Rockets vs. Magic
When/where: 7 p.m./Toyota Center
TV/radio: AT&T SportsNet/790 AM, 740 AM; Spanish: 1010 AM
So far: Rockets 2-4, Magic 6-2
Lately: The Rockets’ loss to the Pacers onWednesday was their second this week after consecutive home wins over the Kings. The Magic took a second straight win over the Cavaliers to complete a homestand.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
The Rockets are 24th in defensive rating and 28th in defensive rebounding percentage. … Their 32.6 percent 3-point shooting is 27th in the NBA … The Rockets have used five starting lineups in six games. Forward P.J. Tucker, who never has missed a game in his three-plus seasons with the Rockets, is the only starter to have played in ever game. …
Guard James Harden hasmade 32.3 percent of his shots the past two games after making 52.5 percent his first three games. … Guard JohnWall is one of two players, along with the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, averaging 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one blocked shot per game. … Guard Eric Gordon’s four-game streak scoring at least 20 points is his longest since the 2018-19 season. … P.J. Tucker’s 10 pointsWednesday were a season high, twice his total fromhis previous three games combined. … Forward David Nwaba, starting a second consecutive game with Danuel House Jr. out, had a season-high 15 pointsWednesday. He is averaging 11 points in his four starts.
SCOUTING THE MAGIC
Orlando’s 6-2 start is the second-best in franchise history and the best since a 7-1 start in 1995-96, the season after Orlando’s first Finals appearance …
The Magic are 3-0 on the road this season. … Orlando is fourth in defensive rating and third in 3-point percentage allowed at 32.3 percent. … The Magic commit the fourth-fewest turnovers in the NBA. … Orlando’s 81.9 percent free throw shooting is third-best in the NBA. … Averaging 110 points, the Magic are 4-0 when scoring at least 110 points in a game. … Averaging 21 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, center Nikola Vucevic has five double-doubles this season and 339 in his career to rank second behind Dwight Howard in franchise history. … Guard Terrence Ross is averaging 20.7 points, the top bench scorer in the NBA with more than one game off the bench.
NUMBER TO NOTE
119.8 — points per game averaged by opponents in the Rockets’ four losses. INJURY/STATUS REPORT
Rockets: Forward Danuel House Jr. (back) and guard Chris Clemons (ruptured right Achilles) are out. Center ChristianWood (sore left knee) is questionable.
Magic: Forward Al-Farouq Aminu (right knee rehab), guard Michael Carter-Williams (sprained left foot), guard Markelle Fultz (torn left ACL), forward Chuma Okeke (left knee bone bruise) are out. Guard Evan Fournier (low back spasms) is questionable.