Houston Rockets: James Harden could miss the most time of his career
The Houston Rockets will be without James Harden for a bit as he nurses a hamstring injury that he sustained in last night’s 148-142 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers. How much time could he miss? It could be the most he’s missed in his pro career and here’s why.
The Houston Rockets have been quite fortunate with the heroics of James Harden‘s health over the years but we’re getting to a point to as he ages, especially with the minutes that he logs, it’s going to be something that will catch up to him.
The human body can only take so much a beating on a nightly basis — and he takes plenty — so those pain receptors quickly let one know whenever something is out of wack. As for James Harden, it’s his hamstring that’s causing the disarray.
The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen had the latest in regard to the details of the injury as well as the effect:
Rockets announce that James Harden has a grade 2 hamstring strain will be reevaluated in two weeks.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 2, 2018
He also gives details in regard to what a Grade 2 strain actually is as well as the severity:
A grade two hamstring strain involves a partial tear of a hamstring. Even within grade 2, there can be a variety of severeties, but the two weeks is for an exam, not for Harden to return.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 2, 2018
This certainly points to the uncertainty of when he will actually return. If that hammy isn’t on point when he gets back, then he will miss more time. With as little time as Harden has missed over his career, let alone with the Houston Rockets, it’s hard to imagine life without him in the lineup.
But that’s what this team will have to do — knuckle down and concentrate like they did in last
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night’s thriller to keep that continuity up and win games. These guys are more than capable and Chris Paul will now have the weight of the franchise on his shoulders until the Beard gets back into the fold.
To put this into perspective, out of a possible 445 games with the Houston Rockets, Harden has only missed 15 games over a period of six seasons. So yes, the time he will miss will be close to the most he’s missed in his career which is was nine games in 2013-14. He was battling knee and hamstring injuries back at that point.
I hate to be Debbie Downer on this topic but I do think they should be prudent with his recovery and be dead set on not catering to Harden’s demands to play and err on the side of his health later in the season which is vital if we’re going on a deep run to attempt to dethrone the Golden State Warriors.
Next: James Harden has to be shrewd in critical moments
We’ll have to see!
Harden, 28, is averaging 32.3 points, 9.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds with a shooting line of .451/.390/.867 through 35 games this season. All of these numbers are career-highs.
Go Rockets.