Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. was listed as out for Thursday’s Game 4 on an official injury report issued Wednesday. As was the case for Game 3, “personal reasons” is stated as the explanation.
Veteran center Tyson Chandler also missed Game 3 due to personal reasons, but he is not on the injury report for Game 4 of their best-of-seven playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even with the injury report, it is unclear if there is any new information on House. Head coach Mike D’Antoni met with reporters at approximately 2:30 p.m. Central on Wednesday, just prior to Houston’s practice, and said “haven’t heard yet” when asked about House’s Game 4 status.
The #Rockets "haven't heard yet" on the potential availability of Danuel House Jr. for Game 4, per Mike D'Antoni.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) September 9, 2020
Unless something changed in the next two hours — when D’Antoni and everyone else with the Rockets were on the practice court — it could be that the “out” designation was simply a rollover from Game 3.
Keep in mind, the injury reports aren’t binding. Russell Westbrook was originally listed as “out” for Game 5 of Houston’s first-round playoff series versus Oklahoma City, only to be upgraded on gameday. As a result, final word on House may not be known until Thursday.
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If unavailable, it would again be a significant loss for the Rockets. With the 6-foot-6 House unavailable off the bench, Jeff Green was the team’s only reserve to score during the Game 3 loss, in which the Los Angeles bench outscored their Houston counterparts by a 42-16 margin.
#Rockets bench outscored by the Lakers bench 42-16. https://t.co/zDpIdRHwAv
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) September 9, 2020
In nine playoff games, House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per game, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for the team’s switch-heavy defense.
In Sunday’s Game 2, the 27-year-old had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, and he hit 3-of-7 from 3-point range (42.9%).
The team has yet to elaborate on the reasons for his absence. Prior to Game 3, House did practice with the team on Monday, and D’Antoni said the team was expecting him (at that time) to be available.
Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. The Rockets now trail the second-round series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 crucial for their hopes of advancing. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.
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Danuel House Jr. is listed as out for personal reasons in the afternoon injury report. Those things can, and sometimes do change, but not often from out. Robert Covington (headache) is listed as questionable.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) September 9, 2020