76ers at Rockets
The slumping Philadelphia 76ers are hoping to get in the Holiday spirit when they visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Mired in a four-game losing streak, the Sixers are keeping their fingers crossed that point guard and leading scorer Jrue Holiday can return to the lineup. Holiday sat out his third consecutive game - a 107-100 loss at Dallas on Tuesday - with a sprained left foot. He said he still feels soreness when he plants the foot and attempts to make cuts. Asked Tuesday when Holiday could return, coach Doug Collins said: "Maybe tomorrow."
Houston is coming off a strange two-game road trip that featured a loss in Toronto and a dominating win in New York in which the Rockets handed the Knicks their first home loss. The highlight of the victory for the Rockets was the re-emergence of Linsanity, as point guard Jeremy Lin scored 22 points against his former teammates - matching his scoring total from the previous three games combined. Houston has won three of four and will be playing its fourth consecutive opponent from the Atlantic Division.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia, Houston)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (12-13): Philadelphia is in the midst of a grueling portion of the schedule that will feature 10 of 11 games away from home. Thus, the anxiety of getting Holiday and his 18.4 points back in the lineup is critical. Swingman Dorell Wright supplied a huge offensive spark in the loss to Dallas, scoring a season-high 25 points and burying seven 3-pointers. It was Wright's first game in double figures since he scored 14 against Milwaukee on Nov. 12, ending a drought of 17 contests.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (12-12): While Lin's return to New York City garnered all the headlines, backcourt mate James Harden continued his torrid run by scoring 28 points and grabbing a season high-tying 10 rebounds. It marked the fifth time in six games that Harden has scored at least 28, a span in which he is averaging 29.3 points. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has been making a living at the free-throw line during his sizzling stretch, going to the stripe 64 times and converting 59.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Philadelphia has won seven of the last nine in the series, but Houston prevailed in last season's only meeting 93-87.
2. Sixers reserve F/C Spencer Hawes is averaging 17.3 points in his last three games.
3. Lin averaged 16 points in two matchups with the Sixers as a member of the Knicks last season.