What the Rockets didn’t say about Christian Wood’s injury

When Christian Wood went down with an ankle injury during Thursday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets fans braced for the worst. The injury was Wood’s second such injury on the same ankle in 15 days, as he previously missed three games because of said injury.

Wood was off to a great start in the game, as he had 17 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes of gameplay, going 7-of-10 from the floor and 3-for-3 from long-range, before turning the ankle in the third quarter. Wood was determined to push through the injury long enough to take the free throws from the foul he drew on the play he was injured, although his teammates were able to change his mind on shooting the free throws.

After injuring his ankle, Christian Wood tried to shoot his free throws.

His teammates convinced him to go back to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/bvQz366l0p

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2021

Wood was helped off the court by his teammates and had to use a wheelchair to get to the locker room. The Rockets announced that Wood was going to get an MRI on Friday morning, leading many Rockets fans to have a rough night of sleep, as they awaited news on Wood’s condition.

What the Houston Rockets didn’t say about Christian Wood’s injury

The results of the MRI were revealed on Friday night, although no exact timetable was given and the update was simply that Wood had suffered an ankle sprain that left him week-to-week. Rockets fan and sports medicine physical trainer Okeezie (@OkeezieSportsPT on Twitter, if you aren’t already following) helped to explain the specifics of Wood’s injury by filling in the gaps of what the Rockets failed to expound upon.

Immediately after the injury occurred, Okeezie stated that Wood was looking at a two-to-four week timetable, with the high probability that it would fall on the higher end of the spectrum. Following Friday night’s results of Wood’s MRI, Okeezie explained the basis of his initial timetable (aside from his 13 years of experience in the sports medicine industry).

“The reason I didn’t say longer was because he didn’t land on someone’s foot from a jump. If that same thing happens from a jump, I go to four-to-six weeks.

There are certain triggers and signs we look for to determine severity. Him thinking he could shoot free throws was actually a good sign too.

For the four-to-six week level ankle sprains, he would never think that would be possible.”

Okeezie gave Rockets fans cause for optimism regarding the Rockets’ timetable, stating:

“Week-to-week is best case and means only his progress is determining how long he is out and they aren’t having to hold him out a certain amount of time for healing. If he progresses fast, through rehab, he will get back fast. Best news it could be, to be honest.”

The Houston Rockets will now have to figure out how to replace All-Star production from Wood, who was eighth in the Western Conference in All-Star votes, with averages of 22 points and 10.2 rebounds (13th in the league), while also making 42.1 percent of his threes on 4.5 long-range attempts per game.