Rockets beat Lakers for 22 straight

HOUSTON: The Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 104-92 on Sunday to claim their 22nd consecutive victory and take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.

The winning streak is second only to the Lakers' 33-game run in the 1971-72 season. Sunday's win pushed the Rockets to 46-20 while Los Angeles dropped to 45-21.

"These guys, they keep bringing it game after game, and that's what we have to do," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "It's a great win."

Rafer Alston scored a career-high 31 points, picking up the slack for an out-of-sorts Tracy McGrady, who finished with 11 points.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson praised the Rockets' defense and team play.

"They share the ball, their defense is solid. I'm sure their 3-point shooting hasn't been like that in the past, but Tracy had probably as poor a game as he's probably played and they were still able to win," he said.

Kobe Bryant hit just 11 of 33 shots to end with 24 points for Los Angeles, which had come into the game tied with the Rockets for the best record in the West.

The Rockets lost All Star center Yao Ming for the season with a foot injury 10 games ago, while the Lakers played without center Pau Gasol, who injured his ankle in a game against New Orleans.

The Rockets, who last tasted defeat on January 27 against Utah, host the NBA-best Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

"We had a challenge today - we had to beat the Lakers to get that (top) spot, and we did it," said Adelman.

"Now we have the best team in the East coming in here and that will be our next challenge."

Pistons rolling

In Auburn Hills, Michigan, the Detroit Pistons rolled to a 105-84 victory over the New Orleans Hornets behind the surprise play of Jarvis Hayes on Sunday.

The Pistons reserve scored a game-high 29 points, connecting on seven 3-pointers, to help rally Detroit, which trailed 11-0 after the game's first three minutes.

He had 19 points in the second quarter when Detroit took a 55-44 lead.

"I was just taking open shots," Hayes told reporters.

"So much attention is paid to Tayshaun (Prince), 'Sheed (Rasheed Wallace), Rip (Richard Hamilton) and Chauncey (Billups), when I am with them, I am bound to be open on that weak side.

"All I have to do is knock down shots."

Billups finished with 17 points and Prince 13 as Hayes played portions of the game with Prince, whom he normally backs up.

"I think that creates some match-up problems," Pistons coach Flip Saunders told reporters.

Record 168 points

In Denver, Colorado, Marcus Camby had 13 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season as Denver cruised to a 168-116 win over Seattle on Sunday.

After a 44-point opening quarter in Friday's blowout win over Toronto, Denver scored a season-high 48 points in the first period on Sunday en route to setting a franchise record for points in a regulation game.

Even worse for the Sonics is that after a 120-103 loss to the Nuggets to open the season, the margin of defeat against Denver has gotten considerably worse.

Denver routed Seattle by 42 points on February 27, only to be bested by Sunday's franchise-record 52-point difference.

In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 33 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 16 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, winning 98-91 against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Ben Wallace scored his only two baskets of the game, Delonte West added a jumper and James hit a bank shot in the lane in the final 2 minutes as the Cavaliers held on after nearly squandering an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Jason Richardson scored nine straight points, including two 3-pointers and a three-point play to spark Charlotte's comeback. He finished with 33 points.

Agencies

(China Daily 03/18/2008 page24)