Houston Rockets News: Injury Report & Updates

With key players still returning from injury, the Houston Rockets are primed to blast off as a Western Conference force.

Houston Rockets: Injuries Last Year
For the past few seasons, the one thing that has held the Houston Rockets back from capturing the NBA Championship crown has been the pesky injury bug. Both Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming have had a history of getting hurt during the season for huge chunks of games, which often leaves fans with Houston Rockets tickets with plenty of what ifs at season’s end. Staying healthy in the playoffs is a whole other beast, as the Houston Rockets faltered in the first round of the playoffs when Rafer Alston went down with a hamstring injury against the Utah Jazz.

Houston Rockets: 2008-09 Outlook
As the 2008-09 NBA season tips off, health will once again be the No. 1 concern for the Houston Rockets. Fans with Houston Rockets tickets will hold their collective breaths anytime a player on the Houston Rockets roster hits the floor, tweaks an ankle, or takes a hard foul. So long as the Houston Rockets Big Three – Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Ron Artest – can stay injury free, the Houston Rockets will be one of the favorites to win the West and repeat Houston Rockets history by winning an NBA Championship!

Houston Rockets: Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady is still one of the most explosive scorers in the game, and fans with Houston Rockets tickets are well aware of this. However, injuries to his back, shoulder, and most recently knee have given Tracy McGrady fits, keeping him out of games for stretches at a time. During the NBA offseason, Tracy McGrady underwent successful surgery on his right knee; T-Mac has spent the offseason rehabbing and getting closer and closer to 100 percent. Tracy McGrady logged a good amount of minutes in the preseason and is ready to go – although not completely at full speed – as the 2008-09 NBA season gets underway.

Houston Rockets: Yao Ming
Last season, fans with Houston Rockets tickets cheered as Yao Ming dominated the first half of the NBA season. Yao Ming was voted a Western Conference All-Star and helped his Houston Rockets team string together 12 wins in a row before he went down with a season-ending injury – a stress fracture in his left foot that would require surgery. After a successful operation, Yao Ming spent the remainder of the season rehabbing his foot.

Much to the delight of fans with Houston Rockets tickets, Yao Ming’s recovery from foot surgery has come along nicely, with the 7-foot-6 center participating in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and returning to form at the start of the 2008-09 NBA regular season. Houston Rockets fans will be happy to know that Yao Ming opened the season schedule looking like his old self, posting 20-10 numbers almost effortlessly.

Houston Rockets: Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston underwent offseason surgery to repair an ailing ankle. Fans with Houston Rockets tickets wouldn’t see Skip to My Lou back on the court until September rolled around. The Houston Rockets point guard would log some minutes in the preseason and was ready to go for the season opener, playing 36 minutes, scoring 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. With backup point guard Aaron Brooks out with injury, Rafer Alston will likely be called upon to play 30-plus minutes per game early in the Houston Rockets schedule until Aaron Brooks’ return.

Houston Rockets: Shane Battier
On May 9, 2008, Shane Battier underwent surgery on his left ankle. During rehabilitation, Shane Battier experienced inflammation in his foot. The foot injury would cause the Houston Rockets defensive juggernaut Shane Battier to sit out for at least four weeks, which would cause him to miss preseason play, the season opener, and games scheduled in the early weeks of November.

The injury update and news on Shane Battier is that he has participated in light shooting workouts but has yet to go through more demanding drills or practice with the Houston Rockets team. Fans with Houston Rockets tickets can rest assured that Shane Battier’s return is on a day-to-day basis, and he will be back in a Houston Rockets logo in no time at all.

Houston Rockets: Aaron Brooks
Houston Rockets backup point guard Aaron Brooks bruised his right ankle during practice on October 26, 2008. The next day, MRI exam results revealed that the explosive, 23-year-old Aaron Brooks would be sidelined for 1-3 weeks. Fans with Houston Rockets tickets are thankful that Aaron Brooks suffered no structural damage and just needed a bit of time to let the swelling subside. After resting for a couple of days, Aaron Brooks returned to the lineup on October 30, 2008, and scored 14 points in 20 minutes of action.