Rockets' Asik out 1 week with contusion

Dwight Howard will have a little more pressure to man the paint over at least the next four games as the Houston Rockets’ 7-foot center, Omer Asik, is out for at least a week with a right thigh contusion, Rockets.com’s Jason Friedman tweeted Wednesday.

The Rockets are already shorthanded. Jeremy Lin and Greg Smith are dealing with lingering ankle sprains, and Chandler Parsons is questionable with a sore back after missing the team’s six-point loss to the Utah Jazz earlier this week.

Friedman reported that Asik will be reevaluated in a week to determine if he’s ready to return.