Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2017 ) Houston 118, L.A. Lakers 95

There might not be a tougher stretch of schedule in the NBA this season than the one the Los Angeles Lakers are enduring right now, and they are still searching for a win. The Lakers, who lost at Cleveland on Thursday and fell at home in overtime to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, will visit the NBA-best Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Los Angeles, which then heads up to Golden State on Friday, dropped its last three games - beginning with an overtime setback at the New York Knicks last week - but continues to battle. "Be very proud of the way you played tonight, be very proud," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters of his message to the team after Monday's 116-114 setback. "That's the defending champs over there. Let it hurt because it should hurt to lose. Be proud of the effort you gave and be excited about the fact that it's things within our control that can be the difference in these losses." The Rockets don't know much about losses and ran their winning streak to 14 straight with a 120-99 victory over the Utah Jazz in the finale of a five-game homestand on Monday. Houston trailed 84-79 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring the Jazz 41-15 over the final 12 minutes.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (25-4): James Harden wasn't having his best night on Monday and Chris Paul only had two assists entering the fourth quarter before the two stars got a big lift from Eric Gordon and dominated the final frame. Gordon scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and finished 7-of-12 from 3-point range to continue a recent breakout that has seen him average 21.4 points on 59 percent shooting over the last five games. The 28-year-old shot 33 percent from the floor, including 19.4 percent from 3-point range, over his previous nine games.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-18): Los Angeles' young players were inspired by the celebration that took place around the retirement of Kobe Bryant's jerseys on Monday but couldn't quite get a win in front of an arena full of Hall of Fame players. Rookie Kyle Kuzma led the way with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting in 40 minutes off the bench and is averaging 21.3 points over the last three contests. Fellow rookie Lonzo Ball collected 16 points for his third straight game in double figures - the longest such stretch of his young career.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets PF Ryan Anderson went scoreless in each of the last two games and is 4-of-19 from 3-point range over the last six contests.

2. Lakers C Brook Lopez (ankle) is expected to miss at least the next three weeks.

3. Harden collected 36 points and nine assists in a 118-95 win at Los Angeles on Dec. 3.

PREDICTION: Rockets 121, Lakers 113