Capela to sit after feeling ‘woozy’ following collision
Days after losing Eric Gordon (knee) and Danuel House Jr. (back) to injuries, the Rockets also will be without Clint Capela after the center felt “woozy” following a collision in Wednesday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Clint is definitely out tomorrow and then I think we’re seeing about Saturday, but it looks doubtful,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I don’t think he has (a concussion), but they have to check to see if he does.”
After a slow start to November, Capela registered five straight doubledoubles and averaged 14.5 points, 19 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in the last four. Tyson Chandler will replace him in the starting lineup against the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
At 37, Chandler has averaged 8.8 minutes through six games in November, with a slight uptick in the Rockets’ previous two contests.
In 16 minutes against the Clippers, he scored five points, secured nine rebounds and blocked two shots. D’Antoni expects him to play similar minutes in his upcoming start in place of Capela.
“I want to keep him around 15,” he said. “But (Chandler) said he’ll do what he has to do.”
D’Antoni expects House will be doubtful Friday.
“Obviously, we miss these guys and we wish they were back,” D’Antoni said. “You know (injuries are) going to (happen) sometime during the year. If you get really lucky, it kind of hits at different spots and not everybody together, but we’re not
that lucky. But you still have James ( Harden) and Russ ( Westbrook) and guys that are playing well. There’s no reason we can’t win.”
As Houston has weathered its recent injury bug, D’Antoni and his players have reiterated the team’s mentality: next man up.
On Friday, that will be Chandler being inserted to the starting lineup. D’Antoni said Isaiah Hartenstein
and Gary Clark could play more as well.
“Throughout a basketball season, things happen. Different guys are going to have to step up at different times,” D’Antoni said. “It is something that you’ve got to prepare for and always keep in the back of your head that it might happen.”
Mentally, Chandler was prepared for that moment. But now that it’s come, his physical preparation will change, too.
“You’ve definitely got to prepare differently,” he said of the difference between starting and coming off the bench. “Your routine is completely different, the way you warm up is different, (your) mindset. So I’ve got to turn it back a little bit.”