Houston Rockets leading scorer Jalen Green was back in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game with the Denver Nuggets while fellow guard Kevin Porter Jr. could return Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Green missed two games with a groin injury sustained Feb. 15 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It also caused him to pull out of the Rising Stars game as part of All-Star festivities.
Green, who was selected second overall in the 2021 draft, is averaging 21.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 54 games this season.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Green told the Houston Chronicle. “It didn’t really get my muscle too much. It was just the top layer of it. I was happy. I started my recovery right away. Get back. End the season right.”
Porter missed his 20th consecutive game due to a foot injury. He is close to returning and took part in the mid-day shootaround, but coach Stephen Silas said that Porter needed another day.
“Confident about tomorrow, but not tonight,” Silas told reporters of Porter prior to Tuesday’s game.
Porter, 22, is second in scoring with a 19.2 average and leads the team with 5.6 assists per outing in 40 games.
The Rockets have lost nine straight games and 29 of 33 entering Tuesday’s contest.
–Field Level Media