3 Things the Houston Rockets must do to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers

The struggling Houston Rockets will need to make some major adjustments to come away with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Just days ago, the Houston Rockets were in the mix for the second seed in the wild Western Conference. After losing two straight this week and three of four overall, they now find themselves narrowly clinging to the fifth spot, just ahead of the Dallas Mavericks. The team’s lack of effort and intensity even led to a team meeting after their 117-107 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, won nine straight games before their one-point loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. At 33-8, they’re comfortably in first place in the West and living up to the expectations placed upon them after acquiring the services of

Anthony Davis

. While Davis is still questionable after missing four straight games due to a tailbone injury, L.A. will still be a formidable opponent whether he plays or not.

Even though Houston will be playing host, having homecourt advantage is never a given against a quality opponent like the Lakers, especially considering how the Rockets have been playing in the last couple of games. To have a good shot at taking down the Lake Show, Mike D’Antoni and the Rockets will need to alter their approach a bit.

Next: No. 3