SoCal NBA Preview

LA Lakers (3-3) at Houston (6-2) , 6:00 pm
HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will try to bounce back when they visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Bryant had 18 points and nine rebounds, but the Lakers came up short Tuesday against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, 107-92. It was Bryant's second-lowest point total of the season. Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson has be waiting for center Andrew Bynum to finally step up and the third-year big man is starting to slowly answer. The 20-year-old Bynum has registered four double-doubles this campaign as he looks to have his minutes increased in Jackson's three-man rotation at center. The last time the Lakers and Rockets met, Shane Battier drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing in the waning seconds as Houston survived a late charge for a 95-93 triumph in the season opener at Staples Center. Houston's 1-2 punch of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming combined for 55 points, barely outshining Bryant's 45-point performance. But this time around Lamar Odom will be in uniform to help take the scoring load off Bryant. The Rockets had their three-game winning streak snapped with Tuesday's 105-99 setback at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies.

New York (2-4) at LA Clippers (4-2), 7:30 pm
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Stephon Marbury's absence could not come at a worse time for the New York Knicks. With their veteran point guard's status in limbo, the shorthanded Knicks will take on the Los Angeles Clippers in the second contest of a tough four-game West Coast road trip Wednesday at Staples Center. Marbury skipped New York's morning practice on Monday after reportedly being informed that he would not start in the team's eventual, 113-102, loss against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. He flew home to New York prior to the contest but has yet to be suspended - claiming that he had permission to leave the team. Coach Isiah Thomas would not comment, opting to keep the issue "in-house." But with or without the 30-year-old Marbury, it will be a tough test against the Clippers, who won their first four games to start the season before dropping their last two. Los Angeles suffered a 103-95 setback against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. Sam Cassell scored 28 points to pace the Clippers.