Howard’s absence will be a blow for Houston…
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Houston Rockets star center Dwight Howard has been ruled out indefinitely after he underwent a knee procedure on Wednesday.
The Rockets made the announcement after Howard had a bone marrow aspirate injection into his right knee, and will now begin rehabilitation immediately.
Howard is expected to be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks but there is no timetable for his return to the court with the regular season reaching the final stretch by the time he makes his comeback.
The 29-year-old hasn’t played since January 23 after he left the game against the Phoenix Suns with a sprained right ankle. However, it was later reported that he was also suffering from swelling in his right knee and that problem has undoubtedly worsened since.
Howard is second in scoring for the Rockets with an average of 16.7 points per game, while he leads the team with 11.2 rebounds per contest.
Despite the blow of his absence, the Rockets have managed to survive without him as they have gone 3-1 since he was sidelined as they prepare to take on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
Nevertheless, while Howard being sidelined shouldn’t be an issue for the rest of the regular season, Houston will be looking at the bigger picture and hoping that not only can he make a full recovery ahead of the playoffs, but that the swelling doesn’t return when he does return to action.
His absence will undoubtedly have an effect on their seeding in the more immediate future, and there is also the question of whether guard James Harden can continue to carry the team and remain fresh enough to lead them through the post-season.
Howard’s absence certainly makes life difficult for the Rockets, and they will be hoping that their towering center and defensive anchor can return sooner rather than later.
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