As Rockets head coach Stephen Silas addressed the media after Saturday’s practice, one thing kept getting his attention on the court. No, it was not assistant coach John Lucas yelling out a countdown while giving out instructions. Instead, the one-on-one battle between Christian Wood and Alperen Sengun was as intense as I’ve witnessed in a long time.
The purpose of the competition between Houston’s two big men was to help Wood regain conditioning as he prepares to return to the court Sunday in New Orleans after missing three games due to illness.
“I was going through a lot of flu like symptoms, fever, and strep throat and it was beating me up for a little bit,” said Wood. “I really couldn’t get out of the bed to move. Coach and the medical staff told me just to relax.”
The illness bug hit Wood after the Rockets broke their 12-game losing streak with a home victory over Memphis, which Silas and Wood agreed was his best game as a Houston Rocket. He finished the game with 28 points and 13 rebounds, but his steady play on both ends of the court helped the Rockets defeat one of the hottest teams in the NBA — and one with a legitimate MVP candidate in guard Ja Morant.
Christian Wood and Alperen Sengun go one-on-one after practice. Wood was putting in some extra work as he prepares to return to the court after missing the last three games with flu like symptoms. #Rockets #Sarge pic.twitter.com/sYvyEZCZR4
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) March 13, 2022
“I was getting into a groove and an offensive rhythm,” Wood said after practice. “I felt like me, JG (Jalen Green) and KP (Kevin Porter Jr.) was starting to figure each other out a little bit. It was definitely a setback.”
Wood, 26, is averaging 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this season and has scored in double figures in 25 straight games. In four games in March, the 26-year-old has averaged 22.8 points (62.5% FG, 50.0% on 3-pointers), 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 35.8 minutes.
Wood started Sunday’s game in New Orleans alongside his usual grouping with Porter, Green, Eric Gordon, and Jae’Sean Tate.
