Rockets at Celtics: Friday’s lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

The Rockets wrap up a two-game East Coast road trip on Friday night in Boston. The Celtics (23-25) enter with back-to-back losses and seven in their past 10, so they should be very incentivized versus the rebuilding Rockets (13-34) to try and get a disappointing season back on track.

The Celtics came into the 2020-21 season with goals of contending, but they’re currently below .500 and in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference — which would force them to win a play-in tournament game just to qualify for the playoffs. Needless to say, for a team led by an All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, that’s not where general manager Danny Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens expected to be.

Boston won convincingly last month in Houston, but the Rockets were without Christian Wood, Danuel House Jr., and John Wall in that game due to various injuries. Wood and House are expected to start Friday, while Wall remains out with left knee effusion. Thus, even with the Rockets now in something of a rebuilding mode, they should be a tougher opponent for Boston than the version seen in mid-March. (At the time, Houston was in the middle of its historic 20-game losing streak.)

Wall did practice on Thursday, but head coach Stephen Silas indicated that he was operating at roughly three-quarters of his usual speed.

Here’s when you should tune in to see Friday’s game:

• Date: Friday, April 2

• Time: 6:30 p.m. Central

• TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

• Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (13-34)

• Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.

• Guard: Sterling Brown

• Forward: Danuel House Jr.

• Forward: Jae’Sean Tate

• Center: Christian Wood

Boston Celtics (23-25)

• Guard: Kemba Walker

• Guard: Marcus Smart

• Forward: Jaylen Brown

• Forward: Jayson Tatum

• Center: Robert Williams

In addition to Wall, Houston’s injury report includes Eric Gordon (groin), David Nwaba (wrist) and Dante Exum (calf), who all remain sidelined by longer-term injuries. For the Celtics, Tristan Thompson (health and safety protocols) and Semi Ojeleye (left side strain) are out.

Though the Rockets enter coming off consecutive losses to Memphis and Brooklyn, Houston was extremely competitive in both outings, having led in the fourth quarter of each game. Facing a squad in Boston that has a worse record than either the Grizzlies or Nets, the Rockets will be looking to put four full quarters together at TD Garden.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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