Tag: 2020 NBA Playoffs

‘Just a lack of spirit’: Rockets decry lack of urgency in Game 4 loss

The Rockets were outrebounded by 26 and trailed by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter, with the Lakers cruising to a 110-100 win.

In the entire history of the NBA playoffs, out of more than 250 best-of-seven series with a 3-1 margin, the trailing team has won 12 times.

Those are the daunting odds that Houston now faces after a demoralizing 110-100 loss (box score) in Thursday’s Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers. The lifeless Rockets were outrebounded by a staggering 52-26 margin, and they trailed by as many as 23 points before a late run made the final score appear much closer than the game actually felt.

As a result, the Rockets now face the imminent prospect of being eliminated in the second round, starting with Saturday night’s Game 5.

“There should have been a sense of urgency on everybody’s part,” said All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who scored a team-high 25 points.”I don’t have an explanation.”

“Just a lack of spirit,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said of Houston’s lethargic showing for three quarters. “Just seems like we got down and lost our way a little bit. … We let go of the rope a little bit.”

All-Star guard James Harden had his least efficient game of the 2020 playoffs, scoring 21 points on 2-of-11 shooting (18.2%). He did have 10 assists, but also a game-high five turnovers. Westbrook was more efficient as a shooter at 8-of-16 (50.0%), but four of his eight makes came in the fourth quarter, after the game had been decided. Frontcourt starters P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington combined for just six rebounds.

When asked why the Rockets were so lifeless in the first three quarters during a game they badly needed to win, Harden said:

That’s a good question.

All-Star big man Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James added 16 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. Alex Caruso scored 16 points off the bench, including the dagger 3-pointer in the game’s final minute to seal the victory.

If there was any silver lining for the Rockets, it came in the form of strong bench showings from Austin Rivers (14 points, five assists) and Ben McLemore, who made all three of his 3-pointers. Their combined 23 points was by far the most of any game in the series, and Rivers played a key role in Houston’s four-guard lineup late in the game — when the Rockets crawled back from a 23-point deficit to as close as five.

“I’m just really happy to see Austin and Ben come in and give us a boost,” D’Antoni said. “We’ve just got to find that from the get-go. I think we will. I really do. I understand it’s 3-1. So what? Denver was 3-1 [in the first round, before rallying to advance]. We’ve got to win the next game. So it’s a one-game series, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Game 5 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 7:00 p.m. Central on Saturday night, with a national TV broadcast on ESPN. It is unclear if Houston will have the services of sixth man Danuel House Jr., who was again out in Game 4 due to an ongoing NBA protocol investigation.

“We fought, which is good,” Westbrook said postgame. “We know what we have to do. It’s going to take a lot of effort. It’s going to take everyone being uncomfortable in their role and making sure that we understand that we all have to sacrifice some of the things we may love to do. But we’ve gotta scramble. That gives us the best chance to win games.”

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As NBA probe lingers, Rockets remain without Danuel House in Game 4

“The investigation is going on,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “When they come out with their ruling, then we’ll go from there.”

Early Thursday, there was optimism that a final ruling on the playing status of Houston forward Danuel House Jr. would come prior to that night’s game. However, that did not come to fruition, and the Rockets remained without their sixth man for a second straight playoff game.

In his pregame media session, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said House remained out, with a qualifier: “As far as I know.”

When asked if he believed House could return at a later date during the second-round series versus the Los Angeles Lakers, D’Antoni said:

I don’t know. The investigation is going on. When they come out with their ruling or whatever, then we’ll go from there.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the league was weighing the imposition of a potential 10-day quarantine period on House, which would likely make him unavailable for the rest of the series. The extended quarantine is due to the potential of a delayed positive test result for COVID-19 among any NBA player or staffer who breaks the “bubble” protocols.

However, the league has yet to make a final ruling on whether House actually broke any of its rules, in large part because all parties involved have consistently denied his involvement.

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Per The Athletic, the NBA has “circumstantial evidence” suggesting that House violated protocols in an incident that took place Monday night at the team’s hotel. However, House denies any wrongdoing, and it seems that the unauthorized female at Houston’s hotel (reportedly a COVID-19 testing official) has denied his involvement, as well.

The circumstantial evidence appears to involve “door data,” referring to a possible opening of the door to House’s hotel room during the time window in question, per the Houston Chronicle‘s Jonathan Feigen.

While testing officials are allowed inside the bubble, they go in and out each day and (unlike players) do not live there. Thus, as with maintenance staff, the NBA has protocols in place to minimize the potential exposure of those workers to personnel living at the bubble. The woman said she had contact with Tyson Chandler (who also sat out Game 3 for personal remains) and another player who wasn’t House, but the NBA’s probe reportedly cleared Chandler and is currently focused on House.

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Regardless of the league’s final decision, the storyline doesn’t appear likely to go away any time soon. Even if House is cleared, the Rockets as an organization would likely be frustrated that he was held out of Game 3 and Game 4 before the NBA’s probe had determined any guilt.

In nine playoff games, the 6-foot-6 House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for Houston’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%).

With House unavailable during a 10-point loss in Game 3, only one Houston reserve (Jeff Green) scored, and the Los Angeles bench outscored those on the Rockets by a commanding 42-16 margin.

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tipped off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. Houston now trails the West semifinal series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 very important to their chances. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Report: Woman at Rockets’ hotel denies contact with Danuel House

Per The Athletic, there appears to be no video connecting House and the woman, and she denies having been in contact with him.

The woman at the center of the controversy involving Danuel House Jr. denies having been in contact with him on Monday night, according to a new report by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Sam Amick.

In the second-round series between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, House missed Game 3 and is currently listed as out for Thursday’s Game 4 due to “personal reasons.” On Wednesday night, those reasons began coming to light, with the NBA probing House for a potential violation of the league’s “bubble” protocols at Disney World.

At Wednesday’s practice, head coach Mike D’Antoni said the Rockets “haven’t heard yet” whether House would be available for Game 4, which seemed to signal that a decision would be coming from the NBA, rather than the team. On Thursday, information leaked that the dispute involves an unauthorized female who entered Houston’s hotel.

Per multiple reports, House has denied any wrongdoing, yet he remains in the NBA’s crosshairs. The Athletic‘s story offers further details:

She exited the hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and the league cited early data points that implicated two members of the Rockets, House and Tyson Chandler, sources said. When the woman was questioned by NBA security, she did not implicate House’s name and it is uncertain whether she remains on campus, sources said. She claimed to have contact with Chandler and another player, not named House, according to sources.

According to sources, the Rockets’ entire team had to enter a quarantine period on Tuesday due to the potential exposure. Those sources said there appears to be no video connecting House and the woman; only the flagging of her entering and leaving the hotel, and the possibility of a door opening and closing to match those timelines. The NBA has informed involved parties that it has circumstantial evidence implicating House.

 

Per The Athletic, the investigation cleared Chandler on Wednesday and is now focused on House. However, it is unclear what the “circumstantial evidence” is, and it is also not apparent what other player was named. Both the female (a COVID-19 testing professional, per Yahoo’s Chris Haynes) and House have denied his role. While Chandler missed Game 3 due to this inquiry, he is not on the injury report for Game 4.

While testing officials are allowed inside the bubble, they go in and out each day and (unlike players) do not live there. Thus, as with maintenance staff, the league has protocols in place to minimize the potential exposure of those workers to NBA personnel living at the bubble.

For the Rockets, it’s understandably a frustrating situation, since all parties involved have denied his involvement, and there also does not appear to be any video evidence, according to Charania. It is not clear whether team officials are aware of what the “circumstantial evidence” is.

Per Haynes, a decision on House’s playing status is expected to come on Thursday. ESPN reported on Wednesday that the league was weighing the imposition of a potential 10-day quarantine period on House, which would likely make him unavailable for the rest of the series.

Regardless of the league’s final decision, the storyline doesn’t appear likely to go away any time soon. Even if House is cleared, the Rockets as an organization would likely be frustrated that he was held out of Game 3 before the NBA’s investigation had determined whether he was guilty.

If somehow House was made available for Thursday’s Game 4, the Rockets could certainly use his help. In a 10-point loss in Game 3, only one Houston reserve (Jeff Green) scored, and the Los Angeles bench outscored those on the Rockets by a decisive 42-16 margin.

In nine playoff games, the 6-foot-6 House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for Houston’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%).

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. Houston now trails the West semifinal series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 very important to their chances. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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NBA expected to decide Thursday on playing status of Danuel House

House allegedly allowed a female COVID-19 testing official into his hotel room, per Chris Haynes, which would break “bubble” protocol.

The NBA is expected to make a ruling Thursday regarding the playing status of Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr., according to a new report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

House is under investigation for an alleged violation of protocol at the league’s “bubble” site. Per Haynes, that violation is “for allegedly allowing a female COVID-19 testing official into his hotel room.”

“House maintains his innocence, sources said, and a decision from the league is expected before Game 4 on Thursday,” Haynes wrote.

While testing officials are allowed inside the bubble, they go in and out each day and (unlike players) do not live there. Thus, as with maintenance staff, the league has protocols in place to minimize the potential exposure of those workers to NBA personnel living at the bubble.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, the NBA could subject House to a 10-day quarantine period, as occurred with Houston’s Bruno Caboclo for a violation in July. Should that occur, House would likely be out for the rest of Houston’s second-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. (The timing of the alleged violation was Monday night, and Game 7 between the Rockets and Lakers — if necessary — is currently scheduled for next Wednesday, which is nine days later.)

The NBA is said to be discussing the matter with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), per ESPN.

On the other hand, with House maintaining his innocence, a positive ruling on Thursday could allow him to play as soon as tonight’s Game 4. House did not play in Game 3 due to personal reasons, and the Rockets clearly missed his contributions off the bench. In a 10-point loss, only one Houston reserve (Jeff Green) scored, and the Los Angeles bench outscored those in Houston by a decisive 42-16 margin.

In nine playoff games, the 6-foot-6 House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for the 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%).

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. Houston now trails the West semifinal series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 very important to their chances. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Report: NBA probes Danuel House for alleged ‘bubble’ protocol breach

House has denied any wrongdoing, per ESPN, and the matter is currently being discussed between NBA and NBPA representation.

The “personal reasons” cited by the Houston Rockets for the absence of forward Danuel House Jr. in Tuesday’s Game 3 (and potentially in Thursday’s Game 4) involve an alleged violation of the NBA’s “bubble” protocol, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Per Wojnarowski, House has denied any wrongdoing to the league, and the matter is currently being discussed between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). Wojnarowski reported that House’s status for the remainder of the series was in jeopardy, pending the investigation. Due to COVID-19, any exposure to outside elements would require an extended self-quarantine period before that player would be allowed to rejoin his teammates and play in a game.

Prior to his Game 3 absence, Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said the team had practiced Monday with House, and with no knowledge that he would be unavailable. The team did not elaborate on the reasons for his absence, other than to say it was not due to a positive COVID-19 test.

At Wednesday’s practice, D’Antoni said the Rockets “haven’t heard yet” whether House would be available for Game 4, which seemed to signify that the decision would come from some other entity (such as the league office). Later in the day, he was officially listed as out — though that designation could be revised on Thursday, if he’s cleared to play.

If he isn’t cleared, 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.

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%).

Game 4 between the Rockets and Los Angeles 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 them. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Rockets list Danuel House as out for Game 4, again for personal reasons

House is listed as out on the injury report, though that designation might not be final. Mike D’Antoni said the Rockets “haven’t heard yet.”

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.

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.

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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Game 4, Rockets vs. Lakers: How to watch and what to look for

Only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have recovered after going down 3-1 in a series. Houston can avoid that scenario with a win in Game 4.

In NBA playoff history, only 12 teams have ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. That’s the predictment the Houston Rockets are hoping not to find themselves in following Thursday’s Game 4 of their second-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With back-to-back wins in Game 2 and Game 3, the LeBron James- and Anthony Davis-led Lakers have shown why they were the top team in the Western Conference by record all season long. In each game, the All-Star forwards combined for 62 points and more than 20 rebounds.

“They’re a good team,” Russell Westbrook said of the Lakers. “Their two main guys live in the paint, and we’ve gotta do a better job of helping and scrambling, and using our quickness to make it tough on them.”

Though this is the first time the Rockets have trailed in a series in the 2020 playoffs, they do have recent experiences upon which to draw. In the 2018 and 2019 playoffs versus Golden State, the Rockets won consecutive games after trailing 2-1 and 2-0 in those series, respectively.

Speaking at Wednesday’s practice, head coach Mike D’Antoni said:

With a veteran team, they understand you don’t get too high after a win, or too low after a loss. You’ve just got to look at the situation. It’s 2-1. The next game is the game we have to win. If it was 2-1 for us, you’ve still got to win two more. We have an opportunity tomorrow to start winning again. You’ve got to look at that only. Those 48 minutes are the most important 48 that we’ve played so far in the postseason.

You don’t think ‘Woe-is-me, we’re down 1-2, and gosh, I don’t know what we’re going to do.’ No, we’re going to come in with swagger, play 48 minutes as hard as we can play, and then see where the chips fall. If we have that attitude and we strike first, last, and in the middle, then we’ll be fine.

For the Rockets, the top priority to bounce back is getting their offense going in high-leverage moments. The Lakers have outscored the Rockets by a combined 20 points over the previous two fourth quarters, which Houston entered either tied or in front before losing both games. On offense, the Rockets have averaged just 18.5 points in those periods.

“They’re a long team and we know that,” Harden said after Game 3. “We know they’ve got length at the rim, but its more [about] us. We can’t play into their strengths, and things that they love to do.”

After scoring just 10 points (26.7% FG) in Game 2, Westbrook rebounded in Game 3 with 30 points (54.2% FG). Meanwhile, co-star James Harden was efficient yet again with 33 points (47.8% FG) and nine assists.

However, neither All-Star guard could get going in the most important moments, as the Lakers again stymied the Rockets with a maze of traps and double-teams once Harden passed halfcourt. LeBron also had four blocks in the game, and his presence was deterrent on drives to the rim.

“We weren’t in attack mode,” Harden said after Game 3. “They did a good job of trapping, and we didn’t make them pay for it.”

Another problem was that the smaller Rockets couldn’t generate their expected “math advantage” from volume 3-point shooting, with the Lakers matching their 30 attempts. Given the size discrepancy, it’s difficult for Houston’s formula to work without a boost from 3-pointers.

One potential solution would be an improved performance from the bench. With Danuel House Jr. out for personal reasons, only one reserve (Jeff Green) scored for the Rockets in Game 3, as the Los Angeles bench outscored their Houston counterparts by a commanding 42-16 margin.

D’Antoni said at Wednesday’s team practice that the Rockets “hadn’t heard yet” whether House would be available for Game 4.

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT.

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Rockets reportedly expect Robert Covington to play in Game 4

After a violent Game 3 collision, Covington’s nose is not broken, and he also passed a concussion protocol test, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Though he left Game 3 early after a violent collision, Robert Covington is expected to be back in the lineup for the Houston Rockets in Thursday’s Game 4, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Covington took an inadvertent Anthony Davis elbow to the face late in Tuesday’s Game 3 after being nudged in that direction by Kyle Kuzma. The 6-foot-8 forward stayed down for several minutes and left the court with a trainer, who held a towel over Covington’s bloodied face.

Citing a source, MacMahon said Wednesday morning that Covington’s nose is not broken, and he also passed a concussion protocol test.

Known best for his defense and versatility, Covington is averaging 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game in the playoffs. His average clip of 50.8% on 3-pointers also leads the Rockets.

In postgame comments, head coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t offer a substantive update on Covington’s status for Game 4. “He got hit in the nose, and he’s bleeding pretty good,” D’Antoni said.

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 availability of fellow forward Danuel House Jr., who missed Game 3 entirely due to unexplained personal reasons, remains unclear, according to MacMahon.

After the Game 3 loss, the Rockets trail their second-round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Lakers 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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D’Antoni: Rockets ‘ran out of steam’ as Lakers pull away in Game 3

James Harden and Russell Westbrook each broke 30, but the Rockets were outscored by 10 in the fourth quarter for a second straight game.

For a second straight game in their second-round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets entered the fourth quarter either tied or in front, seemingly with a golden opportunity for a big win. Yet again, they were outscored by double digits in a deflating loss.

In Tuesday’s Game 3, the Rockets scored just 38 points in the second half and were outscored 30-20 in the final quarter, leading to a 112-102 loss (box score). Superstar guards James Harden (33 points, nine assists) and Russell Westbrook (30 points, eight rebounds) each had fine statistical games, but the Rockets again struggled to score at pivotal moments.

“We weren’t in attack mode,” Harden said postgame. “They [the Lakers] did a good job of trapping, and we didn’t make them pay for it.”

Over the decades-long history of the NBA playoffs, the winner of Game 3 in a best-of-seven series that entered tied at 1-1 (as this one did) has gone on to win the series more than 70% of the time.

All-Star forwards LeBron James (36 points) and Anthony Davis (26 points, 15 rebounds) led the Lakers in the win, while Rajon Rondo again played very well off the bench with 21 points and nine assists. Rondo made 3-of-5 from 3-point range, including a pair of daggers in the fourth quarter.

“We’d rather Rondo make shots than LeBron and AD,” Harden said. “I feel like we’ve gotta make a conscious effort to contest the shots. And not just allow him to just shoot it with no space.”

Head coach Mike D’Antoni said it looked to him as though the Rockets got tired later in the game. “I think it’s pretty obvious that we just ran out of steam there,” D’Antoni said. He continued his comments:

I think our legs got a little tired. Too many 50/50 balls that we didn’t get. Too many times where we weren’t sharp. Tonight, they got us.

It’s 2-1 [in the series]. It’s a marathon, a long battle.

That marathon could be made more complicated by key rotation absences. Danuel House Jr. (personal reasons) didn’t play at all in Game 3, while Robert Covington left early after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face. D’Antoni did not know the status of either player for Game 4.

With House unavailable, only one player — Jeff Green, with 16 points — scored off the Houston bench in Tuesday’s disappointing Game 3. Led by Rondo’s 21 points and 14 from Kyle Kuzma, the Los Angeles bench outscored Houston’s reserves by a decisive 42-16 margin.

As a team, the Rockets attempted only 30 shots from 3-point range — nearly 20 below their playoff average entering the game. The Lakers had an identical 30 attempts. Considering that a “math advantage” of extra 3-pointers was supposed to be a big part of the formula for the smaller Rockets, the inability to get those shots off could be an ominous sign.

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 next update on the status of Covington and House will come at Wednesday’s practice.

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Robert Covington leaves Game 3 loss early after violent collision

“He got hit in the nose, and he’s bleeding pretty good,” said D’Antoni, who did not immediately know Covington’s status for Game 4.

Houston Rockets forward Robert Covington left Tuesday’s Game 3 early after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face from Lakers big man Anthony Davis. Covington stayed on the floor for a few minutes, then went to the locker room with a trainer, who held a towel over his face.

Los Angeles won the game, 112-102, courtesy of a 51-38 advantage in the second half. Covington scored 10 points (2-of-4 on 3-pointers) and grabbed five rebounds and four steals prior to his departure.

Davis stayed down on the floor for a few minutes as well, appearing to hold his right hip. Covington was nudged into Davis courtesy of a push from Kyle Kuzma, though there was no malicious intent.

In postgame comments, head coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t have a substantive update on Covington’s status for Game 4. “He got hit in the nose, and he’s bleeding pretty good,” D’Antoni said.

Any absence from Covington would be extremely significant, considering his defensive value and the fact that he’s shooting over 50% from 3-point range in the 2020 playoffs. The status of reserve forward Danuel House Jr., who missed Game 3 for personal reasons, is also uncertain.

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 next update on Covington’s status is likely to come at Wednesday’s practice.

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