# Rockets Name Starting Point Guard for Games Fred VanVleet Misses

> Rockets name Marcus Smart as starting point guard when Fred VanVleet misses games.
- Title: Rockets Name Starting Point Guard for Games Fred VanVleet…
- Summary: Rockets name Marcus Smart as starting point guard when Fred VanVleet misses games. Houston Rockets will start Marcus Smart at point guard when Fred VanVleet…
- Keywords: houston rockets, fred vanvleet, marcus smart, steven adams, ime udoka, nba, rockets, point guard, starting point guard, back to back games, sports, Name
- Source: Houston Rockets On SI — https://si.com/nba/rockets/onsi/rockets-name-starting-point-guard-for-games-fred-vanvleet-misses-01m5dkp25rtw
- Published: 2026-10-20T22:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: houston rockets, fred vanvleet, marcus smart, steven adams, ime udoka, nba, rockets, point guard, starting point guard, back to back games, sports
## Rockets announce VanVleet and Adams out
Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka announced Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams will not play in back-to-back games this season.
## VanVleet and Adams injuries
VanVleet, 32, missed all of last season with a left leg injury, while Adams, 33, missed the final 42 games of the regular season and the entire postseason after left ankle surgery in January.
## Rockets play 13 back-to-back sets
The Rockets are scheduled to play 13 sets of back-to-back games this season, with the first coming Friday and Saturday of opening week.
## Smart named starter over Sheppard
Naming Smart the starter over Reed Sheppard when VanVleet is unavailable could be viewed as a minor surprise.
## Smart's background
Smart, who signed a two-year, $12.4 million contract over the summer, is entering his 13th NBA season. He was a starter for Udoka’s Celtics team that reached the NBA Finals in 2022.
## Sheppard's role
Sheppard appeared in all 82 regular-season games and six postseason games for the Rockets last season, and Udoka reiterated that the third-year guard will have a significant role during his third NBA campaign.
## Udoka's role plan
Udoka told reporters: Come in and be a secondary (ball) handler. Play on and off ball. Be a spark plug every night.

> Come in and be a secondary (ball) handler, play on and off ball, be a spark plug every night
## Key takeaway

Houston Rockets will start Marcus Smart at point guard when Fred VanVleet is unavailable due to injury.