Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. will miss Monday's game against Portland with a suspension. He was handed a one-game suspension for his altercation with Utah's Kris Dunn on Saturday. Smith Jr's absence will be a major blow for the playoff-chasing Rockets, who have racked up eight consecutive victories. Following Alperen Sengun's (ankle) injury, Smith Jr. has filled the starting center role. With him now sidelined, Jeff Green and Jock Landale should share the minutes at the five positions. Green is the more attractive fantasy option of the two and played great after Smith Jr.'s early exit at the weekend, scoring 21 points and registering four rebounds with a pair of blocks. A meeting with Portland could also be fruitful for him, as the Trail Blazers are allowing opposing centers to shoot 60.6 percent from the field.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (ankle) was diagnosed with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain. In addition, he also has a bone bruise in his right knee. Sengun's injury could have been much worse. However, the 21-year-old is expected to miss "several weeks" and is unlikely to return before the end of the regular season. Houston is grasping and clawing to make the Play-In, so fantasy managers might not see Sengun back on the floor unless the Rockets make a deep postseason run. The 2021 No. 16 overall pick has established himself as one of the NBA's best big men in his third year in the league. He's appeared in 63 games, amassing 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals, all significantly higher than last season. At any rate, while Sengun remains on the shelf, Houston could play small ball, meaning Jabari Smith Jr. would handle most of the work at the five. Jock Landale, coming off an 11-point, five-assist, two-steal showing on Tuesday versus the Spurs, should also maintain a firm grasp on a spot in the rotation.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (knee, ankle) suffered a scary injury during Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The big man injured his leg and needed a wheelchair to help transport him back to the locker room. At first glance, it appeared Sengun suffered a significant leg injury. He has been diagnosed with a right knee bone bruise and a severely sprained right ankle. It looks like the Rockets dodged a bullet, but his timetable is still unknown right now. Jock Landale figures to be the one replacing Sengun in the starting five. Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore should also see additional minutes coming their way. Fantasy managers might want to use a wait-and-see approach right away.

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet helped lead his team to a 122-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The veteran point guard was on the court for 38 minutes, recording 22 points (5-of-8 FGs, 10-of-10 FTs) while grabbing four rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers. VanVleet has been on fire lately, collecting 21 points in three of the last five Rockets contests. Despite a low field-goal percentage for most of the season, the 30-year-old remains a valuable asset to fantasy managers who have him rostered.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (knee/ankle) had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair during the fourth quarter of their game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The up-and-coming big man seemingly suffered a bad knee injury and wasn't able to get up for a while. He ultimately couldn't put any weight on his leg which called for the wheelchair to come out. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the team will perform an MRI on both his right knee and ankle, so fantasy managers will have to stay tuned. If he has to miss extended time, the next center on the depth chart is Jock Landale. Jeff Green has also seen some minutes at center and Boban Marjanovic is their third option.