Houston @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 6, 2019 ) Golden State 112, Houston 129

The Golden State Warriors versus the Houston Rockets looked like a more intriguing matchup when the schedule was first released, before the rash of injuries to star players sent the Warriors plummeting to the bottom of the standings. Instead, Draymond Green, D'Angelo Russell and the Warriors' plucky group of youngsters will try to earn three straight wins for the first time this season when they host the Rockets on Wednesday.

Golden State had yet to earn back-to-back wins on the season before picking on a pair of fellow Western Conference foes down on their luck in the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves to begin the five-game homestand. "We needed this (win) regardless of what is coming next," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Monday's 113-104 win over Minnesota. "We just needed to win a couple of games in a row just to get a little momentum and feel good." The Rockets are where they expected to be - competing in the top half of the West behind former MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Houston knocked off the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings on the first three stops of the four-game trip and are winners of six in a row on the road.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (21-9): Houston got 34 points from Harden and 28 from Westbrook in Monday's 113-104 win at Sacramento but had to work down the stretch when the shots stopped falling in the fourth quarter. "I thought we did a good job to finish at a high rate," Westbrook told reporters. "Stayed true to ourselves, leaned on our defense, not offense. ... We lean on defense every night. We have, obviously, great offense." The anchor of that defense is center Clint Capela, who collected 15 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on Monday to record a double-double with multiple blocks for the sixth time in the last seven games.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (7-24): The absence of Klay Thompson (knee) and Stephen Curry (hand) along with the departures of championship-level staples like Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant give Golden State a much different look, and Green is trying to mold his young teammates into pieces that can compete for the next championship run. "It feels (expletive) amazing," Green told reporters after collecting nine points, 14 rebounds and five assists in Monday's win. "I never thought I'd be so excited for two regular-season wins in my life." Russell led the way with 30 points against the Timberwolves and is averaging 27 over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors SF Glenn Robinson III (ankle) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

2. Rockets SG Danuel House Jr. scored in double figures in each of the last three games and is 14-of-25 from the floor in that span.

3. Harden collected 36 points, 13 assists, three steals and three blocks in Houston's 129-112 home win over Golden State on Nov. 6.

PREDICTION: Rockets 119, Warriors 105