Houston @ Orlando preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2017 ) Orlando 104, Houston 128

The Houston Rockets will be without the NBA’s leading scorer James Harden when they go for a second straight victory Wednesday night against the struggling Orlando Magic. Harden, who is averaging 32.3 points and a team-high 9.1 assists, suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain in Sunday’s double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

“We will adjust,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni told the Houston Chronicle. “It’s an opportunity for other people to play. (Chris Paul) will still lead the charge. We have to just make the best of a bad situation, but everyone deals with it. There’s no reason we can’t deal with it.” Harden had 40 points before the injury while Paul scored 28 and dished out 10 assists as the Rockets rallied from 11 down in the fourth quarter to end a five-game losing streak with a 148-142 triumph Sunday. Orlando might be a good team for the Rockets to play at this point as the Magic, who started the season 8-4, have lost 11 of their last 12 and are without center Nikola Vucevic (17.4 points, 9.3 rebounds) due to a broken hand. “We keep talking about how it’s still a long season,” center Bismack Biyombo told the Orlando Sentinel. “But at some point, we’ve got to come out and figure this out.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (26-9): Houston will depend a lot on Paul and backcourt mate Eric Gordon, who was 2-for-11 from 3-point range Sunday but is scoring 19.4 per game overall - second on the team behind Harden. Guard Gerald Green, who was released by Milwaukee after training camp, could help on the offensive end as he posted 28 points combined in his last two contests after getting signed as a free agent three games ago. Trevor Ariza poured in a season-high 26 points against the Lakers on Sunday, draining 6-of-10 from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (12-26): Forward Aaron Gordon has been quite productive since returning from a calf injury while averaging 24.3 points - more than five above his season average - and 8.7 rebounds over the last three contests. Shooting guard Evan Fournier is second on the team in scoring (18.1), but was 4-for-15 from the field and 0-for-4 behind the arc in the 98-95 loss at Brooklyn on Monday. Biyombo has registered three consecutive double-doubles and is averaging 9.5 points and 13.0 rebounds since Vucevic was lost for 6-to-8 weeks.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Orlando PG Elfrid Payton is averaging 18.5 points - almost six above his season mark - and 8.3 assists in his last six contests.

2. Houston C Clint Capela had seven points and seven rebounds Sunday after missing two games with an eye injury.

3. The Rockets have won four of the last five meetings, including a 100-93 triumph at Orlando last season.

PREDICTION: Rockets 112, Magic 104