Houston Rockets NBA News, Rumors 2015: Dwight Howard Could Be Out Injured 'for Weeks'

Getting into the top playoff positions in the Western Conference might get harder for the Houston Rockets because of the continuing knee woes of one of its starters.

A report from Hang Time Blog cited Marc Stein of ESPN.com indicating that the Rockets are "bracing themselves" for the impending month-long loss from the court of Dwight Howard.

The 29-year-old former LA Lakers player is experiencing a "persistent trouble with his right knee."

Sources for the publication went on to add that the team "fears their defensive anchor will be lost for a period of 'weeks' as opposed to days."

The athlete, meanwhile, is still currently getting additional consultation from doctors to fully determine the best treatment course that he has to undergo to correct his knee problems.

Despite the situation, Houston is nonetheless confident that the NBA star "will be able to come back in plenty of time to ramp up for the postseason, even if the absence stretches into the six-weeks range."

Coach Kevin McHale told reporters on Friday that due to the "fluid buildup" in Howard's right knee, he really didn't expect for the Georgia native to appear during their two-game road trip to Boston and Detroit.

Same knee trouble forced the athlete to miss a total of 11 games earlier this eason.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee averaged 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots for this season.

The Rockets, meanwhile, have maintained their top-four spot standing in the West Conference despite Howard's absence from the field.