On Monday night, the Houston Rockets are set to pay a visit to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a match against the Indiana Pacers, looking to build on their two-game win streak. Their most recent win came at the hands of their interstate rival, the Dallas Mavericks, with Amen Thompson leading the way with 21 points and nine assists.
Other notable contributors for Houston’s win include Kevin Durant, who put on a solid performance, dropping 13 points and eight assists. But it’s become apparent that despite taking on Dallas over the weekend, the two-time NBA Finals MVP will not be partaking in Monday night’s action.
According to the Rockets’ injury report, Durant is listed as “out” against the Pacers due to a left ankle sprain. This will be Durant’s third absence of the year, with his only other stints on the bench coming back in November due to personal reasons.
This lack of time missed for the 37-year-old has been rather solid for the Rockets, as he’s averaging 26.2 points and 4.6 assists per game, converting on an efficient 51 percent shooting from the field.
In Durant’s place, Houston head coach Ime Udoka has a few different ways he can go, as he can pick from Josh Okogie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Tari Eason, and Jae’Sean Tate, amongst others.
How are the Rockets performing this season?
This year has seen the Rockets fall off a bit from where they were last season, earning the second seed in the Western Conference, as this season has been a different beast in a tough conference. Entering Monday night’s action, the Rockets are 30-17, which puts them a game and a half behind the third-seeded Denver Nuggets.
In games without Durant, the Rockets are 2-0, walking away with a comfortable win against the Phoenix Suns, while their victory over the Golden State Warriors was a bit more narrow.
The Rockets and Pacers tip off at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 7:00 p.m. EST.
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