HOUSTON — On the second night of a back-to-back, the Rockets held out veterans Fred VanVleet (lower back tightness) and Jeff Green (left calf soreness) from Sunday’s game versus Boston.
Neither injury appears particularly serious, but with the Rockets coming off an exhausting overtime victory on Saturday versus Utah, head coach Ime Udoka was conservative with his veterans. VanVleet is Houston’s trusted starter at point guard, while Green is the team’s backup center and among its most productive reserves.
Udoka said VanVleet has had nagging back soreness for at least a week, and his high minutes totals in recent games made the second night of a back-to-back an opportune time to rest.
Houston was also without Tari Eason (left lower leg injury management), Jabari Smith Jr. (left ankle sprain) and Reggie Bullock (lower back pain) on Sunday against the Celtics. Eason and Bullock have missed multiple games with their injuries; Smith rolled his left ankle in the final seconds of Saturday’s victory.
With Fred VanVleet (back) and Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) out tonight, #Rockets rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore will each make their first NBA starts tonight versus Boston.
Ime Udoka on FVV: “He’s had some lingering back issues for a while now.”
Both are TBD for Wednesday pic.twitter.com/UMLQexTzTs
— SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790) January 21, 2024
In the absence of VanVleet and Smith, who normally start, rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore each made their first NBA start on Sunday against the Celtics. Both rookies had key contributions to Saturday’s win, and Udoka appears ready to try them in larger roles.
Thompson (4th pick in 2023) and Whitmore (20th) were a part of Houston’s highly touted first-round draft class.
The Rockets have two days off before returning to action on Wednesday night at home versus Portland. That should give those veterans an opportunity to get healthy.
