James Harden to Miss Rockets' Next Two Games With Hamstring Strain
Rockets star guard James Harden will miss the team's next two games with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, the team announced Thursday.
Harden did not practice with Houston on Thursday but underwent an MRI. He will be re-evaluated after two games before Houston hits the road for five straight away games.
Harden left in the fourth quarter of the Rockets' 100-89 loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday because of hamstring tightness, heading to the locker room with just over five minutes remaining in the game. Harden posted 29 points before his hamstring injury forced him off the court.
After the game, Harden did not seem overly concerned about the injury, telling reporters he felt a tightness in his hamstring and would see how he felt on Thursday.
He added: ''It's nothing serious. Nothing serious. It's not close to last year. Just being cautious.''
Harden, the 2017-18 NBA MVP, missed seven games last season with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and said this was not the same type of injury.
The Rockets also announced that small forward James Ennis suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Ennis will also be re-evaluated after resting for two games. Center Nene was diagnosed with a right calf strain and will miss approximately two weeks.
The Rockets tip off against the Clippers on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET.
