Rockets at Lakers
The No. 3 spot in the Western Conference is looking like it won’t happen for the Houston Rockets, but a forgiving schedule should help them lock up the No. 4 slot. The Rockets will begin a three-game road trip at the sinking Los Angeles Lakers and play only one more game against a playoff contender. Houston is still waiting on Dwight Howard to return from an ankle injury but James Harden is doing his best to make up for the loss on the offensive end.
Harden should have plenty of chances to score against the Lakers, who are surrendering an average of 116.7 points over their last six games. Los Angeles has dropped four straight and matched the team record for losses since the franchise moved to California with Sunday’s 120-97 setback to the Clippers. The 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers set the franchise record for losses in a 19-53 campaign, a mark the current squad would need to win out to avoid. The Lakers will face potential West playoff teams in four of their final five games.
TV: 10:30 p.m. TNT, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (51-25): Harden is averaging 31 points in his last five games and put up 32 points and 10 assists in a 130-125 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday that left Houston two games clear of the fifth-place Portland Trail Blazers. Omer Asik once again got the start in place of Howard and responded with a season-best 18 points and matched his career high of 23 rebounds. It was the second time in four games that Asik pulled down 23 rebounds, and he is averaging 12 points and 16.8 boards in the last five. “I just try to do my job and try to help the team as much as I can,” Asik told reporters. I just try to do more work on the court.”
ABOUT THE LAKERS (25-52): Los Angeles seems to lose a different player each day to injury, and the team is willing to let everyone take as long as they need to get back in a lost season. Kent Bazemore is the latest to go down after suffering sprained foot in Sunday’s loss, and the team announced on Monday that forward Xavier Henry would undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist and right knee on Friday. Pau Gasol has missed seven of the last eight games due to a bout with vertigo and is not expected to play Tuesday, joining fellow center Chris Kaman (calf) on the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Lakers do expect G Jordan Farmar (groin) to return on Tuesday.
2. The Rockets have taken the last two in the series, including a 134-108 win in Los Angeles on Feb. 8 behind 29 points and 11 assists from Harden.
3. Houston G Isaiah Canaan is 8-of-15 from 3-point range in the last three games.