MRI Reveals Strained Groin for Houston Rockets' Jalen Green

The Houston Rockets have avoided catastrophe with their best young player. According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, an MRI revealed that Jalen Green suffered a strained groin during Wednesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

New #Rockets at Houston Chronicle — Tests on Jalen Green's groin injury leave Rockets 'relieved' https://t.co/ztOsy9tXF0
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) February 18, 2023

Green exited after 16 minutes during Wednesday night's 133-96 beatdown in apparent agony. He was helped off the court and did not return.

The relative mildness of Green's injury is good news for the Rockets, but they'll likely be extra cautious with the former second-overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. They won't know how much time he'll miss until after the All Star break, but given the team is deep in the throes of another lost season, he'll likely be gone for an extended period.

The Rockets are 13-45 and 15th in the Western Conference. They have the worst record in the NBA and appear poised for their third straight season with 20 or fewer wins. So far, Green is the top asset they've acquired during their current stretch of misery, but he has yet to demonstrate enough promise for the Rockets to believe their dark period will end any time soon. He's averaging 21.8 points per game at only 21 years old, but his .534 true shooting percentage is down from his rookie season and well behind superstar status. Unless the Rockets hit the jackpot in the 2023 NBA Draft or free agency, they still appear to have tough times ahead.

The Rockets don't play again until February 24th against the Golden State Warriors.