The Phoenix Suns will sit center Mark Williams on the second night of a back-to-back Monday against the Houston Rockets for right knee injury management.
Phoenix has also ruled out sharpshooter Grayson Allen (right quadriceps contusion) and forward Ryan Dunn (sprained right wrist), while rookie Rasheer Fleming (sprained left ankle) is questionable. Jalen Green remains out with a right hamstring strain.
Houston is also quite banged up, with Tari Eason (strained right oblique), Dorian Finney-Smith (sprained left ankle), Jae’Sean Tate (personal) and Fred VanVleet (ACL tear) all out on Monday while veteran center Steven Adams (right ankle tendinopathy) is questionable.
Kevin Durant will not play for Houston due to a reported family matter.
Williams has yet to play both legs of a back-to-back this season, as the Suns have operated cautiously with him given his injury track record. Williams recorded a double-double on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 14 points with 11 rebounds in a 111-102 win.
Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro have each started in games Williams missed due to injury management.
Allen is set to miss a fifth consecutive game, while Dunn will be out for second straight night. Jordan Goodwin stepped into a starting role on Sunday and scored 15 points with 10 rebounds.
The Rockets will have the rest advantage, having last played on Friday.
Adams has started the past two nights for Houston in a large lineup with fellow big man Alperen Sengun and Durant. Durant has yet to miss a game this season, and the Rockets, who only played eight players more than five minutes on Friday, will have to dig deeper into their bench.
The Suns will face the Rockets again on Dec. 5 in Houston.
Tip-off on Monday at Mortgage Matchup Center is at 7:30 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
