The Houston Rockets plan to rest John Wall in one game of all remaining back-to-backs in the 2020-21 season, per head coach Stephen Silas. That protocol began with Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Wall began the 2020-21 year with that restriction but transitioned in late February to a revised plan, which allowed him to play both ends. However, with Wall missing more time in March due to leg injuries and the Rockets (14-39) well out of contention for the 2021 playoffs, Silas and the organization seem to believe that it’s no longer worth it.
Here’s a roundup of comments by Silas over the weekend, as relayed by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
Moving forward, we are going to make sure we’re smart with his injury management, the wear that he has, all of these things. …
We’re definitely going to be very careful with him as we move forward. He is coming back from two years of major injuries. It really wouldn’t make sense to try to make him push through for the sake of pushing through. We want to be smart about it.
ICYMI, Rockets move John Wall back to injury management plan for back-to-backs https://t.co/7KP9CuWc6b via @houstonchron
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) April 10, 2021
Houston has four sets of back-to-backs remaining this season, including next Sunday and Monday in Orlando and Miami. When Wall sits out, Kevin Porter Jr. will take over as the primary ball-handler.
Now 30 years old, Wall has made five All-Star teams over a distinguished NBA career. The veteran point guard is averaging 20.8 points and 6.8 assists in 32.0 minutes during his first season with the Rockets.
Wall is under contract with Houston for two more seasons, so the franchise has every incentive to consider a longer-term view.
