Healthy Rockets expecting at least a month without games

Thursday night was supposed to be a statement game for the Houston Rockets (40-24), who were slated to play the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in a Western Conference showdown at Staples Center.

Instead, the Rockets are at home in Houston and awaiting further clarification on when — or if — they will resume the 2019-20 season.

In the wake of positive tests for the coronavirus (COVID-19) by All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and a continued outbreak around the United States, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver opted to suspend the season indefinitely.

On Thursday night, Silver gave some clue as to the potential timetable by saying he expects the hiatus to be for “at least 30 days.”

#NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the league hiatus: "Most likely, at least 30 days. And we don't know enough to be more specific than that." pic.twitter.com/QkgEExUkzG

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) March 13, 2020

Assuming the status of the virus allows the NBA to resume play, it’s unclear if the league will play the originally scheduled 82 games for the regular season. If that’s the case, Houston would have 18 games left.

But early indications are that the league hopes to play at least some of those regular-season games, as opposed to going straight into the playoffs after an extended break. That could be beneficial to the Rockets, who are currently No. 6 in the West but are only a game back of the Utah Jazz for the No. 4 spot and home-court advantage in the first round.

Sources: Lakers players came away from conference call with GM Rob Pelonka, Coach Frank Vogel that NBA owners want to finish regular and postseason, even if goes to late June, July or August.

— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) March 12, 2020

Thirty days from the March 11 suspension date would be mid-April, which is when the 2020 playoffs were previously slated to begin. But it appears the NBA is willing to extend its 2019-20 season into July or even August, if necessary, rather than immediately rushing into the playoffs.

As for the Rockets, they’re back at home in Houston and awaiting further information regarding the next steps, according to head coach Mike D’Antoni. At the moment, all players are said to be healthy.

Mike D’Antoni: “So far everybody’s good. In that aspect we’re real lucky. Just waiting like everybody else to see how this unfolds and do what the health experts say to do. Just hang in there and be ready when it is over or mitigated a little bit, that we can get back to work.”

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 12, 2020

Mike D’Antoni on staying ready:”It’s kind of a shot in the dark since no one’s ever experienced this.I’m sure there’ll be a lot of individual workouts at 1st & then as we find more out, we’ll sprinkle in team practices & try to gear up when it looks like we’re going back to work”

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 12, 2020

Mike D’Antoni:”It’s a situation we got to handle & make sure everybody listens to the experts.Each individual try to do the best they can do to slow it down or stop it & let the experts handle it.The health of the public & the guys n the NBA are much more important than any game”

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 12, 2020

It’s not yet clear whether fans will be allowed in NBA arenas once the season resumes (if it does), or if games would be played with only essential personnel present — as was the plan before Gobert’s result.

According to The New York Times, data as of Thursday night showed 1,599 cases of coronavirus in the United States, including 40 deaths.