HOUSTON – Injuries are always detrimental, particularly for players who make an impact on both ends of the court. The Houston Rockets recently faced this challenge when forward Dillon Brooks suffered an oblique injury in a loss at home against the Indiana Pacers. This was followed by Jabari Smith Jr. spraining his ankle in another subsequent loss against the Phoenix Suns. The loss of these two key starters, critical on both ends of the court, has been a significant blow to Coach Ime Udoka's team.
The absence of Brooks was particularly felt in the matchup against the Suns, where Houston's perimeter defense faltered. Phoenix capitalized on this, shooting 14-of-33 from beyond the arc. Eric Gordon, in a revenge-style game against his former team, contributed half of those 3-pointers, attributing to 27 points.
Injury bug makes a comeback for Rockets
Earlier in the season, the Rockets also lost Amen Thompson and Tari Eason to injuries, impacting several games. This situation strained Houston's bench depth, compelling Udoka to rely heavily on his starting lineup. Thompson's rookie development was particularly hindered, as his injury occurred just three games into his NBA career. Since his return, Eason has become a pivotal player for the Rockets, contributing significantly in various aspects like rebounding, defense, and efficient 3-point shooting. Thompson, still in his debut season, is now playing catch-up in his development.
The consequences of over-reliance on the starting lineup, even with Eason and Thompson back in action, have now become apparent. Houston is facing the challenge of being without two critical starters, and their already struggling bench is under renewed pressure. Coach Udoka recently stated that there is no set timetable for Brooks' return, adding to the team's challenges.
Even though baseball and basketball are two different sports, Houston Astros' Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez each spent multiple weeks on the injured list due to oblique strains of their own in the 2023 season. For the Rockets, oblique strains are a dime a dozen. A player could be out for up to a month or just a few days.
Brooks' ability to effectively guard the perimeter has been a key component of the team's defensive strategy. With the team already struggling to contain opponents' outside shooting in the Pacers and Suns, Brooks' recent absence has witnessed a noticeable gap. This season, the former Oregon product has lived up to every penny in his four-year contract, averaging 13.6 points on solid efficiencies of 47.6 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from deep. On defending 3-pointers, he holds opponents to 36.6%.
Another big blow to Rockets starting lineup
A sprained ankle from an up-and-coming star in Jabari Smith Jr. is the last thing the Rockets need this season. The team has reaped the benefits of Smith's strong sophomore improvements all season. His shooting stats between this year and his rookie season are a major disparity. Regarded as one of the worst-rated players in the league last season with a -11.3 net rating, Smith immediately left that conversation, currently holding a positive 1.0 net rating.
His shooting splits have increased ten fold, averaging 13.8 on 49.2% from the field and 37% from deep. The Rockets also have a +29 point differential when Smith is on the court. Losing Smith for a period of time takes a big hit on shot creating off the dribble and size on the perimeter. While timetable returns from ankle sprains are relatively predictable, it doesn't mean he'll be back quickly. The Auburn product could be out between 3-5 weeks.
Time to bring in the rooks
With two of the key forward starters out, this brings in new blood to fill in some gaping holes for Houston. As mentioned earlier, this is a great time for Amen Thompson to continue developing his game and hopefully become a premier facilitators in the NBA after a couple of seasons. Tari Eason should get some starting minutes on behalf of Brooks.
Moreover, Cam Whitmore, whose done more than enough to earn a spot on the rotation given his monstrous G-League performances, should be a major forefront to take some key minutes. And it looks like that will be the case. Prior to the Suns game, the Rockets sent Nate Williams, Nate Hinton and Jermaine Samuels Jr. back to the G League. Luckily, Whitmore was not on the list.
Sure, notable vets like Jeff Green, Jae'Sean Tate and Aaron Holiday will receive their typical minutes, but it would behoove Udoka to really lean more on the young guys to cover Brooks and Jabari until they return.
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