Houston is 6-1 and second in the West, and it meets the 5-1 Celtics tonight at home with a clearer backcourt picture than it has had all week. Boston has won five straight but plays on no rest.
Oct. 30
Houston took a 5-0 start to Dallas and lost 116-111, its first defeat of the season. Durant scored 28 and Smith Jr. added 22, but Sengun sat out with a back issue. He was cleared the next day, which settled the frontcourt question.
Oct. 31
The Rockets answered with a 119-98 win over the Thunder. Smith Jr. scored 30 and Smart 24 in his first game after a forearm injury kept him out. The cost came at guard: VanVleet was listed out that day with a right knee injury.
Nov. 1
The injury report moved again. VanVleet went from out to listed, then to cleared. Sheppard's back moved from out to listed, with a projected return of today. Capela is new on the list with a right ankle issue, also projected back today. Adams remains out with a right calf injury until Nov. 9.
Tonight
Boston arrives 5-1 with five straight wins and a +10.1 net rating over six games, on a back-to-back and its second straight road game. Tatum averages 28.3 points; Robinson and Carter are out. Houston is +12.3 over seven games, scoring 121.2 and allowing 108.9 per 100 possessions. The open question is who carries the guard minutes.
Who is injured for the Rockets against the Celtics?
Steven Adams is out with a right calf injury, with a projected return of Nov. 9. Reed Sheppard and Clint Capela are listed day-to-day, and Fred VanVleet was cleared on Nov. 1.
What is the Celtics' record this season?
Boston is 5-1 with five straight wins and a +10.1 net rating over six games. Tonight is the second game of a back-to-back for the Celtics.
