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The Houston Rockets had a much-needed win last night against the Portland Trail Blazers, but it didn’t come without a cost. James Ennis left the court in the second half with a strained hamstring, and now it’s being reported that he’s going to miss the next 1-2 weeks with the injury.
James Ennis III will miss one to two weeks with a strained hamstring, Mike D;Antoni said, but Rockets expect to have a better idea in the next day or two. D'Antoni said he could increase minutes for House, Green and maybe play Clark again.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 12, 2018
It’s a tough blow for the Rockets, who are already struggling enough as is with depth. It also likely ensures Eric Gordon stays in the starting lineup for at least the next two weeks, and it also partially explains Houston’s reported interest today in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Despite last night’s solid play from the second unit, the Rockets have been in dire need of some help on the wing most of the season, even with Ennis healthy. Now that he’s hurt— and we all know that hamstring strains can linger a looong time (cough, cough, Chris Paul)— getting another wing into the fold seems critical.
We’ll see if Daryl Morey makes a move in the coming days or if he’ll continue to lean on Gerald Green and Danuel House, while giving Gary Clark back some of the minutes he was playing earlier this year.
Get back soon, James!