The Houston Rockets are 9-1 with All-Star center Dwight Howard in the lineup and now 0-2 without him, after suffering an embrassing loss to the scuffling Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Howard missed the game with a right knee strain, and Thursday apparently didn't see his condition improve much. The team announced that Howard sat out practice, and is currently listed as day-to-day.
Houston doesn't play again until Saturday, so Howard still has some time to rest up and recover. The Rockets have to hope he'll be ready in time; the Dallas Mavericks and their top-ranked offense are sweeping into town, and the prospect of trying to slow them down without the Rockets' best interior defender isn't an exciting one.