In addition to missing at least four players due to health and safety protocols, the Houston Rockets were also without their usual starting backcourt in Monday’s game at Charlotte.
Jalen Green (left hamstring strain) returned from his injury last Thursday and fellow guard Kevin Porter Jr. (left thigh contusion) practiced Sunday and is fully cleared for basketball activities. Yet, with both young guards coming off multi-week absences, there are unique considerations with two games in 24 hours — particularly when the team is in two different cities, and with extensive travel in between the games.
Thus, as the Rockets had previously done with Eric Gordon (until revising that plan last week), Houston will err on the side of caution with Green and Porter on back-to-backs. In comments prior to Monday’s game, head coach Stephen Silas indicated that both Green and Porter are likely to play in Tuesday’s home game versus the Los Angeles Lakers.
Silas followed up saying Porter Jr. and Green will "most likely" play tomorrow against the Lakers. https://t.co/Jwg1oeSQmG
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) December 27, 2021
The Rockets could face the issue again over the weekend, with a back-to-back looming on Friday versus Miami and Saturday versus Denver. However, both of those games are scheduled to be played in Houston, so perhaps the lack of in-between travel could offer some hope.
After this weekend, the Rockets don’t have another back-to-back until Jan. 24 and Jan. 25, and both of those games are in Houston, as well. As with Gordon, it’s possible by that point that Green and Porter may have progressed to a point in which the caution is no longer deemed necessary by Houston’s medical team. But for now, the Rockets believe it is.
#Rockets starters
Eric Gordon
Armoni Brooks
Josh Christopher
David Nwaba
Christian Wood— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) December 27, 2021
