Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon left Tuesday’s scrimmage against the Boston Celtics after suffering an ankle injury, and it’s possible he may not be available again until the postseason.
X-rays on Gordon’s ankle were negative, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that early estimates indicate the 31-year-old is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.
Reporting from The Bubble on @GetUpESPN: The latest on injuries to Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon. pic.twitter.com/wp58cVeXIY
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2020
Houston’s last seeding game is on Aug. 14, so the Rockets may decide to hold Gordon out until the playoffs.
The Rockets have already clinched a postseason spot, but the seeding games are not meaningless for them. They’re currently the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, and finishing in that spot would allow them to avoid playing the Los Angeles Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. Houston has only a 1.5-game lead over the No. 7 seed Dallas Mavericks.
Gordon, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, has played mostly off the bench during his career, but the Rockets were committed to playing him as a starter when the season resumed. Despite the fact that he’s having a down season and averaging 14.5 points and a career-worst 37 percent shooting, Houston is counting on Gordon to be their third scorer behind James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Gordon has lost some weight during the layoff in order to help prevent injuries, but the way he hurt himself on Tuesday was simply unfortunate.
