Westbrook expected to sit today

The Rockets’ backcourt will be shorthanded for at least another game with Russell Westbrook expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Kings and Eric Gordon already out. There had been optimism that Westbrook would return Sunday after sitting out Thursday’s game against the Lakers with a bruised right quadriceps muscle, giving him four off days. But Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said Westbrook and Gordon would have enough time to be ready for the start of the postseason Aug. 17.

“We just want to be really careful. I think both should be able to play a couple games before the playoffs,” D’Antoni said. “We’ll deal with it, but they have time. They’ll get in two or three good practices and a couple games.”

The Rockets will have three seeding games remaining after playing the Kings, but the games against the Spurs and Pacers will be in a back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday, which could keep players coming back from injuries out for one of those games. Westbrook had not played in both games of back-tobacks this season.

Ben McLemore started with Westbrook out, scoring 20 points against the Lakers. Danuel House Jr. has returned to the starting lineup after Gordon was hurt in a scrimmage against the Lakers and has averaged 16.8 points in the first four seeding games.

“The bench has played really well,” D’Antoni said. “They’re ready to go. We’re looking forward to getting Russell and Eric back in and getting to full strength.”

Harden again an MVP finalist

Rockets guard James Harden, the NBA’s 20172018 MVP, is a finalist for the award for the fifth time in six seasons, the NBA announced Saturday. Harden finished second three times in addition to the season in which he won the award.

The Lakers’ LeBron James and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo are the other MVP finalists. Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Dallas’ Luka Doncic and New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram are finalists for Most Improved Players. The Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams and the Thunder’s Dennis Schröder are finalists for Sixth Man of the Year.

Memphis’ Ja Morant, Miami’s Kendrick Nunn and New Orleans’ Zion Williamson are Rookie of the Year finalists.

Antetokounmpo, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis and the Jazz’s Rudy Gobert and Defensive Player of the Year finalists.

Mike Budenholzer of the Bucks, Nick Nurse of the Raptors and Billy Donovan of the Thunder are finalist for Coach of the Year.