The Houston Rockets will take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Thursday evening.

This past weekend, superstars LeBron James and James Harden teamed up to defeat Team Giannis in the NBA All-Star Game. Now, the two MVPs will be squaring off against each other to kick off the second half of the season. Harden is hoping to continue what has, thus far, been a season for the books. The reigning MVP is leading the league with 36.6 points per game, the highest average by a player since Michael Jordan in the 1986-87 season. Harden's success has been vital for Houston (33-24), as injuries have left stars Chris Paul and Clint Capela sidelined for much of the year. Still, through roster turnover and inconsistencies, the Rockets find themselves at fifth in the Western Conference coming out of the All-Star break. The Rockets rank second in the league in offensive rating, trailing only the first-place Golden State Warriors. Houston will hope to continue its offensive dominance and secure a playoff berth for its seventh straight season.

LeBron James, meanwhile, may be looking at his first finish outside the playoffs in quite some time. James is in his 16th season and has missed the postseason only once, in his rookie year. The Lakers (28-29) currently occupy 10th place in the West, three games back from the Clippers for the eighth seed. LA had lost four of its last five heading into the All-Star break, including a brutal 42-point blowout at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. Quite simply, the Lakers' offense has been stagnant this season. The team ranks in the bottom 10 in offensive rating league-wide, and fourth to last in three-point percentage. LA will hope to turn things around in the second half and secure one of the coveted final playoff spots in the West.