The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a surprising start to the 2023-24 season but have yet to find any consistency. The Rockets ran off six straight wins after starting the season with three consecutive losses. The Rockets then immediately lost three straight to fall back to .500. Since then, Houston has alternated losing and winning streaks. Now, the Rockets may be without two-fifths of their starting lineup for the near future.
NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler’s New Injury, Rockets Without 2 Starters For Foreseeable Future & Wemby’s Minutes Restriction
Houston was without Dillon Brooks (oblique) and Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) in last night’s 131-127 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, as the Rockets were outscored 41-30 in the final stanza. It was the second straight game that Brooks missed while Smith sat out his first contest, though it doesn’t sound like it will be either one’s last absence.
“Not exact dates, but hopefully it is a shorter-term thing, two or three games possibly,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka told Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle when asked when he expected the pair to return. “Don’t want to give exact. About a week or so.”
Feigan said that Udoka added that oblique injuries “can be tricky” to recover from, so Brooks’ timeline is particularly hazy.
Brooks left Tuesday’s game against Indiana with a right abdominal oblique strain after logging 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Smith suffered the ankle injury midway through the third quarter against Phoenix on Wednesday night when he stepped on teammate Tari Eason‘s foot.
Houston (15-15) will take a three-game losing streak into their Monday game against Detroit (3-29), who snapped its historic losing streak on Saturday against Toronto. Jeff Green started at power forward against the 76ers, contributing 10 points and four boards in 33 minutes. Green and Jae’Sean Tate, who has started the past two contests at small forward, will likely remain in the starting lineup until Brooks and Smith return.
Jimmy Butler Suffers Another Injury
In his first game back after a four-contest absence, Jimmy Butler left the Miami Heat’s 117-109 loss to the Utah Jazz in the third quarter after suffering an ankle injury. But Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sentinel reported that the x-rays on his foot came negative.
X-rays on Jimmy Butler's foot came back negative.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) December 31, 2023
Butler had eight points on just 2 of 3 shooting, though he was 4 of 4 from the free throw line. He added two rebounds, one assist, and one block in 23 minutes. The Heat’s loss snapped a four-game winning streak.
Victor Wembanyama On a Minutes Restriction
San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama will not play the second of the Spurs’ back-to-backs and will be on a minutes restriction for the next couple of weeks, coach Gregg Popovich told reporters on Friday.
“He’s got a minutes restriction and he can’t play back-to-backs for a couple of weeks until they take another picture and check out his foot again.”
Wembanyama landed on the foot of a Dallas Mavericks ball boy during his pregame warmup on Dec. 23, two games after being sidelined with right ankle soreness. Wembanyama sat out that night against Dallas as a precaution, citing a right ankle sprain. He returned to action Tuesday but sat out Friday night’s 134-128 loss to Portland.
Wembanyama has lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick in this past June’s draft thus far. The 19-year-old Frenchman is averaging 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.3 blocks in 27 appearances. However, he has struggled with his shot and turnovers.
San Antonio (5-26) hosts Boston on Sunday. The Spurs have three backs-to-backs in January.
Kawhi Leonard Remains Out
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has missed the last four games after playing through an old hip injury that he had previously been playing through. It appears that Leonard will miss more time as he still hasn’t been cleared to return to practice as of Friday night, according to Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.
Ty Lue said Kawhi Leonard’s hip injury was a reaggravation of a fall he suffered earlier in December in Utah that he’d played through. Kawhi isn’t cleared to participate in practice yet, Lue said, adding he worked out post-practice yesterday.
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) December 30, 2023
Lue said that Leonard first sustained the hip injury against Utah on Dec.8 when he tumbled after being fouled. He aggravated the injury when Leonard was hit by the knee of Dallas’ Grant Williams late in a win on Dec. 20.
“He aggravated it then and played through it, and then the Dallas game just kind of took it over the top,” Lue said.
Lue also clarified a statement he made yesterday on Thursday. On Thursday, Lue said Leonard would practice “a little bit” as the team prepared for Friday’s home game against Memphis. But before tipoff, Lue said Leonard had not participated, instead working out afterward.
“He’s getting better, but he’s not cleared to play,” Lue added.
The Clippers (19-12) close out their three-game homestand by hosting Miami (19-13) on Monday. Amir Coffey, who has started the past five games, will likely remain in the starting lineup with Leonard out. Coffey averages 9.7 points and 3.2 rebounds while compiling a shooting slash line of .500/.385/.889 in six starts this season.
Lonnie Walker IV Update
According to Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, Brooklyn Nets wing Lonnie Walker IV may return on Tuesday against New Orleans after a 14-game absence due to a hamstring injury.
“It’s good to see him on the trip,” Vaughn said before the Nets’ 110-104 loss to the Wizards on Friday. “He did have a little bit of a workout after shootaround [Friday], which is good. So we’ll continue to see kind of how he responds.
“Like I said, the last time I talked about that, he wouldn’t be playing this week. So that’s the OKC game for us, right? And so then he’ll stay on the trip and see if he just continues to progress. We’ll keep putting him on the court. But probably after OKC game going into the New Year, I’ll have some more information. But he is on the trip which is a good sign.
Brooklyn (15-17), on a two-game losing streak, plays at Oklahoma City (21-9) on Sunday night.
While there is no guarantee that Walker will be cleared by Tuesday, he is getting closer.
“I’m getting there. Still no timetable, but [Friday] was a very, very huge step forward as far as understanding how my physical aspect as far as movement and jumping and running, how I feel. I felt terrific is probably the best I felt and quite a long time,” Walker said.
“I’m struggling. I mean, as far as like dying to play back on the court. I’ve kind of just been sitting on the floor watching everyone shoot, touching the floor, getting really excited as the timetable gets a little closer and closer. But mentally I’m good physically I’m feeling really good. I had a really good workout session after practice, so I’m just in a really good place.”
