The reeling Houston Rockets were already without their two leading scorers in John Wall (left knee contusion) and Christian Wood (right ankle sprain) due to injury, and now they’ve lost their top reserve, as well.
Midway through Thursday’s third quarter at Sacramento, veteran guard Eric Gordon pulled up lame on defense and limped toward the Houston locker room. It was a non-contact injury, and the team quickly ruled him out with a right groin strain. With 17 points in 25 minutes, Gordon was Houston’s leading scorer at the time of his unfortunate exit.
The timetable of Gordon’s potential absence was not immediately clear, and head coach Stephen Silas will update his status postgame. Gordon entered Thursday averaging 17.8 points in 29.3 minutes per game.
For the Rockets (11-24), who have now lost 14 straight games, Gordon’s injury could have bigger implications beyond just the coming days. At 32 years old, Gordon isn’t necessarily an ideal fit for a team that appears to be heading down a rebuilding path. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had recently reported that numerous other NBA teams were interested in a potential trade for Gordon later this season.
Yet, the sudden health concerns could impact Gordon’s market. The March 25 trade deadline is only two weeks away.
Another Rocket down as Eric Gordon seriously struggles to get off the floor after a non-contact injury. pic.twitter.com/cvECg205F5
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) March 12, 2021
Eric Gordon (right groin) will not return tonight vs. SAC.
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) March 12, 2021
