Though he left Game 3 early after a violent collision, Robert Covington is expected to be back in the lineup for the Houston Rockets in Thursday’s Game 4, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Covington took an inadvertent Anthony Davis elbow to the face late in Tuesday’s Game 3 after being nudged in that direction by Kyle Kuzma. The 6-foot-8 forward stayed down for several minutes and left the court with a trainer, who held a towel over Covington’s bloodied face.
Citing a source, MacMahon said Wednesday morning that Covington’s nose is not broken, and he also passed a concussion protocol test.
Known best for his defense and versatility, Covington is averaging 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game in the playoffs. His average clip of 50.8% on 3-pointers also leads the Rockets.
Source: Rockets forward Robert Covington’s nose is not broken and he passed a concussion protocol test. He is expected to be available for Game 4.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 9, 2020
In postgame comments, head coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t offer a substantive update on Covington’s status for Game 4. “He got hit in the nose, and he’s bleeding pretty good,” D’Antoni said.
Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. The availability of fellow forward Danuel House Jr., who missed Game 3 entirely due to unexplained personal reasons, remains unclear, according to MacMahon.
After the Game 3 loss, the Rockets trail their second-round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Lakers by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 crucial for their hopes of advancing. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.
Robert Covington ran straight into Anthony Davis’ elbow 😳 pic.twitter.com/iSpxkMen3I
— Riley Michel (@rileymichel) September 9, 2020
