[Stein] Rockets are bracing for the loss of Dwight Howard for at least a month

Well the good news is that we have great back ups at the center position. Wait, we don't.

If McHale is smart (and that is another story), he starts DMo at center and TJ at PF and we never see Dorsey again.

 

DMo time.

 

Thankfully the month Dwight needs to sit to get right is February, ASG month, month with the
shortest amount of games in the season.

8-2 for February

L - Bulls
W - Bucks
W - Blazers (blazers back 2 back, play mavs night before)
W - Suns
L - Clippers (our back to back, not enough healthy bigs for Griffin-Jordan)
NO TRADE
W - Mavs (mavs back 2 back, play okc night before)
W - Raptors (boths team on back 2 back. But Rockets opponent Mavs night before on a back to back, so easier W
than Raptor's game against a rested Hawks. Also Home Court Advantage for Rockets)
W - Wolves
W - Clippers (We get them back. Have a good feeling about this one. Clippers have a really tough Feb. schedule
and our game is flanked by 2 matches against the Grizz. I think they lose focus and we play sharp)
W - Nets


If a major trade goes down before the trade deadline, then:

6-4,
L - Bulls
W - Bucks
W - Blazers
W - Suns
L - Clippers
TRADE
W - Mavs
L - Raptors
W - Wolves
L - Clippers
W - Nets

 

Still no official word from the Rox on this?

 

This is a good thing. It'll get us a healthy Dwight come playoff time when it matters and let's our other big develop, so we have more experience behind dwight.

Dwight honestly should get duncan treatment. 60 games a season come out strong during the playoffs

 

Day-to-day for the next month.

 

I know that the speculation is a month, but if Dwight was out for the year, it would weaken the Rox trading position, so I wonder if we are getting the full story here?

DD

 

That is an excellent point. Especially if they are looking to acquire a big.

Also- you don't go across the country to see multiple doctors unless surgery is at the very least "an option".

I think much of the speculation around here is a little severe, but it doesn't take a scientist to come to the conclusion that the Rockets are going to have to change their direction a bit to accommodate for either a lesser role, or extended injuries in the next few years from Dwight. They are going to need a more long term solution at the backup 5 spot.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kevin McHale: &quot;Dwight (Howard) will not play the next few games.&quot;</p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/562338066480648193">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Rockets Kevin McHale planning to be without Dwight Howard for next ten days. Says other bigs have to step up. <a href="https://twitter.com/abc13houston">@abc13houston</a></p>&mdash; Bob Slovak (@BobSlovak13) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobSlovak13/status/562339406787272704">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
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It sounds like the Rockets need a big with size who can rebound, defend, and set screens. Certainly we can easily acquire that in exchange for the first round draft pick we received for Omer Asik.

 

Kinda sounds like good news to me. If the figure 10 days is used that probably means no, to minimal procedures.

 

The only issue with that, is a big like a Kostas Koufas, even though they are a great backup center, they all think they should, and are going to get paid to start somewhere next year.

Koufas seems to be the real only true quality backup center out there, and he's going to at least a 1st round pick. AND he's likely gone this Summer in free agency.

The Rockets probably have to get really creative with this and figure out a way to get someone locked up for awhile on a rookie scale contract, find someone in Europe that will sign for multiple years (ala Pat Bev), or take a flyer on a guy that has struggled in the NBA thus far (ala Whiteside or Jeremy Tyler).

I don't see an easy fix for that spot that doesn't come with mortgaging the future for a short term fix, and given Dwight's long term transition to shorter minutes, lighter load, etc., Morey probably needs to be smart about giving up long term assets to get a couple extra wins this year. Best case scenario is obviously Clint Capela growing up overnight... not holding my breathe there.

 

Days, months, years? Everyday it changes. Is Dwight looking for a knee transplant or something here?
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Capella time? Haha

 

Better than what the Rockets put out (or don't).

Terrence Jones had a bruise that turned into something with his nerves.
Dwight was a last minute scratch against the Lakers, no big deal.
And Beverley...

Gotta be more careful next time with Dwight. He'll be out awhile this time.

Same **** they said about Beverley. Rushed him back a time or two from his hamstring only to see him go out again and again.

Rockets medical staff is ****. Do they not know how to diagnose an injury and put an approximate timetable on it?

DO NOT PANIC! YAO MING IS NOT HURT. HE IS DAY-TO-DAY.
.
.
.
.
.
PRESS RELEASE: YAO MING TO UNDERGO SEASON-ENDING SURGERY.

 

Seriously, when McHale said, "Yeah, I think we rushed Dwight back from the ankle a little too soon", I was in shock. How on EARTH can you continuously rush people back from injury time and time again, only to get bitten in the ass every time? At what point do you learn? We already KNEW that Dwight had a knee issue.....why would you have him practice just days after a very obvious sprain?

 

I think if a medical staff was working with a millionaire pro athlete, then they'd always wait as long as possible, just to be sure....it doesn't make any sense for them to rush, unless they're getting pressure from the FO or the player. As much as you don't want to be the guy who rushed him back, you don't want to be the guy who didn't clear him quickly enough and it cost the team some Ws.

 

As long as we add some decent to significant player into the rotation soon then Howard should be able to sit about 6 more weeks and then come in and be fine in time for the playoffs.

 

I feel like I sleepily scrolled through a thread I can't find now and saw John Henson chatter. Is there anything to it, or just speculation?