Lakers at Rockets
The Houston Rockets are improving and attempt to record their seventh
victory in nine games when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Houston started poorly, prompting the organization to fire coach Kevin
McHale, and a victory over the Lakers would get the Rockets to the .500
mark.
Houston is getting its act together under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff and topped 100 points for the eighth straight game when it notched a 109-103 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. "We're getting better. Our defense has to pick up a lot more," center Dwight Howard told reporters. "We've got to do a better job of trusting each other on defense. Once we do that, we'll start getting big wins instead of having to fight back to win games and wait until late in the game to try and come back." Los Angeles lost 108-87 to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday to drop to 1-6 on an eight-game road trip. The Lakers have allowed 100 or more points in 13 consecutive games and have just one win during that stretch.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (3-20): Rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell scored a season-high 24 points against the Spurs and also had six rebounds and six assists in his second straight strong performance. Russell tallied 23 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday and has made eight 3-pointers in the two games while displaying the skills that led Los Angeles to make him the second overall pick in the 2015 draft. "He's more comfortable," Lakers coach Bryon Scott said of Russell after Friday's game. "He has a lot of confidence right now."
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (11-12): Guard James Harden recorded his sixth game of 40 or more points this season when he had 42 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the win over Washington. The outburst followed Harden's worst performance of the season — when he scored 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting in Tuesday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets. "Great players rise to the occasion," veteran guard Jason Terry told reporters. "(Tuesday) was probably one of his worst games he's ever played to date and so for him it was all about coming out, being aggressive and getting off to a great start."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have won five of the past six meetings.
2. Los Angeles G Jordan Clarkson (ankle) sat out against the Spurs and is unlikely to play Saturday.
3. Houston F Trevor Ariza (back) is questionable and could miss his second straight game.