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Tim BontempsESPN
Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon is feared to be missing for a week or two due to a left ankle injury sustained in a scrimmage on Tuesday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Rockets are expected to have a clearer idea of Gordon’s injury schedule once he is reassessed on Wednesday, sources said.
X-rays were negative at the ankle, coach Mike D’Antoni said.
“It hurts,” added D’Antoni after Houston’s 137-112 scrimmage victory over the Boston Celtics.
Gordon, 31, jumped for a pass and landed awkwardly on his left foot with 1:08 left in the second quarter, spraining his ankle as he did so.
After sitting for an extended period of time, Gordon was helped off the court by his teammates while putting very little weight on his left foot. Soon after, Houston discarded it for the rest of the game.
“Of course, Eric is a big part of what we are doing and what we are trying to do,” said Rockets star James Harden. “Hopefully he can heal his ankle as soon as possible, but just like we’ve been dealing with adversity all year, it’s about the boys taking a step forward.”
It has been a difficult season for Gordon, who signed a four-year, $ 76 million contract extension with the Rockets in September. He missed six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on November 13 and scored just 14.5 points per game, his lowest average in his four seasons with the Rockets, while shooting 37% from the field and 31.9%. from the 3 point range.
The Rockets entered the NBA bubble hoping that Gordon could have used the parenthesis after the season was suspended in March to correct his body, allowing him to be Houston’s third scoring option behind superstars Harden and Russell. Westbrook. Gordon’s importance has only grown with Houston’s decision to lean toward small lineups, with his typical starting lineup with no one taller than 6-foot-7 and with forward PJ Tucker operating in the center.
D’Antoni said he is not sure how he could replace Gordon in the starting lineup if Gordon is forced to miss Friday’s opening game against the Dallas Mavericks. D’Antoni started Ben McLemore in the second half on Tuesday, but said he could also start Danuel House Jr.
“We’ll see,” said D’Antoni. “It’s an easier rotation because Danuel has to endorse Covington at 4, but Danuel could probably start. We’ll see what happens.”
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