The Houston Rockets will have their starting point guard John Wall back against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Head coach Stephen Silas confirmed the positive development ahead of the Texas showdown at American Airlines Center.
Stephen Silas on John Wall's return: "He's coming back earlier than expected. I didn't expect him to be here this weekend."
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) January 24, 2021
John Wall will play tonight.
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) January 24, 2021
John Wall has missed the Rockets' last five games due to left knee soreness. His return versus the Mavs marks his first game back since Houston traded disgruntled superstar James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster deal.
In his first seven games in H-Town, Wall has shown flashes of his pre-injured self. The five-time All-Star notched 18.6 points on 45.4 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent from downtown, along with 4.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 block.
With The Beard gone, Wall is expected to take over the reins in Clutch City alongside his new backcourt mate Victor Oladipo. The Rockets have struggled so far in the 2020-21 campaign, currently situated near the bottom of the Western Conference Standings with a 5-9 win-loss slate. They've gone 2-3 in their last five outings sans Wall.
But despite his return, Houston is still expected to be undermanned against Dallas, as Oladipo and Christian Wood are both listed as out. Dipo is taking a seat to rest on the second night of a back-to-back, while the promising Wood is still recovering from a right ankle sprain.
Wall, on the other hand, wasn't expected to be ready until next week against the Washington Wizards. His early return is definitely a good boost for the Silas-mentored Rockets considering they do need all the help they can get at the moment.
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