In his return from suspension, big man Christian Wood led the Rockets with 22 points (66.7% FG) and 11 rebounds as Houston snapped its eight-game skid with a 114-111 win (box score) at Washington.
Teammate Kevin Porter Jr., who was suspended along with Wood for Monday’s game, hit the game-winning shot on Wednesday and proved to be the last-second hero. But if not for Wood’s strong play earlier, the Rockets (11-28) never would have been in position to win it late.
In postgame comments, Wood — who reportedly did not want to re-enter Saturday’s game — said he had apologized to head coach Stephen Silas, assistant coach John Lucas, owner Tilman Fertitta, general manager Rafael Stone, and his teammates in the locker room.
It was just a team thing, an internal thing. We solved it. I apologized to the team, (owner) Tilman Fertitta, (general manager) Rafael Stone. We’re all a family. Luc (John Lucas) is my guy, he’s known me before. Silas, he’s always had my back. He knows my mom, he knows my family. There’s going to be arguments, but we moved past it. I apologized, and we’re good.
For Wood, it was his first interview since Saturday’s incident.
Wood and the Rockets will look to keep their momentum rolling when they kick off a three-game homestand on Friday versus Dallas.
Christian Wood says he apologized for what happened to cause his one-game suspension: “We’re all a family..I apologized and we’re good.” pic.twitter.com/WfS9Y2Wvs8
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) January 6, 2022
