Report: Danuel House Will Not Play As The NBA Investigates Potential Break Of Bubble Protocol

The Houston Rockets fell just short in Game 3 as the Lakers shut them down in the fourth quarter to rally to a win and a 2-1 series lead over Houston. Rockets forward Danuel House, who has become an integral part of Houston’s rotation, missed that game for “personal reasons,” but was ruled out once again on Wednesday for Game 4.

That House was not playing but was remaining in the Bubble was a head-scratcher for many, and on Wednesday word broke of the reason for his continued absence from the team. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, House is under investigation from the NBA for a break of Bubble protocol that has his status for the remainder of the series in jeopardy.

As noted by Woj, House denies any wrongdoing, but until the matter is resolved, whatever it is, he will not be allowed to play. His absence is significant, particularly for a team that already runs a shortened rotation, with Ben McLemore and Austin Rivers having to step more into his minutes. What House did is unknown, but he wouldn’t be the first player to have to go under quarantine again for breaking Bubble protocol, as we saw Richaun Holmes of the Kings have to quarantine a second time after ordering delivery food that was not approved.

Per Woj and MacMahon, House did not leave the NBA campus, but is under investigation for “activity within the team hotel.”

House, the Rockets’ sixth man, has denied any violation on a matter that has the league probing House’s activity within the team hotel, sources said.

House did not leave the perimeter of the campus, sources said.

We’ll surely learn more as the situation develops, but for now the Rockets must move forward without a key piece as they try to claw back into their series with the Lakers.