer a setback in December by rushing him back a week or two too early.
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