Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics Injury Report

The Houston Rockets are riding high, coming off two-straight wins against the previously NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers.

Prior to the two team’s run-in last week, the Cavs were the top team in the league record-wise at 36-7, but now own nine losses courtesy of Houston. The Rockets are now surging at 8-2, and are gaining ground on everyone in the West, save for Oklahoma City and Memphis.

Since his two-game suspension, second-year guard Amen Thompson has come alive, scoring 17.7 points, grabbing 11.8 rebounds, dishing 4.4 assists and racking up 3.5 stocks per game while shooting 56% overall, all from the starting lineup.

Houston is now the only team in the league to have taken down both the Cavaliers and Thunder, and now has Boston in its sights tonight. Beating the defending champion Celtics, on their home turf no less, would be another notch in the team’s resume.

Here are the injury reports for both teams ahead of the 6:30 p.m. CT tipoff:

Houston Rockets injuries:

Jabari Smith Jr. — Out: left metacarpal fracture

Cam Whitmore — Questionable: illness

Boston Celtics injuries:

Derrick White — Questionable: right shin contusion

Al Horford — Questionable: Left toe sprain

Sam Hauser — Questionable: right hip inpingement

For what feels like the first stretch all season, the Rockets have a relatively clean bill of health, with their only hit being forward Jabari Smith Jr., who suffered a hand injury in shoot around weeks ago. He’ll be sidelined til March, but Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said days ago that Smith would not require surgery — obviously positive news for the third-year.

Wing Cam Whitmore is also questionable due to illness, something that should be a should-term problem, if one at all. Since returning from his G League stint, Whitmore has returned to his rookie season production, averaging around 12 points on 46% shooting, becoming a needed offensive-punch in the rotation.

The Celtics are in a different predicament, with two questionable contributors in Derrick White and Al Horford.

Both have been involved in the Celtic’s core for years now, and White has come on as one of the more highly impactful starters in the entire league. Horford, despite some lower output than usual, is still crucial to the team’s front court depth as a floor-stretcher.

Both being scratched from the contest would be a big hit for Boston.

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