Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni has been hospitalized since Friday due to an intestinal virus but expects to be released Tuesday and rejoin the team before the playoffs.
D’Antoni, 67, has been under observation since Friday at Memorial-Hermann Hospital in Houston and will miss his third consecutive game when the Rockets play their regular-season finale on the road Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Rockets won both of their home games while associate head coach Jeff Bzdelik filled in for D’Antoni, beating the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns.
“We’re lucky we have some amazing assistant coaches and mature, vet players on this roster and in this organization to where guys know what we need to do,” Rockets star James Harden told reporters Monday. “It’s pretty simple. Obviously, we love Mike and we want him back and healthy as soon as possible. But until that time, we have to go out there and try to win games and play the right way.”
The Houston Chronicle first reported that D’Antoni had been hospitalized.