The Houston Rockets have caught fire behind the big-time play of James Harden, but they have been doing it without two starters due to injuries. The challenge got a little bit tougher for Houston on Monday, as sources say that Clint Capela is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with ligament damage in his right thumb. The big man underwent an MRI on Monday, and plans on getting a second opinion from a hand specialist soon.
Capela became the Rockets' second option with Chris Paul and Eric Gordon sitting with injuries, averaging career highs with 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds, along with almost two blocks per game. Capela has been a key part of the Rockets' rotation, which led to him landing a five-year, $80 million contract extension this past summer. That was perfect timing, as he has been depended on even more in the paint, averaging a career-high 34.2 minutes per game. Nene is the team's backup center, but the Rockets have been holding the 36-year-old veteran to just 15 minutes per game.
The Rockets have moved past their surprisingly slow start, and now sit in sixth place in the Western Conference at 24-18. They have done that behind Harden's 16-game 30-point streak, which ties Kobe Bryant for the longest such streak in NBA history. Sources close to the team expect the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein and Marqueese Chriss to see more playing time while Capela recovers. The team is also hoping to get Gordon back this week and Paul back at the end of next week.
Capela became the Rockets' second option with Chris Paul and Eric Gordon sitting with injuries, averaging career highs with 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds, along with almost two blocks per game. Capela has been a key part of the Rockets' rotation, which led to him landing a five-year, $80 million contract extension this past summer. That was perfect timing, as he has been depended on even more in the paint, averaging a career-high 34.2 minutes per game. Nene is the team's backup center, but the Rockets have been holding the 36-year-old veteran to just 15 minutes per game.
The Rockets have moved past their surprisingly slow start, and now sit in sixth place in the Western Conference at 24-18. They have done that behind Harden's 16-game 30-point streak, which ties Kobe Bryant for the longest such streak in NBA history. Sources close to the team expect the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein and Marqueese Chriss to see more playing time while Capela recovers. The team is also hoping to get Gordon back this week and Paul back at the end of next week.
