The Rockets were able to win without starting point guard Fred VanVleet, who was ruled out prior to the game due to a knee injury. Rockets coach Ime Udoka explained the injury to reporters pre-game.
VanVleet's NBA playoff peak to date came in 2019, when he won his only championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors.
With Fred VanVleet out and Houston on night two of a road back-to-back, the Rockets had their five-game winning streak ...