25 Austin Rivers PG

Rivers won't play Wednesday against Minnesota due to right elbow soreness, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Rivers will have to wait until after the All-Star break to return to the court, as he's evidently dealing with some soreness following Monday evening's clash with Dallas. Gerald Green and Iman Shumpert could see an uptick in minutes with Rivers out of the mix for at least one game.

Rivers offered 16 points (4-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 5-7 FT), five assists, four rebounds and two steals across 35 minutes in the Rockets' 125-98 win over the Jazz on Saturday.

Rivers saw plenty of run with Chris Paul sitting out the contest for rest, leading to his highest scoring total since Jan. 13. The 26-year-old guard's usage also saw a spike Saturday, as his 13 attempts served his second-highest figure in that category since Jan. 5. The seven-year veteran encouragingly saw between 21 and 31 minutes in the first three games Paul played since returning from injury, so he looks set to retain a solid role in the rotation. However, it's also worth noting Paul has yet to return to his normal allotment of playing time, so Rivers could eventually settle into a role that affords him minutes in the low 20s on the majority of nights.

Rivers totaled zero points (0-5 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 0-2 FT), three assists, and two rebounds in 27 minutes during Monday's 121-93 loss to the 76ers.

Rivers had earned less than 30 minutes just once through his first 13 appearances with the Rockets. However, his offensive struggles combined with the lopsided score resulted in Rivers seeing his second-lowest minute total since joining the team. With Chris Paul (hamstring) potentially returning to the lineup by the end of the week, Rivers is likely set to see his role reduced going forward. Still, he could remain a decent option in daily leagues for Wednesday's matchup with the lowly Knicks.

Rivers played 46 minutes and contributed 13 points (5-14 FG, 3-9 3Pt), six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block across 46 minutes Wednesday in the Rockets' 145-142 overtime loss to the Nets.

RIvers cleared the 40-minute mark for the fifth time in nine games, benefiting greatly from an onslaught of injuries in addition to coach Mike D'Antoni's streamlined rotations. Though the Rockets returned a key backcourt member in Eric Gordon (knee) from injury, Gordon experienced renewed soreness during the contest to end his night early. While it's not believed to be a major setback, Gordon could be held out for Saturday's game against the Lakers as a precaution, which would clear the way for Rivers to once again absorb most of the minutes at guard alongside superstar James Harden.

Rivers finished with 11 points (4-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six assists and three steals over 39 minutes Monday against the Grizzlies.

Rivers struggled to a 33.3 percent success rate from the field, but he tacked on six assists and three steals to his final line when all was said and done. With James Harden leading the team with 57 points Monday evening, there wasn't much production left over for the rest of his teammates. Chris Paul (hamstring) is likely still at least a week away from returning, so Rivers should stay locked into a starting role until Paul is given the green light.