Brooklyn Nets (23-32) at Houston Rockets (39-18), 8 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Houston Rockets look to stay unbeaten on their current homestand and will entertain the Brooklyn Nets Friday night at the Toyota Center.
The Rockets are 3-0 on the five-game stay and recorded a 110-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night thanks to NBA leading scorer James Harden, who had 21 points and 10 assists. Harden is scoring 27.2 ppg and rolled his ankle.
Harden is expected to play Friday.
"It's pretty sore right now," Harden said. "But I'll get some rest tonight, ice it and get some rest tomorrow and hopefully I'll be ready to go Friday (against Brooklyn)."
Corey Brewer scored 20 points off the bench, Donatas Motiejunas had 18 and nine rebounds, and Trevor Ariza posted 17 points for the Rockets, who rallied from an 85-84 hole to start the fourth quarter.
Houston, which won for the 10th time in the last 14 tries, is third in the West and 16-2 when scoring 110-plus points. It will close the homestand Sunday versus Cleveland and is 21-8 as the host.
The Rockets are 16-5 against the East.
Rockets guard Patrick Beverley (illness) is questionable versus the Nets.
Brooklyn is 2-4 on its eight-game odyssey and suffered a 102-96 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night. Joe Johnson's 21 points and 10 rebounds weren't enough to lift the Nets, who shot 42.4 percent and received 19 points off the bench from newcomer Thaddeus Young.
"We played well, just not well enough," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said.
Brook Lopez and Jarrett Jack scored 15 points apiece in reserve roles, as Brooklyn recorded a 49-29 advantage in bench points.
The Nets are 13-17 away from Barclays Center and will end the trip Saturday against Dallas. They are 9-12 in games against the Western Conference and sit even with Charlotte for the eighth spot in the East.
Houston defeated Brooklyn, 113-99, in the Big Apple on Jan. 12 and was led by Harden's 30 points. The Rockets are 15-1 in the last 16 games against the Nets and unbeaten in the previous seven matchups in Space City. The Nets haven't prevailed in Houston since the 2005-06 season.