NBA
Clint Capela To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Right Thumb Injury
The 2018-19 season for the Houston Rockets has been a shaky one thus far. The The Rockets have been without their point guard Chris Paul and Eric Gordon for a stretch this season. On Monday, Clint Capela was added to the injured list, which now forces reigning NBA MVP James Harden to really keep the Rockets afloat
Capela is going to miss 4-6 weeks due to ligament damage in his right thumb. He injured the thumb in Houston’s 116-109 loss to the Orlando Magic in Orlando last night. Against Orlando, Capela was 8-12 from the field, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 36 minutes.
He was having a career season for the Rockets, averaging career highs in points (17.6) and rebounds (12.6). Obviously, Capela’s injury is a big blow for the Rockets because they don’t have a player at his position who can defend and catch lob passes at the rim.
In Capela’s absence, expect Nene and Isaiah Hartenstein, who has spent time in the G-League, to get more playing time. Defensively, the Rockets love to switch a lot, and with Capella being out, it might be hard for them to stick to it.
Capela’s absence also will likely hurt the Rockets on the glass. They might not feel comfortable playing Nene and Hartenstein for long stretches. It’s possible they could look to sign a center in free agency who can give them quality minutes. Until Paul and Gordon return from their injuries, expect the Rockets to likely play a four guard lineup at times.
Rockets Need The Supporting Cast To Step Up
Coming into the season, the Rockets didn’t have a deep roster loaded with depth. The injuries are mounting, and they need their supporting cast around Harden to step up. Due to paying Paul and Capela last summer, they’ve pretty much become a team that’s sporting a top heavy roster. Danuel House has had his moments for the Rockets this season, averaging 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Austin Rivers has also been good for the Rockets since being waived by the Phoenix Suns. In ten games played (7 starts) in Houston, Rivers is averaging 13.5 points and 3.0 assists per game. Even though it’s a small sample size, he’s also shooting 40.3% from 3-point range for the Rockets.
Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss also need to step up. This is the time they’re really being counted on to take some of the load off of Harden. James Ennis, Gerald Green, and Gary Clark also need to step up until Paul, Gordon, and Capela return. If they can do just enough to stay afloat until their key guys come back, the Rockets still will be a team to contend.
Notes
With Capela being out, it’s looking like the Rockets already have eyes on another big man. According to Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report, they’re eyeing Chicago Bulls big man Robin Lopez. The Bulls, however, don’t want to buy Lopez out of his deal to watch him go to Houston or to the Golden State Warriors. In Houston, the show must go on and it will tonight at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Photo Credit
James Anderson via Flickr
