Report: Rockets bracing for Dwight Howard to miss a month

Houston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale wasn't kidding around when he said that he didn't expect Dwight Howard to be around much in the next while.

Howard has been out since Jan. 23 due to soreness in his right knee, an issue that also cost him 11 games earlier in the season. While the team hasn't released a firm diagnosis - it's known that Howard has fluid in his knee - or timeline, they are bracing internally for Howard to miss a month of action, according to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN.

According to Stein, Howard is still going through various consultations to determine the best treatment for his knee, and the Rockets remain confident he'll be able to return to health in time for the end of the regular season. The goal would be for Howard to simply return in time to work his way into postseason shape.

The Rockets have managed surprisingly well without Howard, going 11-5 in games he's missed this year thanks in large part to James Harden playing out of his mind. The team has still been 6.3 points per-100 possessions with Howard, their defensive anchor, on the court than off of it, and they're painfully thin at center behind him.

In 32 games, Howard is averaging 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 57.5 percent from the floor. While those numbers aren't quite up to his established standards, he's also playing fewer minutes than he ever has as the Rockets look to maintain his health. His efficiency metrics are down some, too, but that shouldn't confuse Howard's import to Houston's chances of making a deep playoff run.