Battling bigs: Dwight Howard vs. Brook Lopez -- who wins?

The Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets bring two contrasting styles of play to the floor Tuesday night, when they face off at Barclays Center.

The Rockets (10-11), under the direction of analytics-savvy GM Daryl Morey, use an offense built around shooting 3-pointers and paint shots -- considered the most efficient shots in basketball. The Nets (5-15), on the other hand, who are in rebuilding mode, rely a lot on midrange jumpers and floaters -- considered the least efficient shots in basketball.

With that, ESPN.com's Mike Mazzeo and Calvin Watkins discussed a variety of topics surrounding their teams heading into the matchup:

Mike Mazzeo: Calvin, the once-struggling Rockets have been playing a lot better lately, having won five of six -- including three in a row. What gives?

Calvin Watkins: To quote Jason Terry, the Rockets have played with "more effort," something that was missing under previous coach Kevin McHale, which is unfortunate because it appeared as though the Rockets players liked him. Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff is holding players accountable -- from benching Ty Lawson and Terrence Jones to changing the offensive scheme. He's trying to take pressure off James Harden as the main ball handler and keep it with Patrick Beverley.

"[The Nets] play well in stretches, but have had a difficult time doing so consistently. Through the first quarter of the season, they rank 29th in offense, 24th in defense and dead-last in 3-point accuracy. Closing games without a go-to guy has proved to be a constant struggle." Mike Mazzeo

The Rockets also have upped their defensive intensity. While they've held only one opponent to under 100 points during the three-game winning streak, yet, this team is attacking the glass more and challenging shots along the perimeter, something we didn't see earlier in the season. Mazz, can the Nets do the same?

Mazzeo: Well, to begin with, they're just not a very good team, which means their margin of error is extremely thin. They play well in stretches, but have had a difficult time doing so consistently. Through the first quarter of the season, they rank 29th in offense, 24th in defense and dead-last in 3-point accuracy. Closing games without a go-to guy has proved to be a constant struggle.

Also, their wings have been a major disappointment. Joe Johnson, who gives his all every night despite being on the decline, is shooting a career-low 35 percent from the field. Bojan Bogdanovic has scored 47 points in his past 11 games, while Wayne Ellington is connecting on just 27 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. And to top it all off, promising rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was making his presence felt on the defensive end (98.9 on-court defensive rating, 107.1 off-court defensive rating), is out indefinitely with a fractured ankle. Add in a 1-11 road record, and, well ... But back to Tuesday night's game, who would you rather have -- Brook Lopez or Dwight Howard -- and why?

Watkins: That's a tough one. A 30-year-old Dwight Howard with his back problems entering a free-agent year doesn't sound as desirable as Brook Lopez. But Howard, when he's healthy, is a strong defender, and despite his struggles with his post moves, is good on alley-oops and putbacks. I like Lopez, but I'm still taking Howard here. Yes, the health concerns me, but I will always take experience when compared to health because it's not like Brook Lopez is Anthony Davis. You?

Mazzeo: It's incredible, really, comparing these two guys. Consider this: The Nets were once offering Lopez and four (!) first-round picks in early trade iterations for Howard. And at times, it felt like the "Dwightmare" would never end. It's a tough call, but it's hard to argue with you here. It is worth noting, however, just how impressive Lopez has been this season. His field goal percentage is down a bit, and he's struggled late in the fourth quarter of some games.

"A 30-year-old Dwight Howard with his back problems entering a free agent year doesn't sound as desirable as Brook Lopez. But Howard, when he's healthy is a strong defender and despite his struggles with his post moves, is good on alley oops and put backs." Calvin Watkins

Still, he's averaging more than 20 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks a night, while also improving as a rim protector. Both players are probably best-suited to play a No. 2 role. The difference is that Howard has Harden and Lopez doesn't. Advantage: D-12. Party on, man. So who is the standout on your team whom no one is paying attention to?

Watkins: Marcus Thornton. When he was starting, the Rockets were 4-2. He's a streaky shooter, but when he's on, the Rockets can take pressure off Harden with Thornton's ability to hit jumpers from the outside. Defenses can't leave him alone, and when Harden is being a playmaker, things go well for the Rockets.

Mazzeo: Ah, the former Net who once scored 17 points against Toronto in Game 7 of the playoffs. Yeah, Brooklyn fans remember Thornton. As for the Nets, Shane Larkin earns the nod here, giving management plenty of bang for its buck. On Sunday night against the undefeated defending champs from Golden State, "Tiny Hands" posted 13 points, 6 assists and 4 steals while doing a terrific job guarding superstar Stephen Curry.

Watkins: Next week, NBA teams can begin to trade certain players who were signed as free agents. Will the Nets become movers and shakers, or will they just stay put? I'll say this, the Rockets plan on being movers. Colleague Marc Stein reports the team is interested in Phoenix forward Markieff Morris.

The Rockets have a goal of upgrading the roster if things don't improve, and yeah, this team is just one game under .500, but Morey wants action. The expectations were high for the Rockets this season. This team reached the Western Conference finals last season, which seems like five years ago now, and a 0-3 start has put them behind. If things keep improving with this current roster, Morey will still look to upgrade. I have no doubt about that.

Mazzeo: Hard to say here. Would a quick fix be worth it if the goal is to maintain cap flexibility for the upcoming summer? Probably not. Still, you never know with the trio of GM Billy King, owner Mikhail Prokhorov and his right-hand man, Dmitry Razumov. King is in the final year of his contract. Will he try to convince Prokhorov and Razumov to do something? With Hollis-Jefferson hurt and the team hoping to build around Lopez and Young, at least for now, dangling desirable trade bait will be tough.

The Nets had been gauging interest in Bogdanovic, according to sources, but he's been struggling with his shot and, it appears, his confidence. Plus, he's set to move into the starting unit with RHJ out. Johnson is owed nearly $25 million, so it would be hard for any team to take on his contract. A buyout could be next, though it wouldn't stand to benefit the Nets, who are already under the luxury tax and have no incentive to tank since their unprotected 2016 first-round pick belongs to Boston.

Brooklyn, of course, could be kind to Johnson and eventually let him go to a contender since he's been such a good soldier as a Net. Perhaps all eyes should instead be on coach Lionel Hollins. A report out of Russia suggested he was on the hot seat, but team officials denied it. Regardless, all of this bears monitoring.