Preseason record: 2-1.

Monday: Milwaukee at Toyota Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM and 850 AM.

Ariza reflects

The Rockets' Trevor Ariza was back in the Amway Arena visitors' locker room for the first time since it was soaked in champagne as Ariza and the Lakers celebrated the title. But this game was nothing special.

"I feel the same as usual," he said. "It's another game. We were playing for higher stakes the last time I was here, but I'll treat it the same."

Scola kicks back

Rockets forward Luis Scola was given the night off, part of the Rockets' plan to monitor his workload after a busy summer with Argentina's national team.

In his third NBA season, Scola had never missed a regular-season or preseason game, and he could not remember the last game he missed.

"It's a good way to relax, save some energy and work harder tomorrow," Scola said. "I usually play every summer like this summer. It's pretty much the same."

Slow starters

For the second consecutive game, the Rockets fell behind early and then came back to take a third-quarter lead against the same group of starters that had been beating them early.

They trailed the Celtics by 13 in the first quarter and the Magic by 17, before rallying at the start of the second half.

"We just got off to a poor start," coach Rick Adelman said. "We weren't ready to play at the start of the game. They jumped on us early. After that, we competed pretty good. I don't know why it happened tonight. We had the day off yesterday. They just came out with a lot more energy at the start of the game."

JONATHAN FEIGEN