NBA Season Restart 2019-20

Russell Westbrook set to arrive in Orlando for season reset

Michael C. Wright

Michael C. Wright

Archive

Positive news continued its trickle into the NBA bubble for the Houston Rockets on Monday with coach Mike D’Antoni announcing point guard Russell Westbrook was set to join the team at Walt Disney World.

Westbrook announced last week he tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the club’s departure for Orlando, Fla.

“I think he’s landing here shortly, and then we’ll go do his hours that he has to [in quarantine], and hopefully be ready to roll once he gets out, start practicing and be with us moving forward,” D’Antoni said.

Westbrook’s arrival is set to come six days after James Harden entered the NBA’s bubble. Like Harden, Westbrook will need to complete a 36-hour quarantine in his hotel room, in addition to producing two negative tests for coronavirus before he can join the team for on-court activities. Harden was cleared to play on July 16 and said he ‘was in a good place’ since getting back in the mix.

D’Antoni expressed uncertainty about whether Westbrook will participate Friday in Houston’s scrimmage Friday against the Toronto Raptors, but he’s hopeful the point guard will be ready to play once the league starts its seeding games.

The Rockets open the NBA restart schedule on Jul. 31 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who was signed on Jul. 7, remains the only Rocket that hasn’t joined the team. D’Antoni said there’s still no timetable for his arrival.

The Kia MVP winner in 2016-17, Westbrook is averaging 27.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game for the Rockets (40-24), which currently hold the sixth seed in the Western Conference standings.

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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here , find his archive here and follow him on Twitter .

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting

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