The journey back from a torn ligament is apparently longer than 94 feet.
"Mr. 94 Feet" Patrick Beverley has given up in his quest to make an unlikely return for the Western Conference Finals, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
The Houston Rockets point guard had a cast removed from his left wrist on Monday and was set to test out different braces to measure his capacity for playing through the healing process. Beverley had been in the cast since late March after a torn ligament was surgically repaired. Despite a four-month recovery timeline, Beverley maintained hope he could pull a Willis Reed and return if the Rockets made a deep enough playoff run.
They have, but not even someone as tough as Beverley can be expected to return in less than half the recommended recovery time.
"It's a no-go for the series," a source told Wojnarowski. "He's done trying."
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was adamant after Beverley's injury that Houston could win a title without him, but the road is far more arduous now. The Rockets are set to take on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, no easy matchup at full strength, and Beverley's absence leaves the team with a paucity of palatable options for checking Curry and managing the trickle-down assignments that come from shifting a wing his way.
In four regular-season meetings, Curry scored less frequently and less efficiently when Beverley was on the court opposite him, though the Warriors' offense still soared, as it's wont to do.
| Curry vs. Rockets | Pts/36 | Ast/36 | TS% | O-Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With Beverley | 23.3 | 7.9 | 68.2% | 121.6 |
| Without Beverley | 28.6 | 8.6 | 76.6% | 105.0 |
In 56 games this season, Beverley averaged 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals, often ceding point guard duties on offense to James Harden while saving energy for the defensive end of the floor.
