Anderson questionable; Gordon good to go
Rockets forward Ryan Anderson, whose importance to the Rockets became more significant with the injury to Luc Mbah a Moute, is questionable to play in Game 1 of the playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a sprained ankle that kept him out of the final four games of the regular season.
“I don’t know about Sunday; 50/50 for Sunday, but it’s getting better,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Obviously, he’s another weapon we can rely on. If we don’t have it, somebody else will have to step up, but he’ll be back pretty soon.”
Anderson, who averaged 12 points while making 50 percent of his 3-pointers against the Timberwolves this season, did not practice Friday.
Eric Gordon, who missed three of the Rockets final four games with a sore ankle, practiced and said he has no issues with the ankle.
“I’m fine. I’m ready to go,” said Gordon, who averaged 16 points against the Timberwolves, making 47.1 percent of his shots and 44 percent of his 3s. “I’m not really worried about the past few games. Everybody is going to miss a couple games here and there. But this is the real thing. This is the season we all want to be here. I feel fine. I’m ready to go.”
Green has history with T-Wolves
As much attention as is typically focused on James Harden and Chris Paul, Rockets guard Gerald Green is likely to be remembered when the series shifts to Minneapolis.
Green received a suspension for shoving T-Wolves center Gorgui Dieng in retaliation for a hard foul of Paul.
Green was ejected from that game before an emotional Minnesota comeback from a deficit that had reached 25 points.
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure,” Green said when asked if the incident in Target Center would be remembered. “I don’t have any (concerns). I’m just worried about the first game of the playoffs, trying to protect home court. All the other stuff is not my worries.”
D’Antoni: ‘I think we’re ready’
As much as coach Mike D’Antoni had lamented the difficulty in maintaining intensity late in the season with nothing at stake for the Rockets in the standings, he did not expect that to be an issue by Sunday’s Game 1 of their series against the Timberwolves.
“It’s normal,” D’Antoni said. “These guys are competitors. They know what we’re trying to get to all year. We were trying to get the first seed if possible and it was. They accomplished that. Now, it’s time for bigger and better things. We talked about it all year. I’d be very shocked if they’re not ready to roll.
“Every year, you recognize urgency. They’re ready to roll. It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’ve won so many titles, we’re getting kind of bored.’ I think we’re ready.”
The Timberwolves had to finish the season with a threegame winning streak, capped by the overtime win in a playin game against the Nuggets.
The Rockets, however, did not think it would be difficult to pick up their intensity to that level.
“This is what you play the regular season for,” guard Eric Gordon said. “This is what the whole season is about. We’re excited. We’re just ready to get to it.”