The Washington Wizards travel to Texas to play the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday.

The Wizards (12-19) come into this matchup losing five of their last six games, as they're regressing big time after a promising stretch. Washington actually won nine of their previous 14 games before this slump, as they appeared to be out of their early-season swoon. That hole they dug themselves at the beginning of the year may be too much to dig out of though, as Washington started with a putrid 2-9 mark through 11 games. That's unacceptable from a team with this much talent, as they recently traded Kelly Oubre for Trevor Ariza. That Ariza acquisition may be the final straw because if that doesn't work, it may be rebuild time for this underwhelming team.

The Rockets (15-14) come into this matchup winning four-straight games, as they finally appear to be clicking. It's no surprise when looking at James Harden's numbers, as he's averaging 48 points and nearly a triple-double in that stretch. That's all you can ask for from your best player, as he's really improved on the defensive end too. In fact, Harden ranks second in the league with 2.2 steals per game, as he's really developed into a solid defender over recent years. It's actually the defense that's keeping this team afloat, as they continue to struggle on the offensive end. Houston currently ranks 20th in scoring and 28th in assists and it's hard to understand why. Those numbers are definitely due for some positive regression and one has to believe this mini winning streak could turn into a long one. The schedule doesn't necessarily agree with that assessment though, as Houston has to face the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers across their next 10 games. That's a murderous row of a schedule and Houston has to keep their heads above water to avoid falling too far down the standings.

These teams had an epic game in their first meeting this season, as Washington prevailed in overtime, 135-131, on November 26. James Harden collected 54 points and 13 assists in that game while John Wall led the Wizards with 36 points and 11 assists.