NBA Injury Report: Update on Dillon Brooks’ Return Tonight vs Celtics After Missing Previous 9 Games

The Houston Rockets are having a pretty uneven season so far. Despite prospects looking great for them at the beginning of the season, things have waned at this juncture for the Rockets. They are currently 9th in the league with 19 wins and 18 losses with a win percentage of just over 50. The last few games have been especially rough for them because they lost a key defensive piece Dillon Brooks to an abdominal oblique strain on December 26th in a game against the Indiana Pacers.

As Houston gears up to face the Boston Celtics, who are on a high after defeating the Timberwolves in overtime, will the 27-year-old return to the hardwood floor? Let’s look at the latest updates.

Dillon Brooks is expected to join

The Rockets have been on a six-game away stint and Brooks has currently missed 9 games, including the one last Friday against the Detroit Pistons. Houston came away with a narrow win in the game, edging past the Pistons by just two points with the final score of 112-110. The latest update on him according to the reports on ESPN as of January 12th is that “Brooks (oblique) said Friday that he expects to return to action on the Rockets’ current road trip and is a full participant in practices.” 

The Rockets also have two other players missing from the rooster: Tari Eason and Victor Oladipo. Head Coach Ime Udoka on January 10th confirmed Brooks’ presence to close out the road stint saying, “I think he’s ramping it up and getting into some live action, soon, so we’re hoping to get him back within the next few games … to finish out this road trip.” This is the right time to measure Brooks’ defensive impact on the team and how the Rockets performed in his absence.

The Houston Rockets over the last 9 games

Since Dillon Brooks left mid-way in the third quarter on December 26th in a loss against the 4th-seeded Indiana Pacers, Houston has lost 5 out of nine games they have played. The Canadian’s impact defensively cannot be understated under any circumstances. After being fired by the Grizzlies last year after the first-round playoff exit, he has become a significant contributor under Udoka’s guidance.

Read More: Dillon Brooks Injury Report: Terrible News for Houston as Ime Udoka Provides Official Update on Rockets Leader

After inking the $80.9 million contract with Houston, he has been averaging a steady 13.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for the regular season. Numbers never totally reveal the true picture, but his temperament and impact have surely improved. Who do you think will win today’s match-up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

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