Rockets Extend Franchise-Record Winning Streak to 19

Houston 91, New Jersey 73

HOUSTON, March 10 (AP) -- Tracy McGrady pulled the towel over his shoulders, leaned back in his seat on the bench and smiled. The Houston Rockets' 19th consecutive victory was a laugher.

McGrady scored 19 points in less than three quarters and the Rockets routed cold-shooting New Jersey 91-73 on Monday night to match the third-longest winning streak in NBA history.

Most importantly, the Rockets closed within one game of the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs for the top seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers play in Houston on Sunday, but the hype for that showdown can wait.

Houston can match the second-longest victory streak in NBA history with a win in Atlanta on Wednesday night. The Milwaukee Bucks won 20 in a row during the 1970-71 season.

The Rockets held the Nets to 30 percent shooting (24-of-79) to match the league's longest winning streak since the 1999-2000 Lakers won 19 in a row on their way to the first of three straight championships with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

Rafer Alston and Luis Scola had 12 points apiece for the Rockets, who've won 23 of their last 24 games and 28 of their last 31. Houston also improved to 7-0 since Yao Ming's season-ending foot injury.

McGrady's only 3-pointer came in the final minute of the third quarter put Houston up 70-45. He sat out the entire fourth quarter, joking and cheering with Dikembe Mutombo.

Vince Carter scored 13 and Richard Jefferson had 12 for the Nets, who've lost six in a row and nine of their last 12. The Nets shot 9-for-43 (21 percent) in the first half.

New Jersey missed 11 of its first 13 shots and the Rockets built an early seven-point lead. Smothered by Jefferson early, McGrady missed his first three shots.

Sharpshooting Steve Novak came off the bench and hit a 3-pointer and McGrady sank two free throws to give Houston a 22-15 lead after one quarter. Novak finished with 11.

McGrady continued to struggle early in the second quarter. He couldn't handle an alley-oop pass from Bobby Jackson, then bounced a dribble off his foot after a steal, ruining a chance for a breakaway dunk.

After McGrady went to the bench three minutes into the second quarter, Novak swished another 3-pointer and Jackson hit a tough fadeaway to start a 19-5 run that Houston made without its seven-time All-Star.

McGrady returned after a long rest and got his first basket on a drive with 1:46 left in the half. Shane Battier swished a 3-pointer from the corner to give Houston a 46-28 lead at the break.

McGrady hit a jumper and Battier swished another 3-pointer in the first minute of the third quarter as the lead swelled over 20. Mutombo blocked a putback try by Carter and gave an emphatic wag of his finger to the crowd.

Jefferson drove for a dunk over Mutombo and wagged his finger back at Mutombo, but referee Joe Crawford gave Jefferson a technical foul. Jefferson pleaded about the apparent double standard to Crawford to no avail.

The Nets shot better in the third quarter and made a mild rally, cutting the deficit to 14. McGrady hit a running jumper and his only 3-pointer in the final two minutes of the third quarter before calling it a night.

Notes: The Rockets failed to reach 100 points for just the second time in 10 games. ... New Jersey's 28 first-half points and 47 points after three quarters were season lows. The Nets' 28 first-half points were also a season low for a Rockets opponent. ... Rockets rookie F Carl Landry sat out for the second straight game with a bruised right knee.

McGrady, Alston Boost Rockets to 17th Straight Win

NBAE/Getty Images

Tracy McGrady and the Rockets kept rolling along
Thursday with their 17th straight win.

Houston 113, Dallas 98

DALLAS, March 6 (AP) -- A step or two over halfcourt, Rafer Alston saw Tracy McGrady headed to the hoop and let the ball fly. Hanging on the rim after his early fourth-quarter dunk pretty much sealed a victory, McGrady looked toward the Dallas Mavericks bench and smiled.

It was that kind of night for the Houston Rockets. Again.

McGrady had 31 points and nine assists and Alston added a season-high 24 points, helping the Rockets boost their franchise-best winning streak to 17 games with a 113-98 victory over the Dirk Nowitzki-less Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

"We all believe, man,'' McGrady said. "When you've got a roster full of guys that really believe in themselves, great chemistry among the team, and we go out and play extremely hard every night, I'm not surprised.''

Houston's streak -- which includes five straight wins since Yao Ming's season-ending foot injury -- is tied for seventh-best in NBA history.

The Rockets will try moving into a tie for fourth on the all-time list Saturday night at home against New Orleans, the next team they're trying to catch for a top-tier seed in the Western Conference. Houston already has gone from 24-20 to 41-20; the Hornets are 41-19.

"There is just a real confidence about the way they're playing,'' Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "There's a trust in each other and it's just a pleasure to see. As a coach, it's just fun to watch a group of guys come together like they have and maintain this over such a period of time.''

McGrady and Alston helped Houston break the game open in the third quarter.

After consecutive long jumpers by Dallas' Jason Kidd tied it at 55 early in the period, the Rockets answered with a 13-3 run. They pushed their lead to 19 on the Alston-to-McGrady alley-oop. A timeout followed and fans started streaming out with 8:42 left.

"They just outworked us -- to a man, every position,'' Mavericks guard Jason Terry said. "That's something we can't allow to happen. ... They're playing well together right now, but at the same time there's not a team we can't beat.''

Josh Howard scored 21 points and Terry had 17 for Dallas, which lost its third straight and fourth in five games. The Mavs also had won 12 straight at home -- but this time they were without Nowitzki, who was serving a one-game suspension for a hard foul on Utah's Andrei Kirilenko.

Dallas' offense was out of whack without Nowitzki, and his team-best 23.6 points and 8.7 rebounds. His absence was especially obvious during the third-quarter meltdown, when the Mavericks kept looking for someone to get the ball to but instead kept turning it over. Dallas had seven turnovers in the period, leading to 12 points for Houston.

The Rockets -- who'd been 0-3 against the Mavs this season -- won by sharing the ball and by protecting it. As of midway through the fourth quarter, when victory was secure, Houston had 22 assists and four turnovers.

"The third quarter we were terrific, just controlled the tempo at both ends of the court,'' Adelman said. "We just have to continue on with the same attitude and same intensity every game.''

Carl Landry scored 17 points, including 12 in the second quarter, and Luis Scola added 12 points and nine rebounds for Houston.

Jerry Stackhouse was the only other double-digit scorer for Dallas with 11. Kidd had seven points, six assists and six rebounds. Brandon Bass, who started in Nowitzki's place, had seven points.

Houston made its first five shots, then its first six in the second quarter. Dallas went through a 2-of-12 drought and other poor stretches, yet managed to go into halftime trailing only 52-50. The Mavericks were almost giddy on their way to the locker room because of the score and because Devean George closed the half by making a high-arching 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left.

Dallas fell to 4-5 since Kidd arrived. The only consolation is that all the losses were to teams ahead of the Mavs in the Western Conference. Up next for them: Five straight games against teams with losing records. The first four are at home, then they go to Miami to face the club with the league's worst record.

"I thought this would be a good night for us to rally,'' Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. "But we just didn't have that type of energy. They had it and we didn't. We have to get back to practicing, get better tomorrow.''

Notes: The teams Houston tied with 17 straight wins: Dallas and Phoenix last season, San Antonio in 1995-96, Boston in 1959-60 and Washington in 1946-47. ... Dallas' last home loss was Dec. 27 against Cleveland. ... Adelman said his team was about to sign C Justin Williams to help fill the void created by Yao's absence. "I know one game he had, because he had it against us, he had something like 12 rebounds in a half,'' Adelman said.

Jazz Blow 21-Point Lead Before Edging Mavs

Utah 116, Dallas 110

SALT LAKE CITY, March 3 (AP) -- Utah lost a starter, blew a huge lead and rallied to keep the best home record in the NBA.

The Jazz went on a momentum-changing fourth-quarter run in a 116-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, coming back after blowing a 21-point lead. Utah made all 18 free throws in the fourth quarter and stayed near the top of the congested standings in the Western Conference.

"Everybody right know is fighting for their lives and fighting for a playoff spot. It was a fun game to be a part of," said Deron Williams, who tied his season high with 20 assists and scored 17 points for the Jazz. "I wish we would have held on to that lead. We let that slip away. We knew they were going to make a run, but we should have put them away a little earlier."

Mehmet Okur had 20 points and 12 rebounds and Carlos Boozer scored 28 points for the Jazz, who won their 16th straight at Energy Solutions Arena.

Utah played most of the game without forward Andrei Kirilenko, who was knocked out of the game with 7:04 left in the first quarter after taking a flagrant foul from Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki. Kirilenko went crashing to the floor and bruised his right hip bad enough that he was taken to the hospital for X-rays, which showed no break.

The play angered Jazz fans, who shouted that Nowitzki should be ejected and booed him loudly every time he touched the ball. They also relished it when Boozer stripped the ball from Nowitzki two times in a row down the stretch.

"It was a playoff atmosphere," Boozer said. "You had people diving for loose balls, scrapping for rebounds. That's what the playoffs are about. That's what the last 20 games are going to be like as we try to position ourselves for the playoffs."

Josh Howard scored 25 points and Nowitzki finished with 23 for Dallas, which fell to 4-4 since acquiring Jason Kidd.

Kidd finished with nine assists and 19 points -- 10 of which he scored in the fourth quarter. Jason Terry scored 21 for the Mavericks.

Dallas held Utah scoreless for almost five minutes early in the fourth quarter and opened the period on an 11-2 run to take its first lead of the game. Then the Mavericks went on their own scoring drought.

"We found a way to get back in the game and take the lead, but again, we're just not able to close games like we should," Dallas coach Avery Johnson said.

After Kidd's 23-footer with 6:29 put Dallas up 92-89, Dallas didn't score again until Nowitzki's three-point play with 2:42 left. Utah scored 16 straight points, mostly from the foul line, and pulled far enough ahead that late 3-pointers by Nowitzki and Kidd weren't enough to lead the Mavericks back.

"It was anybody's ballgame there. We had a couple turnovers down the stretch, then missed some shots," Kidd said. "They scored. We didn't."

The Mavericks were coming off a 108-104 loss to the Lakers on Sunday in Los Angeles and started slowly. Dallas also finished slowly and lost for the third time in four games.

Utah had gone 4:59 without a point when Boozer broke the drought with a layup, which started the 16-0 run. Boozer followed that with two free throws, Okur made two from the line and Williams pulled back on a break opportunity and passed to Kyle Korver for a 3-pointer that put Utah up 98-92 with 4:43 left. That had the fans back on their feet and the Jazz continued to pull away from there.

Korver finished with 17 points, three more than all of Dallas' reserves combined.

Kirilenko was injured he went up for a layup and Nowitzki came down hard with his right arm, catching Kirilenko on the shoulder and neck.

Nowitzki said he didn't want to give Kirilenko a three-point play opportunity.

"I kind of tried to grab him, and unfortunately grabbed him around the neck," Nowitzki said. "Things went so fast, I didn't mean to grab the neck, but I just tried to hold him so he doesn't score. I happened to grab his neck and it was a bad fall."

Kirilenko was down for several minutes. He finally got up and walked gingerly to the free-throw line, where he made both foul shots before being helped to the locker room.

Notes: Williams' 14 assists in the first half were one short of John Stockton's team record for a half. ... Dallas was tied for Utah with the best home record entering the game. ... Devean George scored 12 for Dallas, the only Mavericks reserve to score more than two.

Standings

2007 REGULAR SEASON
Eastern Conference
Atlantic	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
Boston	46	12	0.793	0.0	28-9	11-1	26-4	20-8	7-3	W 5
Toronto	32	26	0.552	14.0	21-15	8-5	18-12	14-14	6-4	L 2
Philadelphia	28	33	0.459	19.5	16-19	4-8	16-14	12-19	7-3	W 2
New Jersey	26	33	0.441	20.5	19-18	2-8	15-17	11-16	6-4	L 1
New York	18	42	0.300	29.0	15-21	5-8	12-18	6-24	4-6	L 3
Central	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
Detroit	43	16	0.729	0.0	28-8	8-4	22-5	21-11	7-3	W 1
Cleveland	34	26	0.567	9.5	18-14	5-3	19-10	15-16	6-4	W 2
Indiana	24	36	0.400	19.5	14-22	2-10	12-18	12-18	4-6	W 2
Chicago	23	36	0.390	20.0	16-17	6-3	12-15	11-21	3-7	L 2
Milwaukee	22	38	0.367	21.5	15-19	5-6	16-12	6-26	3-7	L 3
Southeast	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
Orlando	38	23	0.623	0.0	25-11	7-2	17-11	21-12	6-4	W 1
Washington	29	30	0.492	8.0	18-17	7-2	17-12	12-18	5-5	W 2
Atlanta	24	33	0.421	12.0	13-19	5-3	17-11	7-22	3-7	L 1
Charlotte	20	39	0.339	17.0	13-26	4-9	16-17	4-22	2-8	W 1
Miami	11	46	0.193	25.0	4-28	1-8	6-22	5-24	2-8	L 1
Western Conference
Northwest	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
Utah	39	22	0.639	0.0	23-15	5-5	26-3	13-19	7-3	W 2
Denver	35	24	0.593	3.0	19-15	9-3	23-7	12-17	5-5	L 1
Portland	31	29	0.517	7.5	19-16	9-4	22-8	9-21	3-7	L 1
Seattle	16	43	0.271	22.0	8-29	4-7	10-21	6-22	3-7	W 1
Minnesota	12	46	0.207	25.5	7-29	1-9	10-21	2-25	2-8	L 3
Pacific	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
L.A. Lakers	42	18	0.700	0.0	24-9	6-2	21-7	21-11	9-1	W 1
Phoenix	39	20	0.661	2.5	17-16	7-6	21-9	18-11	5-5	L 2
Golden State	36	22	0.621	5.0	20-13	6-2	21-10	15-12	7-3	W 3
Sacramento	27	32	0.458	14.5	11-20	0-7	18-10	9-22	4-6	W 1
L.A. Clippers	19	39	0.328	22.0	10-22	4-6	11-21	8-18	3-7	L 6
Southwest	W	L	PCT	GB	CONF	DIV	HOME	ROAD	L 10	STREAK
San Antonio	41	17	0.707	0.0	22-13	8-5	24-5	17-12	9-1	W 9
New Orleans	40	19	0.678	1.5	28-13	8-4	20-10	20-9	6-4	W 1
Houston	39	20	0.661	2.5	21-13	6-6	21-9	18-11	10-0	W 15
Dallas	39	22	0.639	3.5	26-11	9-4	25-3	14-19	5-5	L 2
Memphis	14	45	0.237	27.5	8-29	2-14	10-21	4-24	1-9	L 8

Player News

Mickael Pietrus: Almost Perfect

Update: Pietrus knocked down all seven of his shots from the field (including three 3-pointers) and also went 6-for-7 from the line Friday night on his way to 23 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Analysis: A television announcer during the game Friday night suggested that Pietrus' good play may be in part due to relief at the trade deadline passing, putting an end to the pressure that he might be traded soon. Whether this is true or not, he must string together a few good games in row before he regains fantasy value.

Amir Johnson: Still in Rotation

Update: Johnson was a DNP-CD Thursday, causing quite the tizzy with the Detroit faithful, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Coach Flip Saunders heard the complaints over the benching of the popular Johnson, but assures that Johnson's place in the rotation is safe. Game matchups and Jason Maxiell's strong early play conpired to keep Johnson out of the game.

Rodney Carney: Solid Game Off Bench

Update: Carney (foot) scored 18 points (8-for-11 FG) with eight boards and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Carney rarely gets minutes these days, so consider this game an exception.

Rodney Stuckey: First Start of Career

Update: With Chauncey Billups in Detroit due to a personal matter, Stuckey will get his first-career start Saturday night against the Clippers, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Stuckey has some family and friends in the Los Angeles area, so it's nice for him that this worked out. No word yet on how long Billups will be gone.

Chauncey Billups: Will Miss Saturday's Game

Update: Billups is expected to miss Saturday's game against the Clippers due to a personal matter, the Detroit Free Press reports. Analysis: Rodney Stuckey will get the first start of his career. No word from Pistons officials yet on how much time Billups is expected to miss.

Marcus Camby: Dominates the Interior Again

Update: Camby pulled down 17 boards and blocked six shots to go with 12 points and a steal on Friday night. Analysis: Camby posts video game rebound and block numbers so often that games like this have become the norm.

Carmelo Anthony: Big Double-Double

Update: Anthony had a big all-around game Friday night, scoring 30 points (13-for-25 FG, 4-for-5 FT) with 14 boards, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Analysis: The points are a given for Anthony, but it is the contribution to other categories that makes this game stand out for him.

Al Thornton: Career Night for Rookie

Update: Thornton exploded for 33 points (13-for-22 FG, 5-for-6 FT) with 12 boards, four assists and two treys in 35 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Thornton is averaging more than 19 points and seven boards per over his last five games, and continues to make a late season surge in the rookie of the year race.

Javaris Crittenton: Big Game Off the Bench

Update: Crittenton came off the bench Friday night to record 22 points, three assists, three boards and a steal in 34 minutes of action. Analysis: Crittenton got most of his minutes Friday at the shooting guard position playing next to either Kyle Lowry or Mike Conley. This was the first time he has played more than 18 minutes in his last five games, though, so take this game as an exception unless he follows it up with more minutes next game.

Kyle Lowry: Outplays Conley Off the Bench

Update: Lowry scored 18 points (6-for-11 FG) with six assists, four boards and three steals in 32 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: Meanwhile Conley scored only nine points with one assist in 17 minutes. This was the third time in the last four games that Lowry has played at least 28 minutes and scored in double figures.

Jerry Stackhouse: Catch 23

Update: Stackhouse knocked down all 11 of his free throws on his way to 23 points and four assists in 33 minutes off the bench Friday night. Analysis: This was the second time in the last three games that Stackhouse has scored 23 points, as he has been scoring better than starter Jason Terry this week.

Jason Kidd: Flirted with Triple-Double

Update: Kidd had his best game since re-joining the Mavs Friday night, scoring 21 points (9-for-18 FG) with 11 boards, nine assists, a steal, a block and a trey. Analysis: Kidd had it all working on Friday night, and with this performance his averages have increased to 11.8 assists, 10.6 points, 7.2 boards and 3.0 steals over the last five games.

Darius Songaila: Moves Into Starting Line-up

Update: Songaila moved into the starting line-up Friday night for the Wizards, and responded with 14 points (6-for-7 FG), four assists, three boards, three steals and two blocked shots in 31 minutes. Analysis: Songaila is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues if he can hold his spot in the line-up. That is not a given, though, since his competition Andray Blatche also played well Friday night.

Antonio Daniels: Plays Well Through Ankle Injury

Update: Daniels (ankle) scored 16 points with six boards, five assists and a steal in 37 minutes against the Bulls Friday night. Analysis: Daniels has slowed down his pace since first moving into the starting line-up earlier in the season, and the ankle injury may have been a part of that. Perhaps his game on Friday was an indication that he is starting to get a little healthier.

Andray Blatche: Double-double Off the Bench

Update: Blatche scored 17 points (7-for-13 FG, 3-for-3 FT) with 10 boards, two blocks, two assists and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench Friday. Analysis: Despite coming off the bench, Blatche bounced back strong from two consecutive disappointing performances.

James Jones: Scores Eight in Return

Update: Jones, who missed 12 games with a sore left knee, returned to action Friday night against the Lakers. Analysis: Jones played 18 minutes off the bench and scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. He'll likely gradually return to see the 25 minutes a night he saw before the injury, and he's a good option in deeper leagues for those in need of 3-pointers.

Deron Williams: Good Game Despite Loss

Update: Williams scored 22 points (8-of-14 FG) and handed out 10 assists in Friday night's game against the Hornets. Analysis: Despite the solid night, Williams was still outplayed by Chris Paul, who had 24 points and 16 assists. Nonetheless, Williams finished February with outstanding numbers -- in 13 games he averaged 19.7 points and 10.5 assists.

Joel Przybilla: Snags 12 Boards in Big Win

Update: Przybilla pulled down 12 rebounds in a win over the Lakers Friday night. Analysis: Przybilla has been a force on the boards lately as he's averaged 10.3 rebounds a game over his last 10.

Jarrett Jack: Strong Game Off Bench

Update: Despite coming off the bench again in Friday's game versus the Lakers, Jack was a major factor in the win. He contributed 21 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Analysis: Make that two consecutive games with 21 points for Jack, who has made the most of his on-and-off reserve role. In the past two games, he's shot a staggering 69.6 percent (16-of-23) and has only turned the ball over three times.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Big Part in Win

Update: Aldridge had a team-high 22 points with eight rebounds in Friday night's win over the Lakers. Analysis: Aldrige shot 10-of-18 from the floor and added two assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action.

Brandon Roy: Active And Productive

Update: Roy, who missed two games with a sprained ankle, returned to the starting lineup Friday. He finished with 20 points (6-of-15 shooting), 12 assists and five rebounds in a win over the Lakers. Analysis: The assist total was a career-high for Roy. Make sure you get him back in your lineup in time for Sunday's game against the Warriors.

Ronnie Brewer: Solid Game

Update: Brewer scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 32 minutes Friday against the Hornets. Analysis: Brewer added four rebounds in the loss. He's seen 30-plus minutes in two consecutive games, a trend that needs to continue if Brewer is to become a viable fantasy option.

Dikembe Mutombo: Big Game for Mutombo

Update: Mutombo had four points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in 18 minutes Friday. Analysis: He's not likely to play consistent minutes even with Yao Ming out, so we'd probably hold off on picking him up except in very deep leagues.