ATLANTA – Houston rookie Patrick Patterson returned home on the Rockets' charter flight Saturday night, a few hours after chest pains and congestion forced him to leave Philips Arena in an ambulance.
Team spokesman Bob Schranz said preliminary tests on Patterson, the NBA's No. 14 overall draft pick, were precautionary and revealed no problems other than flulike symptoms.
Patterson was taken to Piedmont Hospital, but was not admitted. The Rockets, who host Milwaukee on Monday, are listing Patterson as day-to-day.
The former Kentucky standout played 3 minutes, 54 seconds of the second quarter, scoring six points as a reserve in Houston's 112-106 win over the Atlanta Hawks. He did not return for the third quarter, leaving downtown in an ambulance after the medical staff at Philips Arena decided he should undergo further tests.
Schranz said Patterson and the Rockets' staff discussed his flulike symptoms before the game.
Patterson has been with Houston since getting recalled from Rio Grande Valley of the NBA Development League on Dec. 13.
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