HOUSTON – Houston star James Harden was scratched from the Rockets' game Saturday game against the Sacramento Kings less than an hour before tipoff because of a sprained right ankle.
Harden was not listed on the injury report and coach Stephen Silas did not mention his injury in his pregame availability. The team announced that he wouldn't play about 38 minutes before the game was scheduled to begin.
He has started each of Houston's games this season and is averaging a league-leading 37 points with 11 assists a game. The Rockets had to postpone their opener Dec.
23 after coronavirus cases, contract tracing and Harden’s violation of the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols left them without the league-mandated eight players available.