Houston Rockets vs Minnesota Timberwolves: preview and player stats (Apr 11, 2027)

Injury/Illness - Right Knee Injury Management (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): VanVleet (right knee injury management) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Wizards. VanVleet will sit out the front end of this back-to-back set, with his next opportunity to play coming Monday at Miami. With the veteran floor general sidelined, Reed Sheppard, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Bruce Thornton are candidates for increased playing time, while Amen Thompson figures to see increased on-ball duties.

League Suspension (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Smart has been suspended three games for throwing a punch during Wednesday's matchup against Golden State, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. Smart, who was ejected from Wednesday's game for punching Charles Bassey, will begin serving his suspension Friday night against the Jazz, meaning he'll be eligible to return Wednesday versus Indiana. Bruce Thornton and Reed Sheppard should be in line for more minutes while Smart serves his three-game ban.

Injury/Illness - Right Soleus Strain (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Adams (calf) has been upgraded to probable for Sunday's game against the Wizards. Head coach Ime Udoka said Monday that Adams could be ready to play by Sunday, and that seems even more likely now that the veteran center carries a probable tag. Adams hasn't played since Oct. 23, so the Rockets may look to ease him back into things.

Injury/Illness - Right Ankle Sprain (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Capela (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Washington. Capela is trending toward a return to action, though he'll remain sidelined Sunday due to a right ankle sprain. His next chance to suit up will come Monday at Miami.

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS).

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-15, HOU@WAS).

DiVincenzo (Achilles) remains confident that he'll return during the 2026-27 season, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. DiVincenzo is approaching six months since tearing his right Achilles during the first round of the playoffs and has been rehabbing with the expectation that he'll play at some point this season. The veteran guard has sought advice from Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard during his recovery, though Minnesota has yet to establish a timetable for his return.

Edwards underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday, the Timberwolves announced. Edwards underwent debridement surgery in Minnesota, though the team did not provide a timetable for his return. The star guard is expected to make a full recovery, with additional updates coming as he progresses through rehabilitation. Based on previous reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania, Edwards could miss up to two months. Edwards was off to a scorching start this season, averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals across four appearances.

Clark (hamstring) has been ruled out for the remainder of Saturday's game against the Bulls, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports. Clark tweaked his right hamstring and will not return to tonight's contest. He played three minutes off the bench prior to his exit, leaving more opportunities available for Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland.