Rockets at Lakers
The Houston Rockets showed signs recently of turning around a miserable start, but consecutive losses to losing teams has signaled otherwise. The Rockets look to salvage the finale of a three-game road trip when they visit another sub-.500 team in the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they defeated at home by 29 points last weekend.
Houston followed up that easy victory with setbacks at Denver and Sacramento, which shot 50.7 percent and dominated the interior against the up-and-down Rockets on Tuesday. "Our defense will get there, but we have to make it get there," guard James Harden, who led the way in the losing effort with 33 points, told reporters. "We're showing spurts on defense but we are not consistent." Houston has given up an average of 111.8 points in its last four losses and will be facing a Lakers team that seemed to put a few things together offensively in a 113-95 rout of Milwaukee on Tuesday. Kobe Bryant scored 22 points and had six of Los Angeles' season-high 26 assists.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (12-14): Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Tuesday sent a message to his starters by benching them just over two minutes into the second half while staring at an 11-point deficit. Center Dwight Howard, who later refuted rumors that he was unhappy in Houston playing second fiddle to Harden, did next to nothing after he returned, missing all three of his second-half shots and finishing with a season low-tying four points and a season-low four rebounds. "I want us to win," Howard said while addressing the rumors after the loss. "We had two upsetting losses. We're all frustrated because we know we can play better."
ABOUT THE LAKERS (4-21): Bryant appears rejuvenated after weeks of lethargic play and complaints of fatigue, averaging 23.5 points - on 16-of-31 shooting - and six assists in the last two games. "My legs feel much better," Bryant told reporters. "I feel in a better rhythm. Feels like my legs kind of caught up." The Lakers were also helped out on Tuesday by the return of Jordan Clarkson (12 points) from an ankle injury and the continued production of Lou Williams, who is averaging 16.8 points on 49.1 percent shooting since being inserted into the starting lineup five games ago.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lakers PF Julius Randle has at least 10 rebounds in seven of nine games this month despite averaging just 26 minutes.
2. Houston has won four straight in Los Angeles, tied for its longest road winning streak in the series.
3. Howard made 7-of-8 shots in an 18-point, 12-rebound effort in the rout of the Lakers on Saturday.