My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the LA Lakers at 10:30 EST. Only one week left to go in the NBA's regular season and we have two teams meeting for a third time this year. Houston beat LA 119-115 at home in January, and then the Lakers responded with a 104-98 home in March. Houston just had its three-game win streak snapped here last time out in a 134-117 loss to the Clippers. With a final home game vs. the Nuggets, it's Houston that could get caught "looking ahead" here. But the bottom line is, that the Rockets have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and in their last loss they rested starters Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. (all are listed as questionable for this one as well.) LA is coming off the 112-97 win over the Mavericks, a victory that clinched them a berth, but they're still trying to lock down the No. 3 overall spot in the West. LA actually held Houston to just 41.6 percent shooting from the field in their most recent matchup, and that was with the Rockets at full strength. Look for LA to dial up the pressure from start to finish and lay the points with confidence.