Patrick Beverley likely to miss Thunder game, return Thursday

Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley's debut is just around the corner, and his days of just being an onlooker are numbered.

"Not Wednesday, probably Thursday," Mike D'Antoni said when asked about when Beverley will make his return.

Beverley has been out of action since the second game of the preseason with irritation in his left knee. Since then he's had arthroscopic surgery, rest, and plenty of rehab.

Thursday, potentially Beverley's first game back, the Rockets will play the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back after traveling to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder tonight.

He's likely ready to play Wednesday night — in fact, Pat himself believes himself ready to play — but the Rockets are probably going to take it very slow with him until he proves he's 100 percent.

The Rockets will have a couple of weeks to build Beverley's stamina to be ready for the team’s next back-to-back on Dec. 1 and 2. Knowing Bev, he’s going to look full speed right out of the gate, and will probably injure someone on the Jazz, just to balance things out.