Lakers at Rockets
A favorable stretch run that figured to give the Houston Rockets a good chance to sneak into the playoffs has played out in embarrassing fashion. The Rockets will try again to take advantage of a lesser opponent when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
After a big win over Oklahoma City last Sunday, Houston was a game out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference but faced a closing stretch with one game against Dallas - one of the teams it was trying to catch - and four against some of the worst teams in the conference. A disappointing loss to the Mavericks was followed up by a late collapse at home against struggling Phoenix in Thursday's 124-115 defeat, which leaves the Rockets still a game behind eighth-place Utah and spoke volumes as to how disappointing the season has become for last year's runners-up in the West. "It's frustrating," guard James Harden told reporters. "Sums up our season." Three games remain in the career of Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, whose team has dropped four in a row - including a 110-102 loss at New Orleans on Friday - and eight of its last nine.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles) , ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (16-63): Bryant has a storied history with just about every opponent and the Rockets are no exception. He scored at least 30 points in 25 of his 75 career games versus Houston, recorded two of his 19 career triple-doubles and knocked the Rockets out of the playoffs twice. The 20-year veteran is averaging 17.8 points over his last four games and 17.3 - on 54.1 percent shooting - in three meetings with Houston this season.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (38-41): Harden scored 30 points and Houston shot 56.8 percent against Phoenix, but the hosts were clobbered on the glass by a 60-38 margin, which led to a 36-8 disadvantage in second-chance points. Harden is averaging 28.7 points against the Lakers this season, helping the Rockets win all three games by an average of 22 points. After Los Angeles leaves town, Houston visits Minnesota and then hosts Sacramento - two teams against whom the Rockets are 4-1 - to end the regular season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rockets SF Trevor Ariza had 22 points with five 3-pointers, four steals and three blocks versus Phoenix.
2. Lakers PG D'Angelo Russell scored 32 points against New Orleans and is 7-of-15 from 3-point distance in his last three games.
3. Houston has won four in a row versus Los Angeles and has held the Lakers below 100 points in six straight.