Not looking good: Christian Wood likely to miss time for Rockets with ankle sprain

Between Wood, John Wall (left knee soreness), and Danuel House Jr. (self-isolation), Houston is likely to be without three starters.

In a 2020-21 season where little has gone right thus far for the slumping Houston Rockets, it only feels appropriate their biggest bright spot is poised to miss time.

Starting center Christian Wood, who is averaging All-Star level numbers of nearly 24 points and 11 points per night, rolled his right ankle late in the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss to Phoenix. Video of the play showed Wood’s right foot buckling on his way to the basket.

After staying down in pain for several seconds, Wood rose and limped to the locker room without assistance. He returned to play in the second half, but the 25-year-old acknowledged in postgame interviews he was “in a lot of pain” and the ankle had begun to swell.

“Not looking good,” head coach Stephen Silas said after Thursday’s practice, in which Wood did not participate. “Most likely out.” The team is officially listing Wood’s injury as a right ankle sprain.

Houston has a road back-to-back coming up on Friday in Detroit and Saturday in Dallas. The Rockets were already without two starters for those games. John Wall (left knee soreness) and Danuel House Jr. (self-isolation) haved missed several games.

The Rockets (4-9) enter Friday with the second-worst record in the Western Conference, having lost five of six overall. Silas indicated veteran backup DeMarcus Cousins would start at center versus Detroit, while they could opt to go smaller and more versatile against the hot-shooting Mavericks — should Wood not be able to return by Saturday.

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