It looks like Dwight Howard’s run on the inactive list is finally over.
After yesterday’s update from Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale that Dwight Howard might be returning “sooner than later”, Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle reports that Howard should be set to make his return on Wednesday night against the Pelicans:
“We plan to play him unless what we did today bothers him,” McHale said after the team practiced in Indiana before heading to New Orleans.
Howard went through a light practice and said he felt good when it was over.
“I feel pretty good,” he said. “We will see how I feel tomorrow. Today I felt pretty good. Hopefully tomorrow, I will feel even better.”
Howard hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 23. He’s missed 26 games for the Rockets where they managed to go 17-9. Overall without Howard, who also missed 12 games earlier in the season with flu, ankle, and knee issues, the Rockets have gone 25-13.
McHale after the Rockets’ 110-100 win over the Pacers on Monday night, via Del Creech:
“We are so down on bodies and we don’t have a lot of practice time,” McHale said following the game. “We might have to start throwing him out there and letting him get some minutes in the game, whether he starts out 15-20 minutes and getting game time. But he has to start playing here pretty soon because otherwise the season is just going to go by and you can’t wait for the playoffs to come back, so we’ll see.”
Howard is averaging 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 32 games this season.
