Lakers at Rockets
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Lakers will not see former starting
point guard Derek Fisher on Tuesday. Fisher, who was traded to the
Houston Rockets at last week’s deadline, never showed up to join the
team and reached a buyout agreement over the weekend. Instead, the
Lakers will get a Houston team that is fighting to keep its spot in the
top eight in the West. Los Angeles is coming off a disappointing loss.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, KCAL (Lakers), FS Houston (Rockets)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (28-17):
Los Angeles sent Fisher to Houston in exchange for backup big man
Jordan Hill on Thursday in a busy afternoon that also netted the team
point guard Ramon Sessions. Hill and Sessions experienced their first
loss with the Lakers on Sunday, when a five-game winning streak came to
an end 103-99 to the Utah Jazz. Kobe Bryant went 3 for 20 from the floor
and finished with 15 points in his worst shooting performance in years.
Still, the Lakers have scored at least 97 points in each of their last
six games and can get points without Bryant because of the inside
dominance of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (24-22):
Houston is without Kyle Lowry because of a bacterial infection and
could have really used the services of Fisher. Goran Dragic is the only
healthy point guard on the roster at the moment. The Rockets have
dropped two straight, averaging 88.5 points, and sit only one-half game
up on the Phoenix Suns and the Jazz. Houston lost to the Suns 99-86 on
Sunday but got good news with the debut of Marcus Camby, who recorded
eight points and eight rebounds in his first appearance since coming
over in a trade from Portland. The Rockets have dropped eight of their
last 11 and fell at the Lakers 108-99 on Jan. 3.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Bryant has averaged 27.0 points on 44.2 percent shooting against the Rockets in his career.
2. Los Angeles has taken seven of the last nine in the series.
3. Houston on Monday waived Fisher, who will be eligible to sign with any team except the Lakers once he clears waivers.