Houston @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 14, 2017 ) Toronto 129, Houston 113

If there is a team that can stop the Houston Rockets from winning an 18th consecutive game, it is the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors. The Raptors will try to slow the freight train that is the Rockets when they host the battle of conference leaders on Friday.

Houston pushed its winning streak to 17 in a row with a 110-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday but is not focused on the streak. "We're just out there hoopin'," All-Star guard James Harden told reporters. "We're not worried about wins and losses right now. We're worried about playing the right way on both ends of the floor and that's going to carry over into the postseason. More times than not, 90 percent of the time, if you play the right way on both ends of the floor great things will happen. The result? Get wins." Toronto became the first team to clinch a playoff spot and brought its own winning streak to six in a row with a 121-119 overtime triumph over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. "My thing is, continue to improve under adversity, in adverse situations" Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), Sportsnet One (Toronto)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (51-13): Houston continues to get solid efforts from stars Harden and Chris Paul but is singing the praises of its supporting players. "It's something special, man," Harden told reporters. "Especially when you know you got guys out there that have your back all the time and want to see you do well, want to see you succeed. You look over at the bench, our bench is cheering each other on, that makes you want to go out there and give that extra effort. Especially with the coaching staff we have and how well they're coaching, we're just so tied into each other that it makes you want to go out there and have fun." The Rockets won on Wednesday despite missing power forward Ryan Anderson (hip) and shooting guard Joe Johnson (illness).

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (47-17): Toronto All-Star DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points on Wednesday but passed up the opportunity for the last shot while well defended, instead finding guard Fred VanVleet for the game-winning basket. "DeMar made the right decision," Casey told reporters. "He had four guys collapse on him and he made the right play and Freddy knocked it down." DeRozan is averaging 26.1 points on 50.8 percent shooting in seven games since the All-Star break while handing out 5.3 assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets SF PJ Tucker is 8-of-14 from 3-point range over the last three games.

2. Raptors PG Kyle Lowry handed out a season-high 15 assists on Wednesday.

3. The road team took each of the last three in the series, with Toronto earning a 129-113 win at Houston on Nov. 14.

PREDICTION: Rockets 125, Raptors 121