After missing one game in health and safety protocols, third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. returned to the starting lineup for the Houston Rockets in Monday night’s home game versus Golden State.
Head coach Stephen Silas said that Porter’s minutes could be slightly limited in the immediate future due to a lack of recent practice time.
For the Rockets, the return of their floor general is a very welcome development. In Porter’s last six games, the 21-year-old averaged 17.5 points (47.4% FG, 43.2% on 3-pointers), 7.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 31.4 minutes, and Houston went 3-3 in those contests — making for a clear improvement relative to their 11-31 mark beforehand.
For the first-round pick from the 2019 NBA draft, it was arguably the most promising stretch yet of his young professional career.
With “KPJ” back in the starting lineup, Garrison Mathews returned to his usual bench role for the Rockets after starting in Porter’s place on Friday. Against the Warriors, Porter started in his standard spot next to Jalen Green, Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate, and Christian Wood.
Porter has been away from the team for for a few days, so Silas said he’ll likely play in shorter stints tonight https://t.co/1x67241hnd
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 31, 2022
