Eric Gordon to Return for Rockets vs. Jazz After Shin Injury

Rockets guard Eric Gordon will return to the floor in Utah on Saturday, according to head coach Mike D'Antoni. 

Gordon has missed the last three games with a bruised left shin. The Indiana product sat out Houston's two games preceding the All-Star break, and he then missed the Rockets' win in Golden State on Thursday night. 

Gordon originally injured his shin in Utah on Jan. 27 as he was kicked in the third quarter. Gordon played through the injury–and coincidentally dropped a career-high 50 points in the process–and he continued to play through the injury for six additional games before heading to the bench on Feb. 11. Gordon struggled mightily in the six contests before sitting out, making just nine of 35 threes while shooting 33% from the field.

Houston will now have its full complement of weapons with Gordon now back in the Rockets' lineup. Austin Rivers and Ben McLemore join Gordon in the backcourt portion of Houston's bench, while Jeff Green, DeMarre Carroll, Thabo Sefolosha and Bruno Caboclo comprise a deep collection of frontcourt players off the bench. Head coach Mike D'Antoni certainly has his hands full as he looks to create a consistent rotation for the stretch run.

Saturday night marks a potentially crucial contest for the Rockets. Houston and Utah have split the season series thus far, and Saturday is the two teams' last battle of the regular season. If the Rockets and Jazz finish the regular season with the same record (Utah currently has a one-game lead for the No. 4 seed), Saturday's contest could swing seeding in a crowded Western Conference.

The Rockets enter Saturday's contest fifth in the Western Conference at 35–20. Tip-off from Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City is slated for 8 p.m. CT.