After using the extended All-Star break to rest, starting point guard Fred VanVleet (left adductor strain) and valuable bench scorer Cam Whitmore (right ankle sprain) will both rejoin the Rockets when Houston resumes its schedule on Thursday night in New Orleans.
VanVleet missed Houston’s five games leading into the break, and the Rockets went 1-4 in those games. Whitmore satg out the final three. When combining the All-Star break with their absence leading into it, VanVleet had more than two weeks of rest before Wednesday’s team practice, while Whitmore had just under two weeks.
VanVleet said he had no limitations and would be available for both ends of Houston’s upcoming back-to-back — on Thursday against the Pelicans followed by Friday at home versus Phoenix.
The news was less optimistic for second-year forward Tari Eason, who has had off-and-on issues throughout the regular season since suffering a stress reaction in his lower left leg during the preseason. Eason hasn’t played since an apparent flareup following Houston’s Jan. 1 game, and he did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
Head coach Ime Udoka said more on Eason’s status would be known later in the day after seeing results from medical imaging. The team is hopeful that extended time off could make a return realistic, but testing results will reveal whether enough progress has been made.
Ime Udoka on Tari Eason
Question: Do you think it’s a guarantee Tari plays again this season or is that up in the air?
Udoka: “I think we'll know more after he gets some imaging and looked at today with this extended break, we'll know more shortly.” https://t.co/9EsOy5tnYy
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 21, 2024
Fred VanVleet cleared to play
Fred VanVleet says he’s good to go. Felt like he could’ve played before the break but was happy with the rest pic.twitter.com/q1RXzodrsM
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) February 21, 2024
Ime Udoka maintaining starting lineup
Udoka said there will be no change to the Rockets starting lineup. He said the one constant of the last 27 has been how they’ve been short handed, so he wants to see how things look when they have that starting 5 together again
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 21, 2024
VanVleet cleared for both ends of back-to-back
Rockets coach Ime Udoka said he considered a new starting lineup over the All-Star break but ultimately decided he won’t make immediate changes.
Fred VanVleet, who’s been out since Feb. 4 with an adductor strain, said he is good to play in both back-to-back games on Thurs/Fri.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) February 21, 2024
Cam Whitmore returns to practice
Cam Whitmore is back at practice pic.twitter.com/reBLQToSVL
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 21, 2024
