Rockets' Dwight Howard out Saturday vs. Warriors with flu

The Houston Rockets will have to defend their unbeaten record against the also-undefeated Golden State Warriors on Saturday without their starting center and defensive anchor.

Dwight Howard will miss the game due to flu-like symptoms, the team announced shortly before tipoff. Tarik Black draws the start in Howard's place and will be tasked with containing Andrew Bogut, which is no easy assignment for one's first career start.

Howard's presence will be missed inside, as he's been a key part of the Rockets' third-ranked defense. In just 32 minutes per night, he's also averaged 19.7 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 62.5 percent, continuing his 2013-14 trend back toward his late-2000s peak.

Black has appeared in just four games as an NBA player. Undrafted out of Kansas, the 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 1.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes.

Also drawing in for the Rockets on Saturday is impressive Greek rookie Kostas Papanikolaou, who gets his first career start at power forward in place of the ineffective Donatas Motiejunas. Through six games, Papanikolaou is averaging five points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

With Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones also out for the Rockets, they'll be forgiven if they suffer their first loss of the young season against a dangerous Warriors outfit.