The Los Angeles Lakers (5-5) will look to pass the .500 mark when they take on the surging Brooklyn Nets (6-2) tonight. 

The Lakers' Dwight Howard will attempt to lead his new team to a season-best third straight win.  However, he'll have to do so by putting a stop to a red-hot Brooklyn club, who are currently in the midst of their longest winning streak in seven years.

Mark D'Antoni was expected to first take the sidelines on Sunday versus the Houston Rockets, but his wife and team trainer Gary Vitti persuaded him to wait it out a bit longer to continue recovering from knee replacement surgery.

"Knee replacement is some serious stuff.  We just want him to take his time," said Kobe Bryant, according to ESPN.

Nonetheless, the newly hired coach has closely watched the team's last two games from the Lakers' locker room while receiving therapy on his surgically-repaired knee.  D'Antoni has also spoken with his team both before the games and at halftime.

Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who has managed Los Angeles to a 4-1 record since temporarily taking over for the fired Mike Brown, will remain on the squad as an assistant on the new staff.

The Lakers have shown a considerable amount of progression under D'Antoni's fast-paced style.  The team is averaging 116.5 points in back-to-back wins despite the absence of point guard Steve Nash, who is currently out with a small leg fracture.

"The coaching staff is communicating extremely well in terms of things that they want to see us execute.  We're doing a good job reading the defense and moving the ball around. We're shooting pretty well. ... (D'Antoni) just lets us go out there and play," stated Bryant.

CLICK HERE to watch the Los Angeles Lakers face off against the Brooklyn Nets via free live stream.  Coverage of the NBA game will begin at 7:30 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Nov. 20. 

Tags: NBA Brooklyn Nets