Rising star Christian Wood (sore left knee) did not play for the Houston Rockets during Wednesday night’s game at Indiana, with veteran center DeMarcus Cousins starting in his place.
Wood appeared to bump knees with an opponent late in Monday’s loss to Dallas and grimaced after the impact, though he stayed in for several more minutes. He was not listed on Houston’s injury report until early Wednesday afternoon, when he suddenly appeared as “questionable.”
Team photos showed that Wood went through a morning shootaround, and head coach Stephen Silas referred to him as a “gametime decision” when speaking to reporters about 90 minutes before tipoff. Thus, it doesn’t appear to be a significant long-term concern.
Christian Wood out tonight. DeMarcus Cousins starting
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) January 6, 2021
A 6-foot-10 big man, the 25-year-old has been a revelation for the Rockets so far in the 2020-21 season — averaging 23.6 points (55.3% FG), 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 35.8 minutes per game. Those per-game numbers rank 19th, 15th, and fourth in the league, respectively.
Houston’s next game is Friday at home versus Orlando. As of Wednesday evening, Wood’s availability for that matchup was unknown.
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 6, 2021
