After missing nearly three weeks with a sprained lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee, rookie wing Cam Whitmore hopes to return to the Rockets’ rotation Sunday versus Dallas, according to Friday’s report by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Whitmore hasn’t played since March 10 in Sacramento.
Houston (37-35) entered Friday with 10 straight wins and a 12-1 record in March (best of any NBA team), yet they still trailed Golden State (38-34) by a game in the race for the final Western Conference postseason spot. Thus, the Rockets need all the help they can get, particularly versus a quality opponent like the Mavericks (43-29).
According to Feigen, when asked if Whitmore hoped to be cleared in time to face the Mavericks on Sunday, the rookie smiled and said:
Yes, that is my hope. It’s a home game, so we’ll see what happens.
To test the knee, Feigen reports that Whitmore went through strenuous workouts and an intense game with reserves and assistant coaches after Friday’s gameday shootaround in Utah. Once completed, Whitmore reported “no pain” and feeling back to normal.”
Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore picks up pace in rehab workouts with an exhausting test in Utah and a hope for a game to return from knee injury https://t.co/18ncxR1TQR via @houstonchron
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 29, 2024
Drafted at No. 20 in the NBA’s 2023 first round, Whitmore has provided sorely needed scoring punch off Houston’s bench.
An athletic and powerful force at 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Whitmore is averaging 14.9 points (45.4% FG, 34.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.6 rebounds in just 20.1 minutes over his last 19 games played.
