Porter still not practicing after left foot injury
Three weeks after he injured his toe during the first of the Rockets’ two games in Sacramento, point guard Kevin Porter Jr. seems no closer to returning.
Porter will miss his 10th consecutive game on Wednesday when the Rockets play the Thunder. He said on Tuesday that he has not begun any basketball activities and has no target return date in mind.
Porter has not practiced since his injury. Although the Rockets have continued to describe his ailment as a left foot contusion, Porter and coach Stephen Silas both said the problem is pain in Porter’s left big toe. That is as specific a diagnosis as has been revealed.
“It’s just irritated. It’s something to do with my joint, but it’ll be fine,” Porter said. “We’ve just been taking it a day at a time, really. You know, I sometimes shoot in my free time. I dribble the ball all day every day when I'm at home, and I do those little things but as far as participating, everything like that, we're taking it a day at a time.”
Porter’s injury occurred on Jan. 11 when he collided with teammate Jae’Sean Tate, who was pushed into Porter by Kings guard Malik Monk in a foul that was later upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 1, a foul that the NBA deems “unnecessary.”
“Monk, he's not a dirty player, so I don't think it was intentional but it was a freakish accident,” Porter said. “At the time it was bad. I tried to reject it right when JT (Tate) was coming off the wiper, and you know, it was a physical wiper. So it was just a freakish accident. I think it was just unfortunate.”
Porter said that initially, he did not think the injury would linger as long as it has. This is his longest absence since he missed 12 consecutive games during the first half of last season while dealing with a bruised thigh.
Adding insult to injury in Sacramento was how well Porter had been playing. In his last 10 games prior to the injury, Porter averaged 22.7 points, 6.0 assists and 5.4 rebounds while making 50 percent of his field goals and 41.4 percent of 3-pointers.
“I always tell myself it sucks, but injuries are a part of the game,” he said. “I try not to get too low and I try not to get too high with things, so just when it happens, just staying poised and attacking it how I can and controlling what I can has been keeping me in the right headspace.”
While the physical part of his rehab has progressed slower than normal and will likely necessitate an adjustment period upon his eventual return, Porter refuted the idea that his mental bounceback will require the same patience.
“Nah, I stay ready,” he said. “And I'm gonna be ready when it's time.”