Something has been in the air lately, almost like a bug\u2014or perhaps an injury bug? Jokes aside, both Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. have had ankle injuries in recent games. Amen hurt his ankle in Monday\u2019s game against the Washington Wizards, while Jabari was injured during last Thursday\u2019s game against the Orlando Magic.<\/p>\n
Houston\u2019s upcoming injury report is anticipated to include an official severity update for Amen, and Jabari\u2019s comeback is anticipated on Thursday when Houston plays the Golden State Warriors. Smith and Thompson are both dealing with ankle issues, which is testing Houston\u2019s depth. The coaching staff has been compelled to experiment with lineup combinations, increasing the responsibility of secondary scorers and bench contributions. The absence of two young building blocks also affects chemistry. Thompson and Smith make up the squad\u2019s long-term core; their extended absence disrupts the team\u2019s identity-building process.<\/p>\n
Luckily for Houston, neither injury is currently believed to be a season-ending one. Both players remain vital to the Rockets\u2019 present and future objectives. Thompson\u2019s top priorities will be steadiness and regaining confidence when going downhill. Smith\u2019s main goal is to ensure that the ankle is strong enough to endure defensive shifts and heavy minute workloads. As the season goes on, both talent and health might determine the Rockets\u2019 destiny. Houston will have two dynamic players who can alter the tempo of a game on any given night if Smith and Thompson heal completely. Without Thompson and Smith, expect more minutes from members of the \u201cstay ready crew\u201d such as Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green, along with Reed Sheppard starting.<\/p>\n
The Rockets will be back in action Thursday at 6:30 pm as they take on the Orlando Magic at Toyota Center. You can watch the game on SCHN, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for both pre- and post-game content.
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