On top of losing Saturday’s home game to the visiting Denver Nuggets, 124-111 (box score), the Rockets also lost starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. to an apparent re-aggravation of the left thigh injury that has already cost him 15 of Houston’s 37 games of the 2021-22 season so far.
Porter did not return after halftime, with the Rockets (10-27) citing a left thigh injury as the reason. In postgame comments, head coach Stephen Silas said he did not have an update on KPJ’s prognosis moving forward, adding that the third-year guard was still being evaluated.
Porter first injured his left thigh on Nov. 7 at Golden State when he collided with Draymond Green. Since then, the 21-year-old re-aggravated the injury several times, and he did not play in any games for over three weeks in December in an attempt to let the injury heal.
However, indications from Saturday night — which was the second game of a back-to-back — were that the injury may have returned, yet again. Porter had 8 points and 3 assists in 16 first-half minutes, shooting 3-of-5 from the field (60.0%) and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%).
#Rockets HC Silas said Kevin Porter Jr didn't play in the 2nd half b/c they were evaluating that leg again. Porter's left thigh contusion was the issue again.
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) January 2, 2022
It’s worth noting that the Rockets trailed Saturday’s game by 22 points, at halftime, so there could be some hope that removing Porter was a preventive move in a back-to-back game that was already out of reach.
Houston has yet to clarify Porter’s status moving forward, with the Rockets set to return to action on Monday night in Philadelphia.
