Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley hasn’t seen the court since Oct. 2 and he might be sidelined for even longer. The tenacious defender has been held out of much of the preseason due to a lingering left knee issue that may require surgery.
A source has told ESPN’s Calvin Watkins that the projected starter for Mike D’Antoni might need surgery, which would throw a wrench in Houston’s plan to start him next to MVP candidate James Harden:
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters Tuesday that he is not counting on Beverley for the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 26.
Beverley will undergo further evaluations this week before a final determination is made.
Losing Beverley for any amount of time would be a huge loss for the Rockets, who barely made it to the playoffs in 2015-16 with a No. 8 seed and a record of 41-41.
Houston lost Dwight Howard in free agency, and while they gained D’Antoni and the newfound offensive freedom that brings for Harden, they still need the defensive presence of Beverley.
It’s likely that Eric Gordon would make up the bulk of Beverley’s minutes if he misses any time. Neither Gordon nor Harden are known for their defensive capabilities, so it could be rough going to start the season in Texas.