Monday night in Chicago, the Rockets’ playoff hopes finally collapsed in a heap.

Rick Adelman’s squad began the game undermanned, with forward Shane Battier and center David Andersen relegated to training room.  Soon, they’d have company.  Forward Jared Jefferies limped off the court late in the third quarter with a strained left hamstring.  In the fourth quarter, forward Jordan Hill had to be carried there with a sprained left ankle.

The injuries leave the Rockets with only eight healthy players heading into Wednesday’s game against Oklahoma City, making a last-ditch playoff run more or less out of the question.  But the Rockets’ playoff chances began to slip away even before their big men came up lame on Monday.  After leading by five points at halftime, Houston made only 13.6 percent of their shots in the third quarter and 23.9 percent in the second half, both season lows. 

Aaron Brooks struggled in particular, never finding his rhythm against Chicago guard Derrick Rose.  Despite their shooting woes, the Rockets rallied in the game’s final minutes, finding themselves down by only three with 1:37 to play.  Rose, however, took over down the stretch, scoring at will over Brooks.  The Bulls took the game 98-88.

While it was a crushing road loss, Monday may have been only the beginning of the Rockets’ struggles.  None of Houston’s injured big men is expected to play on Wednesday.  On Tuesday, the team called up forward Mike Harris from the Developmental League.  Harris has dominated the D-league this season, but he doesn’t give the Rockets the size they desperately need to become whole again. 

For the next two weeks, at least, forwards Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola will play big minutes for Adelman.  Harris may provide an interesting presence.  The injury bug, however, appears to have finally finished what it began when Yao Ming broke his foot last season.

For 2010 at least, the Rockets’ slim playoff chances have at last dwindled away to nothing.