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UPDATE: Jan. 14, 6:33 p.m. — Capela and Austin Rivers will start. Tucker is also starting, per usual.
Per MDA, Austin Rivers will start in place of Russell Westbrook tonight in Memphis. Eric Gordon will come off the bench. Clint Capela also back in the starting lineup. PJ Tucker is playing.
— Craig Ackerman (@ca_rockets) January 14, 2020
Instead of Eric Gordon starting for Russ, the Rockets are going with Rivers. I don’t think I’d buy into this much, I think Gordon will still get most of the run at SG and play in potential crunch time.
Houston Rockets PG Russell Westbrook will get a schedule day of rest for load management Tuesday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mike D’Antoni says Russell Westbrook will sit tomorrow in Memphis and play Wednesday against Portland
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2020
Spolane also mentions that coach Mike D’Antoni said Clint Capela and P.J. Tucker are expected to play Tuesday as well. Westbrook resting on a back-to-back set is nothing new. The Rockets play the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, so Russ will return to the lineup in a few days. Houston also doesn’t have a back-to-back for a while after; the next one would be March 7-8. It’s unclear if Westbrook will get some rest in between those dates. Eric Gordon will start in place of Russ again.
Capela missed Saturday’s blowout win over the T-Wolves with his nagging heel injury. He should be fine for Tuesday, however, and would knock Isaiah Hartenstein back to the bench. Tucker suffered a stinger in his shoulder on Saturday and did not return. D’Antoni thinks he’s fine for Tuesday night though. I’d say both Cap and Tucker are fine to roll out in season-long and DFS. James Harden is a top play for Tuesday night’s slate with Westbrook out.