On Thursday, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas confirmed that rookie Jalen Green would be returning to the starting lineup against the Indiana Pacers. It will be his first game back since he went down with a strained hamstring against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 24.
Coach Silas was very clear about the plan the team and medical staff had for Green in his return to the court:
This is his first time playing five-on-five since he got injured, so he will be on minute restriction. It’s been the first time he’s played in a month, so I can’t really expect anything. I want him to get his feet wet, to enjoy being back on the floor. I want him to hopefully improve on some of the things that he’s been concentrating on as far as quick decisions, defensive rotations, that kind of thing. But most of all, I just want him to play, and we’ll kind of go from there.
Green will be a welcomed addition for the Rockets, who are coming off a loss in a physical matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
