The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers should feel awkward around each other by now, which should make for an interesting head-to-head between the teams Tuesday night.
It goes back to a few years ago when the Rockets pushed the Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference playoffs, with the player formerly known as Ron Artest as their front man. In that following off-season, the two squads essentially swapped Metta World Peace and Trevor Ariza, only through free agency rather than through trade.
Then of course we remember this past off-season when Pau Gasol was traded to the Rockets, but not really. And Gasol has been rumored to be the apple of Houston's eye ever since.
The most recent awkward moment was the Rockets taking Derek Fisher off the Lakers hands, except Fisher had his contract bought out instead of playing for the team.
Both squads go into Tuesday night's game coming off losses. The Lakers fell to the Utah Jazz on Sunday, 103-99, while the Rockets just dropped a game to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, 99-86.
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 20, 8 p.m. CST
TV: FSN Houston
Radio: 610 AM
Online Streaming: NBA League Pass Broadband
Read more on the Houston Rockets at The Dream Shake blog. For more on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Silver Screen and Roll.