The Suns have games remaining against OKC, the Clippers, Denver, the Jazz, and the Spurs, a ‘who’s who’ murderer’s row of opponents.  Except for that last game where one would expect Pops to rest his big guns, one could easily see Phoenix drop all of those matchups.  But that still leaves Denver, Dallas, and Utah to compete with Houston for the last three spots.

The Jazz have a joke of a schedule remaining, headlined by two with the Aldridge-less Blazers and one with the Howard-less Magic.  Their only true test left is against Phoenix.

The Mavs have games left against Houston, Golden State, Chicago, and Atlanta.  Who knows what to make of that…will the Bulls have the #1 seed locked up?  Will the Hawks still be fighting out the 4-5-6?  These things are too difficult to forecast.

Finally, the Nuggets close out with the Clippers, Suns, Magic, Thunder, and Timberwolves.  That schedule is a tossup.

After an embarrassing week, the Rockets also don’t own the tiebreaker against any of these other clubs.  So here we are, hoping for the best when a week ago the team controlled it’s own destiny.  So it goes for the Rockets this season.  One probably should not have expected anything less.

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I asked on Twitter yesterday if any of you would support a decision to bench Kyle Lowry and roll with the lineup that knocked off the Bulls and Lakers for these final games.  After all – desperate times call for drastic measures.  The team has looked completely out of sync since Lowry’s return with players no longer seeming to know their roles in this new rotation.  Where before, Dragic was the undisputed ball-controller, things seem to have bogged down.  The question was posed tongue-in-cheek but to my surprise, the majority of you responded affirmatively.  Rest assured, that won’t happen.  As one reader put it, the long-term benefits of playing Lowry far exceed any short term potential gain.  Besides, if you bench him now, you lose him forever.

The more interesting scenario would involve bringing back Kevin Martin, a move I would fully endorse.  Why not?  The argument against, for these past few weeks, was that his return would throw off the chemistry this rotation had developed.  However, with Lowry’s return already causing that damage, there’s probably nothing left to lose by bringing back the other backcourt opening day starter.

If I’m McHale, I’d bring back Martin and create two separate quintets.  I’d start Dragic, Lee, Parsons, Camby, and Scola, the group that beat the Lakers and Bulls, and play them together in the first and first half of the third.  I’d then bring off the bench, as one complete unit, Lowry, Martin, Budinger, Dalembert, and Patterson to play the second, latter half of the third and former half of the fourth.  (The ironic part about that second group is that four of the five players were opening day starters.)

I pose this suggestion more in jest but I’m sure it would have its merits.  As I said, why not at this point?  You keep in tact groups that have played together and instill some sense of accountability.  The group that plays the best gets to close out the fourth quarter.  Good thing I’m not an NBA coach or ideas like playing Luis Scola at the ‘5’ would seem tame in comparison..

Speaking of, that was all the talk after Monday night’s loss as Kevin McHale once again closed with two power forwards.  From Twitter, to the radio airwaves, to the pages of the Internet, loyalists everywhere screamed in frustration over the decision that has seemingly lost so many games.  I’d like to one day ask Daryl Morey his thoughts on the lineup and whether it’s value is affirmed by any stretch of numbers because, from the naked eye, it seems to have brought nothing but evil.

I did notice the other night, digging for something, via 82games, that Patrick Patterson leads the entire NBA in crunch time +/-, for whatever that’s worth.  So there’s that.  (The team is a -3.2 overall with the Patterson/Scola lineup.  I don’t seem to have any 2-man crunch time stats.)  They want Patterson in there for his keen sense of defensive rotations, a decision I agree with.  But paired with Scola, it’s difficult to watch.  Still, I can’t fault McHale too much on that call as a center probably would not have fared well guarding Al Harrington on the perimeter.

Speaking of Patterson, the last sophomore slump this bad that I can remember is when the guy that sat in front of me in 10th grade Algebra opted not to retake his mid-term when given the chance–after making a 33–because “it ain’t worth it.”

At this rate, with Marcus Morris also already sidelined, one hopes the Rockets have better luck with this year’s #14.

Including tonight’s showdown (on ESPN) against the Suns, there are eight games remaining.  Home for Phoenix, at Denver, home for Denver, at Dallas, at New Orleans, home for Golden State, at Miami, and home for New Orleans.

The two against New Orleans should be complete ‘gimmes.’  The Warriors have given the Rockets fits in recent years, but that was before the trade that sent Monta Ellis to Milwaukee.  At Miami is an expected loss but is winnable – in fact, any game against any team in the NBA is winnable for the Houston Rockets.

The next four game stretch will determine the season.  If they win two from this quartet set, they should get in.  If they lay an egg, there could be a Houston representative at the draft lottery.  Let’s cross our fingers and hope that the team takes care of business.  The clunker against Utah was disappointing, but a letdown was eventually to be expected.

Tonight’s matchup will feature a high-stakes showdown between mentor and mentee as Steve Nash squares off against Goran Dragic.  Expect a shootout – the Suns are tenth in the league in pace and eighth in overall offensive efficiency. And of course the home team has no qualms about getting up and down.

Looking ahead: Still no word on Kevin Martin.  With just eight games remaining, it appears he may not be brought back at all.  With so little time left, it would be difficult to re-acclimate him into the lineup with everyone already having found their niche.  If the shoulder suddenly heals, it would be a tough call.  The team could surely use the sharpshooter’s offense off the bench.

I’d expect even heavier doses of Lowry-Dragic in tandem down the stretch.  Even before Martin’s injury, it seemed this was Kevin McHale’s backcourt of choice to close games.  The duo gives the Rockets’ coach options galore to run the side screen and roll and also to push the tempo in transition.  Without a superstar, Houston will have to create some sort of advantage and this small-ball effect is their best bet.

Most importantly, however, the Rockets must keep moving, at all times.  Without isolation scorers, the team runs into trouble when the ball and players stagnate. They must move the ball and more importantly, move players through misdirection, swinging the ball back when the defense is off balance.

Around the NBA: The other big matchups tonight pit the Mavs against Portland and the Nuggets against LA.  Without LaMarcus Aldridge (done of the year), the Mavs should easily take care of business against the Blazers.  Denver-LA is a toss-up.  I’d expect all three of Houston-Dallas-Denver to remain deadlocked at the end of the night.  This thing will come down to the wire.  Luckily there is somewhat of a cushion above 9th and 10th.  But the Rockets must take care of business, starting tonight.

Discuss the playoff push.

Even if Lee starts on Bryant, rest assured Parsons will see time in that matchup. Kobe might torch him. Kobe might go cold. It doesn’t matter. As the Rockets have learned over the years, you can live with Kobe taking jump shots. If he’s on, there’s nothing anyone can do. That last game was lost by the Lakers not because the Rockets beat them but because they beat themselves. Andrew Bynum got tossed and Mike Brown inexplicably went away from Ramon Sessions when he was completely picking the Houston defense apart.

I also had a few questions for Andy myself, to run here:

Huq: What kind of impact has Sessions had on the Lakers?  After seeing him pick apart the Rockets, I thought he made the Lakers the favorites in the West.

Kamenetzky: I wouldn’t go so far as to peg the Lakers as the conference’s new sheriff in town, but Sessions definitely makes them better. Individually, he adds so many dynamics sorely missing before the deadline. Speed. A threat to attack the rim. A perimeter player not named “Kobe” or “Bryant” capable of creating his own shot or breaking down defenders in space. A second pick-and-roll ball handler — technically speaking, a third, but Pau Gasol is judicious initiating 4/5 action  — and a very good one at that. As of late, he’s also developing better chemistry with Kobe, whether running 1/2 pick-and-roll or just finding each other on the floor. In three April games, Kobe’s shooting 61.9 percent from the field. On a very related note, according to ESPN Stats and Info, 24 of his 39 buckets (61.5 percent) have been assisted, compared to 42.3 percent in December-March. Some of this is the effect of Sessions and being able to work off ball more often.

In the meantime, his outside shot has been surprisingly wet. The book on Sessions was a lack of range, but with the Lakers, he’s shooting 50 percent from 16-23 feet and 54.5 percent from downtown. It’s hard to picture him maintaining numbers that scorching, but then again, he’s never played with teammates as good as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. As Rockets fans know all too well, a floor unit like that can make Trevor Ariza a pretty good 3 point shooter.

Defensively, he’s not especially strong, and often gets lost defending pick-and-roll. (Irony alert!) But all in all, he’s been a very positive addition, and can hopefully continue to get better as the playoffs approach.

Huq: We all heard the rumors prior to the deadline.  Obviously the acquisition of Ramon Sessions probably makes it a moot point going forward this summer, but how did Lakers observers feel about the reported Rockets’ package for Pau Gasol. Did those covering the team feel Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry was a satisfactory return?

Kamenetzky: Well, in our neck of the woods, the rumored haul was actually Scola, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic, the original pieces heading to N’Awlins. And generally speaking, I think the consensus reaction was underwhelming. Scola is a lesser, albeit less expensive, version of Pau. Kobe and Martin (who struggles to stay healthy), are redundant to a certain degree. And while some might argue Dragic is underrated, he’s nonetheless not Lowry. The Lakers might gain some needed depth in this scenario, but nobody close to the player Pau is. My take was to pass.

Were Lowry actually on the table, however, I might have been tempted to make the deal. Even as a fan going back to his ‘Nova days, the leap he’s taken over the last two years has surprised me. Lowry’s steady improvement has been very impressive to watch. He’s only 26, entering his prime, and if never an official All-Star, Lowry could be “All-Star adjacent” enough to making relocating Pau palpable. Particularly for a team in desperate need of upgrading at the point.

Of course, Gasol/Sessions is a better duo than Lowry/Scola, and more importantly, Kobe/Pau or Bynum/Pau are better than either. Thus, events probably shook out for the better.

The Rockets lost the game in Phoenix when Goran Dragic went to the bench early in the first half with foul trouble. Courtney Lee has taken on the bulk of the backup playmaking duties but he isn’t a point guard. Courtney Fortson–signed to a 10-day contract–has been horrific in limited minutes. When Dragic sits, the Rockets fall apart. They need Lowry back as soon as possible if they want to remain this race.

Key matchup: Chandler Parsons vs Michael Beasley

Minnesota has been playing with a purpose ever since Beasley returned from his foot injury. Adelman has shuffled his lineup and now has Beasley in a sixth man role, a position Beasley relishes and maximizes. Parsons cannot allow another offensive explosion from the volatile forward similar to what happened in their last tiff.

X-factor: Kyle Lowry

Lowry is coming off a 5-8-9 night against Phoenix that left many scratching their heads. Lowry seems to be all over the court with his hustle but looks gassed when the Rockets set up their offense. Lowry will need help from the big men in terms of initiating the offense from the post for him to be at peak performance longer.

Code Red: Nikola Pekovic is coming off a career night, pouring 27 points and grabbing 11 boards in their win last night. Pekovic has been a revelation, providing significant contributions whenever he spells Darko Milicic. Jordan Hill and Patrick Patterson cannot rest on their laurels against the up-and-coming big. In their last game, Kevin Love also got a lot of open looks from the perimeter. Someone (by someone, we all mean Luis Scola) has to keep the defense honest on him.

Twitter: @favianpua

Key matchup: Samuel Dalembert vs Marcin Gortat

Dalembert did not see action in the closing minutes of the Spurs game. He will be raring to bring down the Suns’ double-double machine, but Gortat will not be boxed out easily. The last time the Polish Hammer had less than 10 rebounds was back in January 8 against the Bucks.

X-factor: Chandler Parsons

Parsons has looked completely out of sync in the past four games. It goes beyond his pedestrian stats. It’s the little things: shot selection, staying in front of his man, making scrappy plays. He looks lost on the basketball court. Against Grant Hill and Jared Dudley, Parsons won’t have any excuses.

Code Red: Nash’s 30-10 night makes him the oldest player to achieve such a feat at 37 (and 11 months). Lowry must not allow another point guard to blitz past him after he was abused by Tony Parker.

Key matchup: Kevin Martin vs Kawhi Leonard

The Rockets need to chase all the Spurs’ swingmen, as evidenced by Michael Beasley’s 34-point attack last night (which included 12 trips to the charity stripe.)  Martin will be expected to outperform Leonard scoring-wise but he cannot afford to be a slouch defensively.

X-factor: Courtney Lee

Danny Green has strung together a couple of games off the bench as a spark plug, posting 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals. Lee will be expected to close out on Green from outside and Leonard from doing his damage from midrange.

Code Red: The Spurs (13-9) continue to stay dominant at home, having only lost once at AT&T Center the entire season. Ginobili remains out and will continue to be so until sometime next month. T.J. Ford will also be a no-show tonight. It must be reiterated: the Rockets cannot give up 42 points in a quarter.

Twitter: @favianpua

Key matchup: The whole Rockets frontline vs Kevin Love

Love’s svelte frame makes him a tireless workhorse on the court, putting up 25-13 averages, definitely worth an MVP conversation. He will crash the boards with ferocity and frustrate whoever is boxing him out. Jordan Hill will need to produce twice the effort he delivered against the Knicks, and even that still might not be enough.

X-factor: Chase Budinger and Chandler Parsons

Specifically AND, not an OR. With Kevin Martin’s status still uncertain, these two players both need big games to stave off a deep T’Wolves backcourt and also to draw attention away from Kyle Lowry, who left his jump shot somewhere in the Target Center when these two teams met last week.

Code Red: Goran Dragic and Patrick Patterson both lit up the T’Wolves the last time they met, combining for 27 points off the bench. Rick Adelman will have his drawing board ready for these two tonight.

Key matchup: Samuel Dalembert vs Tyson Chandler

These two prized big men hauled over the offseason will strut their defensive wares. It will be a rebounding battle to keep an eye on and both teams will have difficulty operating in the paint with these two giants muscling and boxing out every possible possession.

X-factor: Courtney Lee

Martin remains questionable for tonight, so Lee will be tasked to stay in front of Iman Shumpert and Toney Douglas, guys who won’t be afraid to keep gunning as long as they have the ball in their hands. Chris Kaman also deserves a mention, if only because he is on the trading block and the Rockets should look to be a significant player in the Kaman Sweepstakes.

Code Red: Without Carmelo Anthony in their last game, the Knicks moved the ball and did not settle for isolation plays, posting 20 assists collectively. The Knicks will be playing with desperation now that they have dropped eight of their last nine outings. Over that same span, Amare has been held below 20 points and five free throw attempts on eight instances.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs John Wall

After a sluggish start to the season, Wall has found his groove, posting numbers that resemble his stellar rookie season rather than a baller trying to hurdle the sophomore slump. Like Lowry, Wall is also capable of posting a triple-double. The catch? The third category would most likely be from turnovers, where he averages a staggering 4.2/game.

X-factor: Chandler Parsons

Parsons was everywhere and made his presence felt in their most recent game, punctuated by an and-one dunk on a fastbreak play. If Chandler Bang places his fingerprints all over tonight, this game is the Rockets’ to lose.

Code Red: The Wizards are the lone squad without a road win. Just saying.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Brandon Jennings

Lowry minted the stat sheet against the Timberwolves, finally earning an elusive triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. As long as Lowry hounds Jennings into another horrendous shooting affair (a woeful 14/42 the past two games) and prevents him from going to the line, the advantage goes to the former.

X-factor: Samuel Dalembert

With Andrew Bogut patrolling the middle and flanked by lanky frontcourt members such as Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, the pressure falls on the Haitian Sensation to corral every rebounding opportunity. It won’t be easy and both Luis Scola and Patrick Patterson cannot idly go ball-watching.

Code Red: Lost in the shuffle is Stephen Jackson, who was held scoreless last game despite playing 28 minutes. Jackson is too good of an athlete to be kept invisible and should look to get his points early on. Mbah a Moute, recently inserted in the starting lineup, will also be tasked to lock down on Scola/Parsons/Budinger/Martin defensively as the need arises.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Ricky Rubio

One has surprised the league, while the other one is living up to the hype. Lowry continues to burn the stats sheets and flirt with triple-doubles while Rubio has engineered a supreme passing game that has more than compensated for his lack of athleticism.

X-factor: Goran Dragic

The Rocket’s spitfire backup has been very heady, posting 14 points and four assists against the Spurs. With loaded T’Wolves relievers like J.J. Barea and Wayne Ellington, the Dragon has to step it up on Chinese New Year.

Code Red: Watch out for the Tar Heel. Since Ellington was made into a sixth man six games ago, he has averaged 10.7 points on 61.3% shooting. Michael Beasley remains on the mend with a sprained right foot. Jonny Flynn will be dressed but it is uncertain whether he will face his former team.

Key matchup: Chandler Parsons vs Richard Jefferson

Jefferson has strung together four consecutive stinkers before redeeming himself against the Magic. Parsons’ string of highlight reels came to an abrupt end after a lone trey made his night. They would like nothing more than to use this game as a stepping stone to build momentum from.

X-factor: Kevin Martin

Martin has made his last 22 free throws dating back to the overtime win against Portland. He needs to stay aggressive and keep younger legs in Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Gary Neal constantly on their feet.

Code Red: Leonard will be a marked man. His minutes have increased since January 8, and over that span of seven games, he has garnered an average of 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals with those large mitts of his.

Key matchup: Luis Scola vs Carl Landry

The Hornets are a complete mess right now and much of the blame falls on Carl Landry, who has failed to register a double-digit performance and looks completely lost on the offensive sets. Scola might not have to do much defensively, his former teammate Landry is already imploding by himself.

X-factors: Courtney Lee

In the absence of Gordon, Marco Belinelli will have no true backup to rely on. Kevin Martin has the luxury of one with the return of Lee, and Lee’s inside-out game will be counted upon to spark some plays while the starters get a breather.

Code Red: Jarrett Jack has been on a tear the past three games, posting averages of 23.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 59% FG shooting, 62% from downtown and 94% from the stripe. It will be Lowry’s job to take the sting out of Jack’s numbers.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Brandon Knight

Heaps and dollops of raves have been directed towards Lowry’s way, and deservingly so. He continues to burn unsuspecting defenses with plays that demand a high basketball IQ. Knight will have his hands full, but one thing he has going for him is a wide 6-6 wingspan that could frustrate Lowry. However, Knight also has a knack for turning the ball over (3.1 TO/game).

X-factor: Luis Scola

Pitted against the Swedish swingman Jonas Jerebko, it will be a classic case of offense against defense. Scola will have a harder time than usual getting his points as Jerebko is expected to use his athleticism and 6’10” frame. On the flipside, Scola and his marshmallow-soft defense has to recognize that Jerebko has a mediocre outside shot and should bang bodies once Jerebko takes it to the low post area.

Code Red: Greg Monroe has been the lone bright spot for the Pistons and the team’s only true threat on a nightly basis. Guys like Austin Daye and Rodney Stuckey have seen significant dropoffs in terms of scoring and Ben Wallace has been reduced to a screen-setter, nowhere near the defensive stalwart he once was.

The gist: The Rockets ended DeMarcus Cousins’ double-double streak with a 103-89 win behind Sam Dalembert’s 21-16 explosion and another near triple-double from Kyle Lowry. The Blazers look to bounce back after dropping a 99-83 decision to the Spurs on the road.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Raymond Felton

While Lowry has been overachieving, Felton has been disappointing with his stats dropping across the board. It will be an opportunity to see if the law of averages come into play here.

X-factor: Jordan Hill

Could the young one be a reliable post presence against Kurt Thomas, the oldest player in the league?

Code Red: Portland’s depth will tip the scales. Houston’s starters will not go off for 91 points every night like they did against the Kings. The bench firepower has to come in to keep up with Nicolas Batum and Jamal Crawford.

The gist: The Rockets ran out of gas in an overtime loss to the Spurs while the Kings rode on a 20-point performance from rookie guard Isaiah Thomas to upend the Raptors, 98-91

Key matchup: Kevin Martin vs Tyreke Evans

What was supposedly a matchup between Martin and Marcus Thornton is doubtful with the latter suffering from a thigh contusion. Instead, Martin will be taking on the former rookie of the year in Evans, who has struggled from three point line this season at 21.7% but has been on a scoring tear, averaging 24.5 points in his last four games.

X-factor: Patrick Patterson

With the Hasheem Thabeet experiment already regarded as a laughingstock 10 games into the season, Patterson will have to resemble the same effort and brillance he delivered similar to the time when Scola went down last season.

Code Red: Talk about inspired. Since Keith Smart took over the coaching gig, DeMarcus Cousins has strung together four consecutive double-double games on 18.8 points and 13.5 rebound averages.

Key matchup: Chandler Parsons vs Richard Jefferson

Jefferson has been blistering from outside, converting on 56.1% treys this season. If Parsons gets the starting nod again tonight over Chase Budinger, he will have to do two things: (1) close out Jefferson from the arc and (2) make his free throws, as he is shooting a Chris Dudley-like 20% for the season.

X-factor: Kevin Martin

While Martin has been a pedestrian 40.7% from the field, he torched the Spurs in their last outing, gunning 10/17 for 25 points.

Code Red: For all the reps the Rockets have been getting as an offensive juggernaut, the Spurs are fourth in scoring, averaging 100.9 points thanks to streaky downtown shooting and unselfish basketball. The Rockets cannot expect to trade baskets, especially knowing that they are on the road.

The gist: The Rockets are still winless on the road and are losers of their last four outings. The Bobcats have dropped their last three, the most recent coming off a loss in Madison Square Garden when they allowed the Knicks’ starting lineup to combine for 88 points.

Key matchup: Luis Scola vs Boris Diaw

Despite having one too many hors d’oeuvers, Diaw can still produce if the defenses slack of him, as it was evident in their two meetings with the Knicks. With a defensive slouch like Scola, don’t be surprised with Diaw runs amok and gets his share of numbers across the board.

X-factor: Jordan Hill

Kevin McHale has chided the Rockets for a lack of road intensity. To be able to compete with gusto, energy must come from the big man, McHale’s students of the game. There are no more excuses for allowing hosting opponents to crush the Rockets with an average of 110.2 points a game. It starts with post defense.

Code Red: D.J. Augustin is surprisingly the Bobcats’ top scorer but he is shooting well under 40% from the field. If he suddenly gets his act together in this game, the Rockets will be in trouble.

Key matchup: Goran Dragic vs Russell Westbrook

Both point guards played each other to a stalemate but something that stood out was Dragic’s empty turnover numbers in the stat sheet. On a night Houston was outshot 52% to 46% from the field, the least they could to was to protect the ball and have the opportunity to at least have more possessions come their way. If Dragic can coax Westbrook into chucking, all the better.

X-factor: Jonny Flynn

Granted, most of his 7-4-6 stat line (like Dragic, also 0 turnovers) came during garbage time, but he will be backing up Dragic and has to urgently show a semblance of being an NBA player in the 20-something minutes he will be playing.

Code Red: The Rockets, at 2-5, have gradually fallen all the way to the West’s worst heading into tonight’s game. Houston is evidently not tanking; the current composition simply cannot keep up with the elite squads in the league. Scola and Martin were held to a combined 23 points, a signal that they would be better off exposing guys like Patrick Patterson and Chandler Parsons more.

Key matchup: Kevin Martin vs James Harden

The one-dimensional gunslinger takes on the jack-of-all trades. With Courtney Lee sidelined indefinitely, Martin is expected to log more minutes while being expected not to keep firing blanks, obviously a Catch-22 situation for a shooter like himself.

X-factor: Chandler Parsons

The rookie made heads turn when he placed Blake Griffin on the receiving end of the poster in the previous game. He posted a respectable 11-point, 8-rebound outing and should see significant minutes facing Serge Ibaka and Durant.

Code Red: The alarms have been escalated. The Rockets have yet to win on the road, going 0-4 in foreign territories. Only Milwaukee and Washington are as awful.

The gist: After keeping in stride with the Lakers for 3 ½ quarters before falling short, the Rockets visit Staples Center again. This time, they take on a Clippers squad that are coming off a 93-88 home win against the Blazers and also have fresher legs thanks to a two-day layoff.

Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Chris Paul/Chauncey Billups

Lowry has been an absolute force for the Rockets on offense, piling up the box score and making fantasy league owners salivate over his numbers. If he wants to prove that he deserves to be raised to an All-Star pedestal, he must show that he can take on two of the best pure point guards in the league. Expect the heftier Billups to body up Lowry on one end while Lowry chases Paul through the passing lanes on the other.

X-factor: Chase Budinger

He epitomized the Rockets’ performance last night, waxing hot from outside through the first 36 minutes of action before sputtering with airballs in crunch time. He will have to stay alert and get to the hoop more often rather than settling for contested threes to make a game-changing effect. If he sags off Caron Butler on defensive rotations, he will pay.

Code Red: The Clippers, for all the hype, highlight reels, and charismatic come-on to the crowd, have proven to be a great passing team, with everyone one their starting lineup not named DeAndre Jordan racking up more than two assists an outing. One way the Rockets can expose the Clippers is through the boards. Despite having massive length in the frontcourt in Blake Griffin and Jordan, the team is only averaging 35.5 rebounds, 29^th in the league.

Key matchup: Luis Scola vs Pau Gasol

The “other” cogs of the failed Chris Paul trade will go out to one-up each other. While their offense is at par from previous seasons, both players have yet to fully assert themselves on the boards, Scola grabbing a shade below six rebounds a game (5.8) and Gasol less than his usual double-digit norms (8.7).

X-factor: Kyle Lowry

Coming off 18 assists and that sensational block on Jannero Pargo, Lowry, like Bryant, is trying to put a bad shooting game behind him. Fronted by Derek Fisher and Steve Blake, Lowry should outperform both playmakers but to do so, he must not give up the ball too much. He went for a combined 10 turnovers in the past two games.

Code Red: Andrew Bynum has been a beast on the glass, grabbing an average of 14.5 rebounds in his two games since his reinstatement. If Jordan Hill and Samuel Dalembert do not plant their feet and establish position, they will be in for a long night giving the Lakers more possessions and second chance points.

Key matchup: Kevin Martin vs Joe Johnson

A high-volume scorer, a reliable free throw shooter, and a primary offensive option. Check, check, check. This faceoff has the trappings of 30 points each from both ballers… by the end of the third quarter.

X-factor: Terrence Williams

With an Atlanta team that sports a shallow SF position (Josh Smith is a PF in my book), this is Williams’ opportunity to play his heart out. Of course, for all we know, I could be referring to Marvin.

Code Red: Tracy McGrady. Jerry Stackhouse. Vladimir Radmanovic. These three guys may have some gas left in the tank. The Rockets would do better than to spark their fuel with some open looks and converted baskets. Better make sure the Rockets don’t chow on too many slices of Alex Meruelo’s La Pizza Loca.