Capela ready to ditch mask

Clint Capela will not wear a protective mask during the Rockets’ game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The center missed two games because of an orbital fracture and was required to wear the mask during his return against the Lakers on Sunday, when he scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds in 32 minutes.

Capela said the medical staff cleared him to play without the mask, which he disliked.

“It was annoying,” he said.

Capela had been fitted for the mask when his face was swollen. Once the swelling reduced, the mask became too large. It shifted so much against the Lakers that he had trouble breathing.

“It was moving around below my nose,” he said. “I couldn’t breathe. I was having to fix it.”

Capela said he does not feel any pain around his eye and is not concerned about the physical contact he might have to endure without the mask.

Coach Mike D’Antoni joked about the consequences.

“It’s OK with me,” D’Antoni said, unfurling a big grin, “as long as it doesn’t hurt my face.”

Reversal sought on defense’s drop

A stalwart defense had

been a surprise development for the Rockets this season. They had broken into the top 10 and peaked during their 14-game winning streak.

But in losing five of their last six games, the Rockets allowed 13 more points per 100 possessions than their average and ranked last in the NBA in defense.

James Harden’s hamstring strain, which will cost the star guard at least two weeks, exacerbates the ongoing need to restore quality defense.

“That’s probably the first line of business that we need to get back to: defending and being more aggressive on the defensive end,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “If we do that, even though we miss a lot of points on the

offensive end, maybe we won’t need as many. That would be nice.”

Although Harden is not lauded for his defense, he elongated the overall length and speed of this season’s defense, which had improved with the additions of forwards P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute, two flexible and elite on-ball defenders.

But Mbah a Moute has missed nine games because of a dislocated shoulder.

“Many people don’t talk about us missing Luc,” Tucker said. “Luc is big for our defense, especially finishing games and finishing quarters he’s usually out there.

“(After) the losing streak happened, we were 29th in the league in transition defense. That’s been killing us.”

Mbah a Moute is supposed to be re-evaluated this week, but at practice on Tuesday, D’Antoni did not indicate a definitive timetable for the veteran forward.

“I don’t want to ask too much, because I don’t want to know,” D’Antoni said. “When he shows up, I’m ready to roll with him. But a couple weeks, I’m thinking — I’m hoping. I don’t know.”

D’Antoni often acts glib and defers to the team medical staff when asked about injury statuses, but he estimated two weeks ago that Mbah a Moute would be back by the first week of January.

While discussing the duration of Harden’s absence, D’Antoni alluded to his liberal injury assessment of Mbah a Moute: “I always say two weeks, but I’ve been saying two weeks for the last two weeks.”

Signing forward Gerald Green has been a silver lining. He fulfills the new need for depth off the Rockets’ bench but does not address the critical issue of defense.

“I’m sure that’s something we’re going to talk about,” Chris Paul said, glancing at the practice court. “I don’t know, but it’s something we’ve got to keep talking about. It’s got to get better.”