The Houston Rockets are likely to again be without guards Russell Westbrook (right quad contusion) and Eric Gordon (sprained left ankle) in Sunday’s game versus Sacramento.
Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said before Saturday’s practice that both decisions were being made out of an abundance of caution, rather than a setback. “We just want to be really careful,” D’Antoni said. “They both should be able to play a couple games before the playoffs.”
Now 31 years old, Westbrook is averaging 27.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 36.1 minutes per game in a brilliant debut season in Houston. A nine-time NBA All-Star and the 2017 MVP, Westbrook is shooting a career-high 47.2% with the Rockets — whose small-ball approach has helped open up more opportunities to attack the rim.
#Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni says Russell Westbrook will be out tomorrow vs. Sacramento. Same with Eric Gordon. "Definitely doubtful."
"We just want to be really careful. They both should be able to play a couple games before the playoffs." #OneMission
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) August 8, 2020
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Gordon is Houston’s No. 3 scorer, with an average of 14.5 points in 28.6 minutes. With both out, Ben McLemore is likely to again start in the backcourt alongside James Harden.
McLemore is Houston’s best 3-point shooter at 40.5% on the season, and he stepped up with 20 points (50.0% on 3-pointers) in Westbrook’s absence during Thursday’s victory the Lakers.
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The Rockets had said after that game that they believed Westbrook had a “real good shot” of playing Sunday. However, with both Utah (43-26) and Oklahoma City (42-26) losing on Friday, the Rockets (43-25) now have a greater cushion in the close race for Western Conference playoff seeding than they may have previously anticipated.
Today's Jazz and Thunder losses are making the No. 6 seed very unlikely for #Rockets. Perspective: If Houston (Kings, Spurs, Pacers, Sixers) finishes 2-2…
The only way they could fall to 6 is if Utah (Nuggets, Mavs, Spurs) and OKC (Wizards, Suns, Heat, Clippers) BOTH win out.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) August 7, 2020
Houston is currently alone in the No. 4 spot in the West standings, which would put them on track for a potential second-round matchup with the top-seeded Lakers (51-17). The Rockets defeated the Lakers in two of their three meetings in the 2019-20 season.
Sudnay’s game versus the Kings (29-40) tips off at 7:00 p.m. Central. The Houston telecast can be watched via regional broadcast partner AT&T SportsNet Southwest, and it can be streamed via NBA League Pass. Sacramento will have its own broadcast on NBC Sports California.
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