Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers

Injuries noted

Houston Rockets: Alperen Sengun (Out) — Sengun suffered a sprained right ankle in Saturday's loss to Dallas and is expected to miss an extended period. With the star big man on the shelf, Steven Adams will likely enter the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, while Clint Capela should see increased burn off the bench.; Fred VanVleet (Out) — VanVleet struggled with efficiency during his second season in Houston, but the Rockets' win-loss record with him on the court (41-19) spoke volumes about his overall impact on the team. With VanVleet sidelined, the runway is clear for Reed Sheppard, who barely had a role as a rookie. Amen Thompson could also handle a ton of ball-handling responsibilities, while Aaron Holiday is the only other true point guard on the roster currently.; Isaiah Crawford (Out) — Crawford was recalled from the G League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Monday but won't be able to suit up for the parent club Wednesday. The two-way player has logged just five total minutes over two regular-season appearances with the Rockets in 2025-26, so his absence shouldn't affect the Houston rotation.

Portland Trail Blazers: Jrue Holiday (Out) — Holiday continues to progress in his recovery from a right calf strain that has kept him sidelined since Nov. 14, having recently been cleared for on-court activities. He's not quite ready to return, but his next chance to play is in Friday's rematch against Houston. Caleb Love -- who has averaged 16.9 points and 3.6 threes over 29.5 minutes per game over his last eight outings -- will continue to serve in an expanded role off the bench for as long as Holiday is sidelined.; Jerami Grant (Questionable) — Grant will miss an 11th straight game while recovering from left Achiles tendinitis. His next chance to play is Friday's rematch against Houston, but Grant doesn't appear to have a clear timeline for his return. An indication that he is getting closer to his return would be if he were to be tagged as doubtful, questionable or probable (rather than out) by the Trail Blazers.; Matisse Thybulle (Out) — The Trail Blazers aren't yet able to bring a return timetable into focus for Thybulle. That said, it sounds like the forward could be multiple weeks away from being cleared to return to game action.; Scoot Henderson (Out) — Henderson has begun non-contact, on-court basketball activities and has advanced to the next stage of his rehab. The Trail Blazers are bringing him along slowly, and there's no guarantee he returns right after the re-evaluation.; Blake Wesley (Out) — A fifth metatarsal fracture is a notoriously tough injury to recover from, and there's a high chance of experiencing a setback if brought back too soon, so it wouldn't be shocking to see his absence extend beyond this 12-week window. At minimum, he'll be out through the end of December, so he can safely remain on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues.; Damian Lillard (Out) — Lillard underwent surgery on a torn Achilles tendon in his left foot over the summer after suffering the injury during the first round of the NBA playoffs with the Bucks against the Pacers. The veteran guard was then waived by Milwaukee on July 1, making him an unrestricted free agent. The future Hall of Famer then decided to return to the Blazers on a three-year contract worth $42 million with a player option for the 2027-28 season. He also has a no-trade clause in his deal.; Kris Murray (Day-To-Day) — Murray is unlikely to suit up Wednesday due to lower back soreness. In the likely event that the 25-year-old forward joins Jerami Grant (Achilles) on the sidelines, Sidy Cissoko is expected to step into the starting five.