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Preview: http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400578335

Although it's proved quite effective, the Houston Rockets' offense is not quite running at the pace coach Kevin McHale wants. His team's defense, however, has been much improved.

Houston looks to match its best start in 18 seasons and end its recent struggles in Philadelphia in Monday night's matchup with the winless 76ers.

Led by James Harden, the Rockets (3-0) are once again one of the NBA's highest scoring teams at 105.3 points per game, but McHale would like to see even more improvements.

"We have a lot of stuff to work on. The pace of our game is not where we want it, but we're getting stops and we're getting out and running," McHale said after Saturday's 104-90 win over Boston.

Houston is outscoring opponents by an average of 14.3 points, which can be attributed to a defense that's allowing 91.0 per game -- 12.1 less than last season. The Rockets, who also started 3-0 last season, haven't started 4-0 start since winning six straight to open the 1996-97 season.

Houston also had its last 3-0 start on the road in 1996-97, and would appear to have a good chance of matching those marks against the inexperienced 76ers (0-3), who could end up challenging their own NBA record for fewest wins.

Philadelphia, which went 9-73 in 1972-73, has dropped its first three games by a combined 42 points.

The 76ers shot 52.2 percent in Saturday's home opener against Miami after failing to top 39.0 in their first two contests, but were outscored 27-13 in the fourth quarter of a 114-96 loss.

Tony Wroten had a team-best 21 points and 10 assists for a team that's averaging 89.3 points and has just three players who are scoring at least 10.0 per game. One of last season's top scorers and reigning rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams is still recovering from right shoulder surgery.

"Forty-eight minutes is a very long game for the group we have," coach Brett Brown said. "From an experience and resume perspective, navigating through 48 minutes of an NBA game is really difficult."

Philadelphia won 19 games last season, its fewest since 1995-96, but beat Houston 123-117 in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 13. Wroten had his only career triple-double in the 76ers' third consecutive home victory in the series and fifth in the last six visits from the Rockets.

"Last year they beat us there, so we have to come up there and give a really good effort," McHale said.

Wroten, however, is the only 76ers player still on the roster among the six who scored in double figures in that game.

The Rockets, meanwhile, were without Harden, who sat out due to a bruised left foot. He's averaged 29.3 points on 54.2 percent shooting in his last three games against the 76ers, and scored a team-best 26 in a 120-98 rout in Houston on March 27.

Philadelphia last started 0-4 in 2010-11, which also is the last season it lost its first two home games.

Houston point guard Patrick Beverley's status is unknown due to a strained left hamstring.

MaxRider wrote:starting center and backup half-center are questionable for tonight game
morey needs to talk jermaine o'neal out of retirement

Mr. E wrote:

MaxRider wrote:starting center and backup half-center are questionable for tonight game
morey needs to talk jermaine o'neal out of retirement

If they need me to drive down to Pearland to talk to Marcus Camby I'm available.

Nebula1 wrote:I'm curious about getting more time for DMO at the 5.

000001 wrote: i smell a 50 pt game from harden

rocketsballin wrote:its also an EARLY GAME! double fail. how do phily fans do it? that is one helluva team to put up with for years upon years. i guess going to the games is a good place to catch up on sleep.

Kobblehead wrote:Disappointed that Howard won't play. With Henry Sims battling illness, Noel is slated to start and play the majority of his minutes at the 5 tonight. Howard would have been a nice barometer for how he deals with strength at this level.