Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. is not participating in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Honolulu, Hawaii, after a fall at Wednesday’s practice.
According to Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen, the fall opened a cut on House’s leg, which required three stitches to close. The 26-year-old is expected to return to play when Houston’s preseason slate resumes early next week in Tokyo, Japan, with two games against the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors.
House scored eight points (4-of-7 shooting) and grabbed six rebounds in 15 minutes during Monday’s preseason opener for the Rockets, a 140-71 victory over the Shanghai Sharks. With Russell Westbrook out until next week, House started for Houston alongside usual starters James Harden, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela.
In House’s absence versus the Clippers, either Gerald Green or Ben McLemore is expected to start for Houston at small forward.
The 6-foot-7 House, who re-signed with the Rockets on a three-year, $11 million deal in the offseason, was recently listed by ESPN as Houston’s top breakout candidate entering the 2019-20 NBA season.
House averaged 9.4 points (41.6% on three-pointers) in 25.1 minutes per game with the Rockets last season, and he also provided a crucial dose of size, athleticism, and perimeter defense at the wing positions.
