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Rockets coach McHale says Howard 'won't be back any time soon'

Troy Taormina / USA Today Sports

The Houston Rockets have done an admirable job of holding down the fort without center Dwight Howard - which is good news, because it appears they'll have to keep doing it for the foreseeable future. 

"It would be nice to get everybody else back, but that won’t be happening any time soon," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of Howard on Saturday, according to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen

McHale had previously been hopeful that Howard, who's been out with a right knee strain since Nov. 17, might be ready to return in time to play on the Rockets’ road back-to-back in Golden State and Sacramento this Wednesday and Thursday. 

Asked if he had a better feel for Howard’s timetable, McHale simply said, again, "He won’t be back anytime soon."

The Rockets have also been without starting power forward Terrence Jones since early November due to a nerve issue in his leg, and only just got point guard Patrick Beverley back from an extended absence due to a hamstring strain. Beverley's backup, Isaiah Canaan, has been out since Nov. 28 with a sprained left ankle. They just lost international rookie Kostas Papanikolaou to a knee sprain. McHale says, "He will not be coming back any time soon, either." 

And yet, after beating the Phoenix Suns 100-95 on Saturday - yet another gritty win over a tough Western Conference foe - the undermanned Rockets are 16-4 (now 7-2 without Howard), good for the second-best record in the NBA.

If and when this team gets back to full strength, it could be straight-up terrifying. 

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