Monday, January 14, 2008

Stack out with hammy strain

Jerry Stackhouse is sitting out tonight’s game with a strained right hamstring. He suffered the injury late in the second quarter of Saturday’s win over the LA Clippers. With a four-day break coming up, Stackhouse expects to be ready for Saturday’s visit from Seattle.

“I’ll be fine,” he said.

His absence shakes up the rotation, since he joins Jason Terry as the first two off the bench.

“We’re going to need to get some production out of Devean George and [Trenton] Hassell,” Avery Johnson said, adding that JJ Barea could also get a few extra minutes in the backcourt.

Other than making the game-winner at LA, it’s been a tough trip for Stackhouse. Already playing with a sore right thumb, he knocked knees with a Sonics player Friday at Seattle, which he feels helped lead to the hamstring pull. The following night, he reacted too quickly to a guy cutting to the basket, leading to the injury despite no contact being made.

He played the rest of the game. The hammy didn’t really tighten up until later that night.

“I didn’t even feel it,” he said. “It’s amazing what emotion and adrenalin can overcome.”

Stackhouse is missing his third game of the season. Asked if he came into the season with a goal for games played, he answered: “All the playoff games.”

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