Measuring stick tonight?

The Rockets come in as one of the three unbeatens in the Southwest Division, which is living up to its billing as the toughest division in basketball. Houston is also a trendy pick to contend for the title owned by another Southwest foe, those Spurs of San Antonio.

“Again, it’s a tough division that we’re in,” Avery Johnson said. “The state of Texas is tough and it’s been that way for a while.”

So is tonight’s game a measuring stick?

“We have measuring sticks of our own,” Avery Johnson said. “Not necessarily playing against other teams. We have certain criteria we try to meet every game no matter who we’re playing against.

“I think more of the hype comes from the outside. That’s the way it should be because you guys [the media] have a job to do and that’s part of it.”

Johnson also quickly put it all in perspective.

“No matter what happens tonight we hope to get on the plane Wednesday and go play another game on the road Thursday,” he said.