Former All-Stars John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins each made healthy returns after missing the 2019-20 NBA season due to injury as the Houston Rockets crushed the Chicago Bulls in Friday’s preseason game.
Wall had 13 points (60.0% FG), nine assists, five rebounds, and two steals in 19 minutes, and Houston outscored Chicago by 27 points with the 6-foot-4 guard on the floor. Meanwhile, Cousins scored 14 points (71.4% FG) and made three 3-pointers in 15 minutes as the team’s starting center, and he also had five rebounds and two blocked shots.
Wall hadn’t played in an NBA game since Dec. 26, 2018, following injuries to his left heel and Achilles. Meanwhile, Cousins missed all of last season after tearing his left ACL in a workout before the 2019-20 season began. With five and four previous All-Star appearances, respectively, both were acquired by Houston in the recently completed 2020 offseason.
Houston won the game, 125-104 (box score), despite being without three starters in James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Christian Wood. The Bulls were led by 15 points and six assists from starting point guard Coby White.
The Rockets and Bulls will play another exhibition game on Sunday night, also at the same United Center location.
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Stephen Silas on the healthy returns of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins: "It meant a lot. It's step-by-step with those guys. We really didn't know what to expect, when those guys walked through the door. They both played very well tonight. They both looked really good." #Rockets
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) December 12, 2020