Houston Rockets are concerned that striker Christian Wood will be out for a long time after hurting his right ankle for the second time in less than three weeks, sources told ESPN.
Wood will have an MRI scan on Friday to determine the severity of the injury he suffered when he horribly sprained his ankle during the third quarter of Thursday’s 115-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, according to a source.
“I don’t know,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said of the severity of the injury. “It didn’t look great. It was unfortunate.”
Wood, who emerged as an All-Star contender with an average of 22.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in his first season with the Rockets, lost three games after spraining his right ankle on January 20.
Wood injured his ankle again while driving down the track in transition against the Grizzlies. He fell awkwardly by separating defenders Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant from Memphis, immediately falling into agony.
After getting up, Wood slowly limped off the floor for the next time. He returned to the court to try the free throws of a scheduled foul on Morant, but John Wall and other teammates convinced Wood to leave the game. He limped off the floor with the help of teammates and was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.
“It was difficult for me,” said Silas. “I had to sit down and organize my thoughts and compose myself. As good as he is playing, I mean, really just like an escape season and doing everything we needed him to do … Yes, it sucks.”