Raptors at Rockets
The Toronto Raptors are suddenly sliding and not even DeMar DeRozan can get them back on track. DeRozan will try to get the upper hand in a battle of prolific scorers when the Raptors visit James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
DeRozan was leading the NBA in scoring until going 3-of-15 from the floor and finishing with 12 points in a 102-99 loss at Sacramento on Sunday. The Raptors could have been accused of overlooking the Kings with a trip to visit the Los Angeles Clippers the next night, but DeRozan and company forgot to pack the defense for the trip and allowed the Clippers to shoot 52.7 percent from the floor in a 123-115 setback. The Rockets are well-positioned to take advantage of a team with a middling defense thanks to Harden running Mike D'Antoni's system to perfection. The All-Star guard is enjoying his best all-around season and posted his fourth consecutive double-double with 28 points and 11 assists in a 99-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (8-6): Toronto looked like a title contender while jumping out to a 7-2 start but is not faring well against elite teams with losses to Cleveland, Golden State and the Clippers during a 1-4 stretch. "I think we could all play better defense individually," point guard Kyle Lowry told the Toronto Star. "I think we can all hold ourselves accountable and I think we all want to be a good defender but we have to do it as a team." Lowry led the Raptors with 27 points on Monday but allowed his point guard counterpart Chris Paul to rack up 26 points and 12 assists.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (9-5): Harden, like DeRozan, is one of the best in the league at getting to the free-throw line and converting his chances into points, but he missed five free throws down the stretch on Monday and finished 14-of-19 from the line. "I think he's more surprised than I am," D'Anotni told reporters. That's not normal. But at the same time, I think something like 28 (points), 11 (assists) and eight (rebounds), and he's in there thinking he's playing bad. His bar is set pretty high." Harden spent the last three games - all wins - playing in the backcourt next to Patrick Beverley, who missed the first 11 games with a knee injury but is averaging 25 minutes and is 11-of-21 from the field since his return.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rockets SF Sam Dekker recorded career highs of 12 points and 25 minutes on Monday.
2. Toronto SF DeMarre Carroll sat out Monday to rest after scoring a season-high 17 points in the loss at Sacramento the previous day.
3. Houston took both meetings last season.