HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- When the Rockets released their starting lineup 40 minutes prior to tip off of Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets, Christian Wood was a notable omission. The Rockets center was not listed on the team's injury report and he hadn't come off the bench since joining the team last November.
"He broke a team rule, and I didn't start him," Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said after a lifeless 124-111 loss to a Denver team missing countless key players due to injury and COVID protocols.
Multiple sources tell SportsRadio 610 Wood arrived late to Toyota Center on Saturday and missed his mandatory COVID test. He did not take the floor for pregame warmups with the rest of the team, and instead joined minutes before the 7:03 buzzer. It was just the beginning of what would be an embarrassing night for the organization.
The Rockets, who have now lost seven straight games, led the Nuggets by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, but things quickly unravelled. Wood was subbed in with 2:50 to go in the first quarter and the Rockets up by eight points, only to see Denver close to within a point by the time the quarter ended, and led by nine when Wood was subbed out with 6:36 left before halftime.
He went scoreless in his eight minutes, missing all four of his shots, while grabbing just one rebound. He did not play in the second half, which Silas called a "coach's decision", but the Athletic reported Saturday night and SportsRadio 610 can confirm that Wood refused to re-enter the game when Silas tried to sub him in during the third quarter. Wood remained on the bench of the during the second half.
Wood wasn't the only Rocket not to play after halftime. Kevin Porter Jr logged 16 minutes in the first half, but was nowhere to be seen in the second half. The team announced in the third quarter his troublesome left, which has caused him to miss 10 games this season, was being evaluated and his return was questionable. That turned out to be false.
Porter left Toyota Center during the third quarter after multiple outbursts. One took place on the bench during the second quarter, with the second coming in the locker room during the halftime break. Both of Porter's flare-ups were directed at Rockets lead assistant John Lucas.
In his sixth season on the Rockets staff, Lucas, 68, called out the team's lackluster play and competitiveness during Denver's second quarter run. A source says Porter became angry at being singled out and eventually threw an object inside the locker room. The Athletic reported Saturday night Porter has been in contact with the Rockets since leaving the arena and has expressed remorse for his actions.
Both players have had issues before joining the Rockets. Wood played a total of 51 games during stops with Philadelphia, New Orleans, Charlotte, and Milwaukee. Pistons coach Dwane Casey said he was warned against signing Wood two seasons ago, but played well in Detroit before signing a three-year deal with the Rockets before last season.
Porter, the 30th pick of the 2019 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, was acquired by the Rockets for a heavily protected second round pick last January after erupting on a Cavs official when his locker was moved.
Lucas, one of the most respected figures in the NBA, has worked extensively with Porter since the trade that brought him to Houston.
The Rockets next game is Monday night in Philadelphia.
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