Hornets center Dwight Howard will come up big in Houston, but is that enough?

Five fearless predictions for Wednesday’s Charlotte Hornets game against the Houston Rockets:

1. Dwight Howard will come up big.

Hornets center Dwight Howard seems to be extra engaged when playing against his former teams. Rockets center Clint Capela is a protege of sorts for Howard, and having a terrific season.

2. CP3 will be key.

The Rockets were really good before Chris Paul. They have a chance to be great with him. This game will be a big challenge for Kemba Walker.

3. Lean on the vets

Acting Hornets coach Stephen Silas didn’t play rookies Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon much in the win over the OKC Thunder. Look for Treveon Graham to keep getting steady minutes off the bench.

4. More 3s is the formula

The Hornets won’t often make half their 3s, as they did against the Thunder, but they must keep shooting them to create floor balance and open up the lane.

5. The Prediction

The Hornets have lost their past 12 games in Houston. This feels like No. 13. Rockets 108, Hornets 101.

This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Hornets center Dwight Howard will come up big in Houston, but is that enough?."