Smith (groin) is not listed on the injury report ahead of Game 1 against the Warriors on Sunday.
Smith missed the final three games of the regular season due to left groin soreness, but he's been cleared to play in Sunday's playoff opener against Golden State. After returning from a right hand fracture following the All-Star break, Smith averaged 12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 29.0 minutes per game.
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Rockets' Jock Landale: Won't play in Game 1
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Landale won't play in Sunday's Game 1 against the Warriors due to a knee injury, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Landale will miss the first game of the playoffs Sunday due to a knee injury. Steven Adams should operate as the primary backup center to Alperen Sengun in his absence. Landale's next chance to suit up is Game 2 on Wednesday.
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Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate: Won't play Game 1 vs. GSW
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Tate (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's Game 1 against the Warriors, Vanessa Richardson of Space City Home Network reports.
Tate is considered week-to-week with a right ankle injury that caused him to miss the final two games of the regular season. He'll continue to rehab through the injury, and his next chance to play will be Wednesday for Game 2 against Golden State. Tate averaged 11.3 minutes per game during the regular season, and that playing time should be absorbed by Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore.
Rockets' Fred VanVleet: Mediocre total to end season
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VanVleet supplied 15 points (5-13 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three assists and one steal across 27 minutes during Sunday's 126-111 loss to the Nuggets.
VanVleet's season has been a mixed bag, and lower shooting percentages diluted his effectiveness as Houston's floor general. The veteran's field-goal percentage of 37.8 percent marked his worst result since his rookie season, and his scoring average dipped 3.3 points from the 2023-24 campaign. Increased production across the board from the veteran guard will greatly improve Houston's postseason outlook.
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Rockets' Jalen Green: Logs perfect attendance again
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Green finished with two points (0-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists across 21 minutes during Sunday's 126-111 loss to Denver.
It's rare to see an NBA player go one season without missing a game, but Green capped off the season with a two-year streak of court appearances intact. Green took no rest days and appeared in a staggering 163 games over the past two seasons. Green's minutes were limited Sunday and his results followed suit, but he'll be at 100 percent to begin the playoffs next week.
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Rockets' Amen Thompson: Logs team-high 15 points
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Thompson finished Sunday's 126-111 loss to Denver with 15 points (6-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal across 26 minutes.
Thompson's emergence as a legit scoring threat has been critical to Houston's competitiveness in the Western Conference. The 2023 first-round pick exceeded his rookie season by a wide margin during his second year with the Rockets, with substantial increases in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Over 68 games and 41 starts, the youngster averaged 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocked shots.
Smith (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Nuggets.
Smith will miss a third straight game Sunday due to left groin soreness. Houston will likely lean on Tari Eason and Jeff Green to help shoulder the load in the frontcourt.
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Rockets' Jeff Green: Back to bench
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Green won't start Sunday's game against the Nuggets, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
With Houston resting its regular starters, Green drew a spot start Friday and posted six points, five assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes. However, even with the No. 2 seed locked up, the Rockets will play the starters their usual minutes against the Nuggets, who'd secure the No. 4 seed with a win Sunday.
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Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Back to bench role
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Whitmore will come off the bench during Sunday's game against the Nuggets, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Whitmore started the Rockets' last two games but will return to the second unit for Sunday's regular-season finale. In 47 games in a reserve role, the Villanova product has averaged 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, shooting 42.4 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from deep.
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Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate: Week-to-week with ankle injury
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Head coach Ime Udoka told reporters Sunday that Tate is considered week-to-week due to right ankle soreness, Ben DuBose of USA Today reports.
Tate will end up missing the last two games of the regular season due to his ankle injury. It remains to be seen whether he'll be ready for the start of the playoffs, though he's averaged only 11.3 minutes per game this season and has seen his minutes off the bench fluctuate since the beginning of March.
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Rockets' Reed Sheppard: Bench role against Denver
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Sheppard will come off the bench during Sunday's game against the Nuggets, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
After starting the last two games, Sheppard will be in the second unit Sunday. In 48 games in a reserve role for Houston, the rookie guard has averaged 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, shooting 32.6 percent and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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Rockets' Jock Landale: Coming off bench Sunday
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Landale is not in the Rockets' starting lineup against the Nuggets on Sunday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Even with the Rockets locked in as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference standings, head coach Ime Udoka said Sunday that he'll go with his usual starting lineup and those players will get their regular minutes. That means Landale will come off the bench after starting in Houston's last two games, during which he averaged 9.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 29.0 minutes per game.
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