Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Finishes rookie season strong
Rotowire
Whitmore finished Sunday's 116-105 victory over the Clippers with 21 points (9-17 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-3 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one block across 36 minutes.
This was a strong finish to Whitmore's rookie season, and he seems poised to take on a larger role in 2024-25. In 47 appearances, Whitmore compiled averages of 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 three-pointers on 45.4 percent shooting from the field.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Running with starters Sunday
Rotowire
Whitmore is in the starting lineup for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Clippers, Jackson Gatlin of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Whitmore's explosive rookie year will end with his second start of the season, and he'll look to build off the five points and four rebounds he posted in 27 minutes in his prior start on Jan. 21. Whitmore is flanked by Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith on the wings.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Scores 18 off bench Thursday
Rotowire
Whitmore recorded 18 points (5-11 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 27 minutes during Thursday's 124-121 loss to the Jazz.
Whitmore has seen regular minutes off the bench in recent weeks and has scored in double digits in all but one of his last seven contests, with the lone exception being the April 9 matchup against the Magic where he got tossed. He's been making the most of his minutes and should handle a decent workload in the final two games of the season, as the Rockets have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Tossed from game
Rotowire
Whitmore was assessed two technical fouls and ejected from Tuesday's game versus the Magic, Dan Savage of the Magic's official site reports. He will end the contest with two points (1-4 FG, 0-3 3Pt) in six minutes.
Whitmore was ejected with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter after getting into altercations with Joe Ingles and Moritz Wagner. Reggie Bullock and Jeff Green are candidates to receive increased playing time in the rookie forward's absence.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Scores 17 points off bench
Rotowire
Whitmore racked up 17 points (6-14 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds and one block over 23 minutes during Thursday's 133-110 loss to the Warriors.
Whitmore didn't miss a step despite being absent for nine straight games due to an ankle injury. When including his outings before his absence, he's now scored in double digits in six consecutive games -- and in all but three of his 13 appearances since the All-Star break. Whitmore is not expected to crack the starting lineup in the near future, but he remains a valuable scoring alternative off the bench. He's definitely worth considering as a streaming option.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Returns from nine-game absence
Rotowire
Whitmore totaled 13 points (5-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-4 FT), five rebounds, one assist and three steals across 22 minutes during Sunday's 125-107 loss to the Mavericks.
Whitmore returned from a nine-game absence Sunday and wasn't supposed to play more than 20 minutes as a precaution. Whitmore looked sharp, however, and he may take on a large role to close out the season.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Facing minutes cap in return
Rotowire
Coach Ime Udoka said Whitmore (ankle) is available but will play no more than 20 minutes during Sunday's game against the Mavericks, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
As expected, Whitmore has been upgraded from probable to available and will suit up following a nine-game absence. However, the rookie will be limited to shorter stints and won't play more than 20 minutes, limiting his fantasy appeal. Before his injury, Whitmore scored double figures in eight of his last 10 games, averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 20.3 minutes during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Upgraded to probable
Rotowire
Whitmore (knee) has been upgraded to probable ahead of Sunday's contest against the Mavericks.
Whitmore has been nearing a return for quite some time, and the probable tag suggests the former Villanova standout could see minutes off the bench for the first time since March 10. Before his absence, the rookie had played 20-plus minutes in seven of his last 10 appearances, averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Nearing return
Rotowire
Coach Ime Udoka said Whitmore (knee), who remains out Wednesday against the Thunder, is right on track with his three-week rehab timeline and is getting closer to a return, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports.
The red-hot Rockets have won nine straight and are vying for a spot in the Play-In Tournament, so Whitmore's potential return is noteworthy, though it's unclear if Alperen Sengun (ankle/knee) would be back if Houston makes a postseason run. Whitmore hasn't played since March 10 and is due back in early April, barring a setback. Before his absence, the rookie had played 20-plus minutes in seven of his last 10 appearances, averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Out for three weeks
Rotowire
Coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday that Whitmore (knee) will miss roughly three weeks, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Whitmore has already been ruled out for Tuesday's contest due to a right knee sprain and is now set to miss an extended period. In his absence, Amen Thompson and Jae'Sean Tate are candidates to receive increased playing time. Whitmore could still return before the end of the regular season on April 14, but the Rockets may not rush him back if they continue to fall in the standings without Alperen Sengun (ankle/knee).
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Out with knee sprain
Rotowire
Whitmore has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Spurs due to a right knee sprain.
The severity of the injury remains unclear, but the rookie had been sharp since the All-Star break, as he averaged 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 20.3 minutes over his last 10 appearances. With Whitmore sidelined, the Rockets could feed more minutes to rookie Amen Thompson and reopen a spot in the rotation for Jae'Sean Tate.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Leads bench in scoring in loss
Rotowire
Whitmore closed with 17 points (7-15 FG, 3-7 3Pt), two rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes during Wednesday's 122-116 loss to the Clippers.
Whitmore led all bench players in Wednesday's contest in scoring while ending as one of five Rockets players with 15 or more points in a losing effort. Whitmore, who connected on a trio of threes over a bench-leading minute total, has recorded at least 15 points in 12 games this year.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Big night from second unit
Rotowire
Whitmore recorded 19 points (9-16 FG, 1-4 3Pt), eight rebounds, one assist and one steal in 20 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's 114-101 win over the Spurs.
The 19-year-old continues to look like a steal as the 20th overall pick in the 2023 Draft. Whitmore has scored in double digits in five of seven games since the All-Star break, averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 boards and 1.0 threes in 19.3 minutes a contest, although his offensive game remains a work in progress -- he's shooting just 21.2 percent (7-for-33) from three-point range during that time.
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Contributes off bench Thursday
Rotowire
Whitmore chipped in 14 points (5-14 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds and one block across 27 minutes during Thursday's 110-105 loss to Phoenix.
Whitmore might have needed 14 shots to score 14 points, but other than that, he provided a spark off the bench and looked active on the glass, ending just two away from notching a double-double. The rookie out of Villanova continues to improve, with four double-digit point appearances across his last five.
Whitmore (ankle) recorded 13 points (5-11 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 1-3 FT), four rebounds and two blocks across 24 minutes Thursday in the Rockets' 127-105 loss to the Pelicans.
After practicing Wednesday without issue, Whitmore was cleared to return from a three-game absence coming out of the All-Star break. The rookie hit double figures in the scoring column for the ninth time in 10 games, but he may not be able to count on reaching 24 minutes regularly in competitive contests. Whitmore should at least have a firm hold on a rotation spot for the foreseeable future while Tari Eason (lower leg) faces a murky timeline for a return.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Will play Thursday
Rotowire
Whitmore (ankle) will play Thursday against New Orleans, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 Houston reports.
Whitmore missed the Rockets' final three games before the All-Star break due to an ankle injury but will be back in action after having a week to rest. Over his last five appearances, he's averaged 16.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Remains out against Memphis
Rotowire
Whitmore (ankle) won't play in Wednesday's game versus the Grizzlies.
Whitmore's absence streak will extend to three games Wednesday due to a right ankle sprain despite coach Ime Udoka saying the rookie forward could return against Memphis. Whitmore's next chance to suit up will come after the All-Star break on Feb. 22 against New Orleans.
... See More... See Less
Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Out Monday, may play Wednesday
Rotowire
Whitmore (ankle) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Knicks, but head coach Ime Udoka said the rookie could return for Wednesday's game against Memphis, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 Houston reports.
Whitmore will miss his second consecutive game Monday due to a right ankle sprain, but the 19-year-old appears to be facing a short-term absence. Even if he doesn't show enough improvement in practice Tuesday to put himself on a path to play Wednesday, he should be ready to go coming out of the All-Star break. Whitmore has proven to be a strong per-minute scoring threat with averages of 17.4 points in 20.0 minutes per game over his last nine outings, but he's not providing much in other categories aside from rebounds (4.7 per game in that stretch) and three-pointers (2.7). Moreover, he may not have an avenue to see his minutes increase dramatically while starting forwards Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith are both healthy.
