The Houston Rockets survived Game 5 against the Portland Trail Blazers, and point guard Patrick Beverley had to do battle not just with Damian Lillard, but also was combating a very high fever. Per CSN Houston:
The Rockets’ starting point guard made it through 21 grueling minutes in the 108-98 series-extending Game 5 win but he was visibly exhausted. Eventually, Beverley remembered that he went into the hospital on Monday evening, to get IVs and rest.
And then he played in an NBA playoff basketball game on Wednesday night.
“It was tough. It was tough. I could hardly breathe,” Beverley said when asked how hard it was to play on Wednesday night. He didn’t get an IV during the game. “It was hot out there; I felt cold. I had the chills, a mix of things. But none of it matters anymore now that we got the victory. I’ll probably go to the hospital tonight, check myself in, get some more IVs, get ready for the next one.”
Beverley said that he had a 103.8 temperature on Tuesday. It was down to cool 101 on Wednesday.
According to Beverley, his stay in the hospital lasted 28 hours. (He missed Tuesday’s practice.) Beverley re-appeared at Wednesday’s shoot-around but tried to conserve his energy for the game. And even still, he didn’t have much to give.
“The kid’s tough as nails. He’s just been a rag doll all day long,” Rockets head coach Kevin McHale said. “The thing about that kid is he’s just tough. All he was playing on tonight was just heart alone. He had nothing but he said ‘I’ll give you what I got’ and that’s why I like him.”
Beverley played 21 minutes and exited the game after just five minutes in the first quarter. Beverley scored just five points and had just two assists but his backup, Jeremy Lin, helped guide the Rockets to a win.
