Rockets lose talented young guard Kevin Porter Jr. to left ankle sprain
The struggling Houston Rockets (16-50) entered Wednesday’s game with only eight active players due to widespread roster injuries and issues with the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and they ended with even less due to yet another injury suffered by a key player.
Second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. limped off the court and to the locker room during the third quarter of Wednesday’s home loss (box score) to Philadelphia, and the Rockets ruled him out almost immediately, citing a left ankle sprain. Prior to his departure at Toyota Center, Porter had tallied 16 points (46.2% FG) and 5 assists in just 23 minutes.
Kevin Porter Jr. just walked back to the #Rockets locker room. You can see him limping. pic.twitter.com/MhwmYTsKij
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) May 6, 2021
Head coach Stephen Silas will update Porter’s situation postgame. With a back-to-back looming on Friday and Saturday in Milwaukee and Utah, it would seem unlikely that the Rockets play Porter in both ends, at a bare minimum. Other players to have suffered ankle sprains in recent weeks have included Danuel House Jr. and DJ Augustin, and each missed several weeks after suffering the injury.
Augustin was dressed out and listed as active for Wednesday’s game so that Houston would meet the NBA’s minimum requirement of eight players to play, but Silas did not use him during the game. After Porter went out, the Rockets effectively had only six available players for the game’s duration — Avery Bradley, Armoni Brooks, Anthony Lamb, Kelly Olynyk, KJ Martin, and DaQuan Jeffries.
Earlier Wednesday, Houston reportedly reached a 10-day contract agreement with young guard Khyri Thomas. Given Porter’s new injury, the potential availability of Thomas could become even more important as the Rockets look to navigate their final six games of the season.
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The hits keep coming for the #Rockets – the team suited up 8, with 7 available to play. Down to 6 available to play. This is truly insane… and the Rockets have had to deal with situations like this ALL SEASON LONG. https://t.co/RGNcOyuqEx
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) May 6, 2021
With Houston’s 2020-21 season coming to an end on Sunday, May 16, it’s likely an open question as to whether Porter can return, at all. If not, the lefty certainly made quite an impression in his first year in Houston. Now 21 years old, he’s less than a week removed from a historic game of 50 points and 10 assists in last Thursday’s win versus Milwaukee.
Entering Thursday, Porter had averaged 16.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game with the Rockets.
