Rockets at Magic
Dwight Howard looks to continue his dominance against his former team when the Houston Rockets travel to Orlando to face the Magic on Wednesday. Howard and the Rockets head to Florida aiming for their fifth straight win overall and their fifth in a row against the Magic. Orlando snapped a six-game skid with a stunning 121-114 road win over Chicago on Monday, shooting a season-high 59.3 percent despite playing without two of its top four scorers in Tobias Harris (ankle) and Evan Fournier (knee).
Howard has averaged 24.8 points and 16.5 rebounds in four games against the Magic since being traded from Orlando to the Los Angeles Lakers, but he's coming off his second straight eight-point effort in Monday's 113-99 win at Brooklyn. "As long as we win the game, that's all that matters," Howard told reporters. "We've got 82 games and the playoffs. I'll do my damage when it's time." Orlando has lost four straight at home, where it is 4-12 this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (27-11): Houston boasts the league's leading scorer in guard James Harden (26.9 points, 6.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds), but the Rockets also have transformed into one of the league's best defensive teams. They have the top defensive rating in the NBA and rank second in steals (9.7 per game). The Rockets live and die by the 3-pointer, though, attempting a staggering 33.9 triples per game and connecting at a 35 percent clip.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (14-27): Orlando is thin on scorers as long as Harris (18 points, 6.9 rebounds) and Fournier (13.6 points) are sidelined, with only two other players averaging double digits. Center Nikola Vucevic (18.8 points, 11.1 rebounds) continues to put up huge numbers and recorded his NBA-best 23rd double-double against the Bulls. Vucevic and guard Victor Oladipo (15.6 points) carried the Magic with 33 points apiece against Chicago, but they can't be counted on for that type of output every night.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets are 21-2 when leading at halftime and 21-3 when scoring at least 100 points.
2. Orlando rookie SG Devyn Marble has averaged 5.5 points and four steals in the past two games while making the first two starts of his career.
3. Houston is 21-1 when either Harden or Howard attempts at least eight free throws.