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Dec 17, 2015 - 2:44 AM Dwight Howard insists a recent report that he's unhappy with the Rockets is a lie, but the truth is there's not much going right in Houston these days.

The Rockets' upcoming schedule is going to make it harder for the league's most disappointing team to find its footing.

That makes Thursday night's date with the Los Angeles Lakers so significant, not only to avoid a winless three-game trip but to head toward a daunting slate around the holidays with even a glimmer of confidence.

Houston (12-14) won seven of nine following Thanksgiving, and although six of those came against sub-.500 teams, there seemed to be promise of a turnaround.

But the Rockets followed Saturday's 126-97 rout of the Lakers with a pair of uninspiring defensive efforts in losses to Denver and Sacramento on Monday and Tuesday. In the hours between those games, a report surfaced that Howard wasn't happy with his role and wanted out during his third season in Houston following one in Los Angeles.

"I haven't said nothing to nobody about anything," Howard said. "I've been positive and trying to help turn this thing around every way possible. People are always going to make up lies and rumors to get off. But I haven't said nothing about anything to anybody. That has never been my focus. I'm trying to get these guys to play better and get myself to play better. So why would I say that to anybody?"

Getting Howard involved offensively seems to be in everyone's best interest. The Rockets are 7-1 when he scores at least 14 points, and they're 5-10 when he has seven field-goal attempts or fewer or doesn't play.

He spent much of Tuesday's 107-97 loss to the Kings in foul trouble and finished with four points as Houston allowed a second straight opponent to shoot 50 percent.

"Whatever it was, we need to play harder and figure it out," James Harden said. "That's the type of messages that are sent. Our defense will get there, but we have to make it get there. We're showing spurts on defense but we are not consistent."

Perhaps Houston's best effort on that end came Saturday, when it limited the Lakers to 39.8 percent, forced 20 turnovers and held a 62-28 scoring edge in the paint. Howard scored 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting against his former team.

After a rematch with Los Angeles (4-21), the Rockets are going to find the schedule less forgiving. Houston's slate so far has been the league's lightest - its opponents have a .466 winning percentage entering Wednesday - but seven of the next eight clubs it faces are above .500, including two against San Antonio and one against Golden State.

The Lakers had two days off after playing eight games in 12 days to begin December, and a little rest seemed to do wonders. Los Angeles put seven players in double figures in a 113-95 rout of Milwaukee on Tuesday, led by 22 from Kobe Bryant.

"I think this is the blueprint tonight of how we've got to play every game," said Jordan Clarkson, who returned after missing the previous two with an ankle sprain.

The Lakers assisted on a season-high 26 of their 41 field goals, a big step for a team that assists on just 52 percent of its baskets - fourth worst in the NBA. A second straight efficient performance from Bryant - who was 7 of 15 after going 9 for 16 against the Rockets - didn't hurt.

"I'm consistently feeling good now," Bryant said. "I feel like I have my legs underneath me."

Houston has won four straight against the Lakers at Staples Center behind 32.8 points per game from Harden and won the two Howard has played by a combined 44 points.