The young and rebuilding Houston Rockets are 2-31 over their past two seasons without veteran guard Eric Gordon, and they’re now gearing up for a 27-game sprint to this season’s finish without him.

Fresh off an eventful NBA trade deadline, the Houston Rockets will be missing three usual rotation players in Gordon, Garrison Mathews, and Bruno Fernando when they resume play Friday in Miami. All three were traded as part of Thursday’s deadline dealings.

In addition to future draft capital, part of the rationale for Houston’s moves was to open up more playing time this season for second-year prospects Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba.

They’ll have a tough assignment Friday night against Jimmy Butler and the veteran-laden Heat, who are fighting to hold down the final spot (No. 6) in the Eastern Conference’s 2022-23 playoff picture among teams hoping to avoid the play-in tournament.

Injury reports
Houston’s injury report lists Kevin Porter Jr. as out with a left foot contusion, which has cost him one month and counting of games.

Miami is without Kyle Lowry (left knee soreness), Victor Oladipo (right ankle sprain), Duncan Robinson (right second finger surgery), Nikola Jovic (lower back stress reaction), and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery). Gabe Vincent (right ankle inflammation) is probable.