Reserve guard Ben McLemore will miss at least the opening game of Houston’s 2020-21 season for the Rockets and perhaps more due to a period of self-isolation, the team announced on Tuesday night.
A 6-foot-3 guard, McLemore was Houston’s best 3-point shooter last season, shooting 40.0% on 6.4 attempts per game. Overall, the 27-year-old averaged 10.1 points in 22.8 minutes during a resurgent campaign.
Officially, McLemore is now listed on Houston’s injury report as “Not With Team — Self Isolating.” While the designation is new for the COVID-19 era, it does not necessarily mean that McLemore tested positive.
In the latest injury report, the #Rockets announce that Ben McLemore will be OUT tomorrow (Not With Team – Self-Isolating).
Chris Clemons is the only other Rocket on the injury report.
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) December 22, 2020
From the NBA’s medical handbook, the league requires a player to self-isolate if “he either (1) returned a positive or inconclusive coronavirus test result and has not yet been fully cleared to resume basketball activities, or (2) is currently subject to a COVID-19 related quarantine (e.g., has not tested positive for the coronavirus but has been directed by his team and/or the NBA to quarantine pursuant to the health and safety protocols).” Since the specific criteria to trigger McLemore’s self-isolation is not yet clear, it’s impossible to project how long his absence might be.
Wednesday’s tipoff between Houston and Oklahoma City is set for 7:00 p.m. Central, with the game shown regionally on AT&T SportsNet Southwest and nationally on NBA League Pass. With McLemore out, reserve guards David Nwaba and Sterling Brown could see more minutes.
