Cam

Whitmore

Absent from the initial injury report, Smith will not play in Houston’s regular-season finale. His absence likely frees up rotation minutes for Cam Whitmore, who went off for 34 points in Friday’s loss to the Lakers. His ceiling won’t be as high on Sunday, especially with Rockets coach Ime Udoka deciding to play his starters their usual minutes.

Based on the Rockets’ initial injury report for Sunday’s regular-season finale, Sengun and Thompson will be available. However, Houston has already secured the two-seed in the West, so the starters’ playing time may be limited. Jeff Green, Cam Whitmore and Jock Landale started Friday’s loss to the Lakers, and the latter two are safe bets to log rotation minutes off the bench on Sunday.

Once again, the Rockets decided to rest four starters, and Jalen Green (7/4/3/1 with one three-pointer) was shut down at halftime. Having secured the two-seed in the West, the Rockets have prioritized rest for their key players. The approach has freed additional minutes for Whitmore, who could not earn consistent playing time this season. The former first-round pick was rolling on Friday, shooting well over 50 percent from the field and recording a career-high point total. Fantasy managers in active leagues seeking a player who could potentially go off on Sunday should look no further than Whitmore, especially if the Rockets hold their starters out of the matchup with the Nuggets.

Sengun and Thompson both missed the Rockets’ last game. The Rockets have added more names to their injury report since then, though. Cam Whitmore has a chance to start and carry a heavy workload on Friday.

Brooks and Thompson were among the Rockets’ starters who did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers. They’ll return to the lineup on Friday, likely pushing Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore to the bench. While Eason should remain rostered in active fantasy leagues, Whitmore does not have to be held in standard formats.

Smith’s potential absence is more impactful than Tate’s being unavailable, as he plays high minutes off the bench. Cam Whitmore and Jeff Green may have playing time available, but that would depend on Smith’s availability. If he cannot play, those two should figure more prominently in the Rockets’ plans on Friday.

Green is the lone starter in the lineup for Wednesday’s game, as the Rockets are locked into the two-seed in the West. While he has no specific minutes limit, fantasy managers in active leagues should not expect to see Green play full starters’ minutes. Sheppard and Whitmore are the ones to watch, as they aren’t in the regular rotation when everyone is healthy.

Brooks is unavailable for rest reasons, leaving Jalen Green as the lone Rockets starter who will play on Wednesday. Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore are well-positioned to benefit from Brooks’ absence, with the former possessing a much higher fantasy ceiling.

For a game that carries importance in the western conference playoff standings, the Rockets are missing quite a few players. Smith Jr. and Thompson join Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on the sidelines Wednesday. Cam Whitmore and Jae’Sean Tate are prime candidates to see increased minutes against the Clippers.

Houston is set to be without Fred VanVleet (ankle) and could miss two more key contributors. Sengun’s absence would likely bump Steven Adams into the starting lineup, with Jock Landale filling out the backup center minutes. Smith Jr.'s absence would open the door for Cam Whitmore or Jae’Sean Tate to fill out extra minutes. However, in an important game for the standings out West, head coach Ime Udoka may lean on his starters more heavily.