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Los Angeles Lakers kick off a quick two-game road swing through Texas on Tuesday when they arrive in Houston to face the Rockets at the Toyota Center.
The Lakers won their third straight game on Sunday when Andrew Bynum scored a team-best 24 points, including a key putback in the waning moments of the fourth, as Los Angeles went on to post a 108-105 victory over the Miami Heat at Staples Center.
Kobe Bryant had 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting with seven assists, while Derek Fisher had a game-high 11 helpers and 13 points for LA, which has won nine of 10 overall.
Pau Gasol logged a game-high 18 rebounds and scored 14 for the Lakers, and Vladimir Radmanovic drained four three-pointers en route to 18 points.
The Lakers, now 20-2 at Staples Center, bounced back with a second consecutive home win after having their 15-game win streak as the host snapped by New Orleans last Tuesday.
LA, which is 10-4 as the visitor on the year, will face the Spurs in San Antonio on Wednesday.
The Rockets, meanwhile, also won their third straight contest when they kicked off a five-game homestand with a 96-76 rout of the New York Knicks. Luis Scola scored 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as Houston overcame the absence of Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest to handle the Knicks for the eighth straight time.
McGrady, who is averaging 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 28 games this season, will miss at least two more weeks with a lingering left knee injury, while Artest, who missed Sunday's contest due to a sprained right ankle, underwent an MRI exam on his right ankle Sunday. The tests revealed no stress fractures but Artest will remain sidelined for at least another week.
Rafer Alston had 17 points, Aaron Brooks 16, Von Wafer 15 and Yao Ming 14 in the victory over New York
Defensive specialist Shane Battier returned from a left foot injury and had nine points and nine rebounds as the Rockets improved to an impressive 12-4 at the Toyota Center.
Houston will also face Miami, Denver and Utah on its residency.
The Lakers have won two of the last three meetings in the series, including a 111-82 rout in LA earlier this season.
