PREVIEW: The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors meet Wednesday in NBA action at the Chase Center. This matchup marks the teams' first meeting since their first-round playoff series, where the seventh-seeded Warriors defeated the second-seeded Rockets 4-3 behind a historic Game 7 performance. Kevin Durant, who was acquired by Houston during the offseason, is expected to be sidelined due to a personal family matter. Both squads are just 1-2 in NBA Cup group play, meaning this final group-stage contest carries significant weight for their tournament viability. The Rockets have won 11 of their last 13 games while averaging 125.5 points on 49.8 percent shooting. In their most recent outing, Amen Thompson led the way with a season-high 28 points as Houston dominated the Phoenix Suns 114-92, with Aaron Holiday chipping in 22 points off the bench. Golden State, meanwhile, remains strong at home with a 6-1 record inside the Bay Area. The Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak against Utah behind 31 points from Steph Curry, who continues to knock down 4.8 threes per game on 40.4 percent shooting from deep.