SCOUTING THE ROCKETS

The Rockets complete their home-heavy schedule to start the season with a pair of games against the Lakers, having gone 3-1 at home (with one home game postponed). The Rockets have won 13 of their past 17 against the Lakers in Toyota Center. … The Rockets are sixth in offensive rating, ninth in net rating. … The Rockets changed starting lineups in five consecutive games, using their preferred lineup Friday for just the second time this season. … The team is sixth in the NBA in field-goal percentage. Of its top five players in shooting percentage (with more than one game played), four — Sterling Brown, Jae’Sean Tate, Christian Wood and John Wall — are newcomers. … James Harden has averaged 17 points in the past three games, falling fromthe scoring lead to third. But he is second in assists, averaging 11 per game, and leads the NBA in points created, scoring or assisting on 56.9 per game. … Forward P.J. Tucker had a season-high 15 points Friday, giving him 25 in the past two games after scoring a total of five in the previous three games. He is 12 of 20 on 3s this season. … Center Christian Wood returned froma sore knee to grab a career-highmatching 15 rebounds in 26 minutes. He has scored at least 20 points in all six games he has played this season, the longest streak of his career. … Ben McLemore went 5 of 5 on 3s in his season debut Friday. He is the fourth player in NBA history to have hit at least five 3s without a miss while playing 16 or fewer minutes.