Late in the first quarter of the Houston Rockets’ 118-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, rookie guard Jalen Green left the game with a hamstring injury. On Friday, head coach Stephen Silas told reporters that Green suffered a left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in a week. The Rockets play three games between Friday and next Wednesday (Dec. 1), so at a minimum, this injury will cost the him three contests.
Shooting 38 percent from the floor and 27 percent beyond the arc (49.8 percent true shooting), Green’s first NBA season has largely been dominated by learning curves. Yet there have been glimmers of promise, like four outings with at least 20 points, including 30 against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 24. And over his past five games — including Wednesday — he was averaging 14.4 points on 60.5 percent true shooting.
He opened Wednesday’s duel with 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting in the opening frame, and showcased his versatile jumper and explosive finishing. Injuries are never welcomed, but this one seemingly comes at a time when Green may have been finding his footing to turn scoring flashes into scoring consistencies.
Houston welcomes the Charlotte Hornets to town on Saturday to mark their first action without the No. 2 overall pick from last summer’s Draft.
