Adams has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Hawks due to a right soleus strain.
Adams sat out Saturday's win over the Hawks in the second leg of a back-to-back set, though he's now being ruled out due to a right soleus strain. Clint Capela and Jabari Smith will likely see increased burn for as long as Adams is sidelined.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Out Saturday
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Adams (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Hawks.
As expected, Adams will sit out the second leg of this back-to-back set due to left ankle injury management. His next chance to play will come in Monday's rematch versus the Hawks. With the veteran big man out, Clint Capela will likely see a bump in minutes.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Will likely rest Saturday
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Adams (rest) will likely be sidelined for Saturday's game against the Hawks.
Head coach Ime Udoka indicated before the start of the regular season that Adams and Fred VanVleet (rest) would both be sidelined for one game of back-to-back sets to open the year, per Will Guillory of The Athletic. Adams played only nine minutes off the bench during Friday's 114-110 win over the Spurs, and if he's indeed ruled out for Saturday, then Clint Capela would take on a larger workload off the bench behind starting center Alperen Sengun.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Cleared to play Friday
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Adams (calf) is available for Friday's game against San Antonio.
Adams missed Wednesday's season-opening win over the Mavericks but will shed his questionable tag and return to action Friday. He's expected to operate as Alperen Sengun's primary backup.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Remains questionable for Friday
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Adams (calf) is questionable to play in Friday's game against the Spurs.
Adams didn't play in Wednesday's season-opening victory over the Mavericks with the same calf issue, and he's in jeopardy of missing a second consecutive contest to begin the 2026-27 campaign. If he's unable to suit up, Clint Capela is likely to earn the backup minutes at center behind Alperen Sengun.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Ruled out Wednesday
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Adams (calf) won't play in Wednesday's game versus Dallas.
Adams was questionable due to calf tightness. He has since been downgraded, with his next opportunity to suit up coming on Friday in San Antonio. Without Adams on the floor, Clint Capela will likely see more minutes behind Alperen Sengun.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Iffy for regular-season opener
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Adams (calf) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
Adams missed Houston's final two preseason games for rest purposes but is now dealing with right calf tightness ahead of the club's regular-season opener. If the veteran big man is unable to suit up, Clint Capela figures to see increased playing time behind Alperen Sengun.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Won't play back-to-backs
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Adams will sit out one leg of back-to-back sets to begin the year, per Will Guillory of The Athletic.
The Rockets followed a similar maintenance plan with the veteran big man a season ago. Houston should lean more heavily on Tari Eason, Jabari Smith and Clint Capela for center minutes when Adams is resting.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Not facing minutes restrictions
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Head coach Ime Udoka said Sunday that Adams won't face any minutes restrictions to begin the regular season, but the Rockets may be cautious with his availability in back-to-back sets, Lachard Binkley of SI.com reports.
Adams' 2025-26 campaign was cut short by an ankle injury that required surgery in January. However, the big man is expected to begin the season as Houston's backup center and won't have his minutes limited. Over 32 regular-season appearances (11 starts) last season, he averaged 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 combined steals-plus-blocks in 22.8 minutes per game.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Expected to suit up Wednesday
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Adams (rest) is expected to be available for Wednesday's regular-season opener against Dallas.
Adams sat out Houston's final two exhibition games for rest purposes but is expected to be available when the Rockets host the Mavericks on Wednesday. The veteran big man is expected to operate as Alperen Sengun's primary backup.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Inactive Thursday
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Adams (rest) is listed as inactive for Thursday's preseason game against the Thunder.
The Rockets didn't provide an update on Adams' status ahead of tipoff, though he won't see the floor Thursday. The big man's next chance to play will come in Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Mavericks.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Not expected to play
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Adams (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.
Adams totaled two points (1-1 FG), three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 14 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over the Mavericks, marking his first game action since undergoing ankle surgery in January. The veteran center is expected to be the primary backup to Alperen Sengun this season.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Logs 14 minutes in return
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Adams totaled two points (1-1 FG), three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 14 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over the Mavericks.
Adams returned to the court after undergoing ankle surgery in January, playing his usual role off the bench. Although his skill set doesn't really lend itself to viable fantasy value, Adams' importance to the Rockets cannot be overstated. He will presumably serve as the primary backup behind Alperen Sengun, typically logging minutes in the mid to high teens.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Fully cleared for Houston
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Adams has been fully cleared after undergoing left ankle surgery in January, head coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday, according to Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle.
The veteran center had previously been limited prior to training camp, but Udoka expects him to play during Houston's preseason trip to Macao. Adams may still be limited during back-to-back sets early in the regular season as the Rockets manage his workload following the procedure.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Expected to be limited in back-to-backs
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Head coach Ime Udoka said Friday that he does not see Adams (ankle) playing in both halves of back-to-back sets to start the 2026-27 season, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.
The veteran center underwent left ankle surgery in late January and is currently without a clear timetable for a return to the court. Udoka also noted that Adams' minutes limit will be determined by how he progresses in training camp. If the 33-year-old begins the season on the inactive list, Clint Capela would likely see a bump in minutes.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Uncertain return timeline
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Adams (ankle) didn't offer a return timetable Monday at media day, per Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle.
Adams referred to the ankle surgery he underwent in January as "complicated." The veteran center's status will remain worth monitoring throughout training camp and the preseason. Clint Capela should take on the leftover reps as the No. 2 center until Adams is cleared for action.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Undergoes season-ending surgery
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The Rockets announced Wednesday that Adams has undergone season-ending left ankle surgery, per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Adams was already viewed as out indefinitely with a Grade 3 sprain, but he officially won't be able to return during the 2025-26 campaign. The veteran big man averaged 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.8 minutes per contest through 32 games before going down, and he's under contract with Houston through the 2027-28 season. With Adams' year now over, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith are set to split the backup center duties behind Alperen Sengun.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Out indefinitely with Grade 3 sprain
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Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday that Adams has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and will be out indefinitely, Vanessa Richardson of Space City Home Network reports.
Though Adams avoided any fractures to his ankle after he was forced out of Sunday's 119-110 win over the Pelicans, he's dealing with a significant sprain that will keep him out for an extended period. The Rockets likely won't provide a target date for Adams' return until he resumes on-court work, but Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com notes that NBA players historically require at least two months to recover from Grade 3 ankle sprains. With Adams sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Rockets are likely to incorporate Clint Capela into the rotation on a more regular basis as the top backup to starting center Alperen Sengun. In 32 appearances (11 starts) so far this season, Adams has averaged 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds across 22.8 minutes per tilt.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Ruled out for Tuesday
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Adams (ankle) won't play Tuesday against the Spurs.
Adams exited Sunday's matchup against the Pelicans with a sprained left ankle and will miss at least one additional game as a result of the injury. Clint Capela will presumably see more opportunities until Adams returns to health.
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Rockets' Steven Adams: Suffers ankle sprain Sunday
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Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said after Sunday's 119-110 win over the Pelicans that Adams has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reports. He posted five points (2-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes prior to leaving the game.
Udoka relayed that preliminary tests on Adams' ankle revealed no fracture, so the veteran center appears to have avoided a worst-case scenario after being forced out of Sunday's game in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, Adams appears likely to miss time, as he was barely able to put any weight on the ankle upon suffering the injury and required assistance to the locker room. He'll undergo further tests to determine the severity of the sprain. If Adams ends up missing action, Clint Capela could become a more frequent part of the rotation as a backup at center to Alperen Sengun.
