LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers hope to have Shaquille O'Neal back in the lineup on Tuesday when they host the struggling Houston Rockets at STAPLES Center.

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O'Neal is listed as questionable of Tuesday's game due to a sore left knee. It has been an injury-plagued season for the All-Star center, who missed the first 12 games of the season after offseason toe surgery.

Los Angeles is 23-15 with O'Neal in the lineup this season but just 3-10 when it needs a replacement in the middle.

O'Neal is averaging 25.9 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Lakers, who are currently one game behind the Rockets for eighth place in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles played without O'Neal on Sunday and fell to 0-2 on a three-game homestand with a 117-110 loss to the New York Knicks.

Kobe Bryant continued his offensive assault on the league with 40 points. He has reached the 40-point plateau in five straight games and has scored at least 35 points in the last nine contests, averaging 42.0 points during that span.

Derek Fisher scored 21 points and Brian Shaw added 16 for the Lakers, who have lost four of their last six games at home.

Los Angeles is trying to avoid its first three-game losing streak since Dec. 17-20.

Houston has dropped four of its last five games and stumbled to a 94-82 loss against the Miami Heat on Friday.

Steve Francis scored 27 points and rookie Yao Ming and Cuttino Mobley added 10 points apiece for the Rockets.

Houston plays seven of its next 10 games on the road, where it is just 8-15 this season.

The Rockets have won the first two meetings of the season against the Lakers, including a 93-89 victory here on Nov. 17.