Houston Rockets’ point guard Patrick Beverley has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his wrist, reports Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports. He will be reevaluated in 7-10 days and make a decision on the next step after seeing a specialist.
The injury could require a season-ending surgery, which comes at a very bad time with the playoffs right around the corner. Houston cannot afford to lose their best perimeter defender for an extending period of time. Especially since the Western Conference is stacked with elite point guards such as Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, and Mike Conley. Beverley has been averaging 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 56 games played this season. His numbers may not be eye popping, but his role on the team is crucial to Houston’s success. In his absence, veteran Jason Terry should receive the starting point guard nod, and Pablo Prigioni is expected to see more minutes off the bench. Fortunately, the Rockets will have Dwight Howard back into the lineup Wednesday night, but they will now be without Beverley for quite some time.