Hold on tight, Houston Rockets fans. More help and hope could be on the way.
Rockets starting center Dwight Howard will reportedly play his first back-to-back games next week when the team takes on the New York Knicks on Sunday and then the Detroit Pistons the day after.
Such should be a big sigh of relief for Houston Rockets, which have so far been in shambles despite being considered one of the favorites in the competitive NBA Western division.
The Rockets are currently 5-10 in the standings, hardly gaining any improvement since firing Kevin McHale recently. Under J.B. Bickerstaff, the Rockets were only able to win once (the day after the firing), but have been the same losing squad ever since.
However, with Howard back, Houston is hoping to up the winning odds once again.
Nevertheless, Howard cautions that his minutes will still be managed to make sure that he is broken in to the rotation properly while at the same time not placing risks on his progress.
"So maybe 20 to 25 minutes each night until the season gets better. Right now the main thing is making sure I stay in shape, stay strong and healthy and trust my body," says Howard via ESPN.
Howard has been bothered by several injuries involving his back and knees. Last month, in a report from ESPN, Howard bared how he had to deal with a torn MCL, as well as meniscus issues, during last season’s NBA playoff run, covering it up and simply saying it was a simple case of sore knees.
Though he didn’t mention it, the injuries did take their toll on him, what with the noticeable dip in his performance.
When checked by doctors, the injuries didn’t really require surgery and the tears weren’t that severe. Hopefully, Howard has mustered enough time to allow his injuries to heal considering that the Rockets need all the help they can get to get back on track.
James Harden has been trying his best for the Rockets but so far, such hasn’t panned out. The entry of Ty Lawson hasn’t done much either, but with a technically full starting cast, Bickerstaff is hoping that the winning streak will finally start.
While his return is welcome news, it will be interesting if he can put up the numbers needed by the reeling Rockets. His presence is good but his delivery is what the team needs most.
Howard is averaging 13.8 points and 13.6 rebounds in nine games so far, but for the Rockets to rev up, Superman may need to do a bit more to push the team to a respectable showing and hopefully a .500 mark.