Shawn Marion scored 14 of his 31 points in the third period and Joe Johnson had with 27 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, helping the Phoenix Suns break a three-game losing streak with a 99-79 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming, center, is tied up by Phoenix Suns Jake Voskuhl, left, and Shawn Marion, during the first quarter, Monday, Feb 2, 2004, in Phoenix. [AP]

The loss was the fourth straight for the Rockets, who were without leading scorer and All-Star guard Steve Francis. Francis, who is averaging 16.6 points per game, was suspended for one game without pay for missing the team's flight to Phoenix on Sunday night.

It was the sixth consecutive game that Johnson has scored at least 20 points, second only to the 16-game streak of Orlando's Tracy McGrady.

Rookie Leandro Barbosa added 13 points for Phoenix.

Yao Ming and Cuttino Mobley topped the Rockets with 16 points each. Jimmy Jackson had 15 and Clarence Weatherspoon scored 12.

The Suns put the game out of reach with a 17-5 run midway through the fourth quarter, increasing their advantage to 92-69 with three minutes remaining.

The Suns opened up a 22-point lead, 35-13, less than three minutes into the second quarter but the Rockets got back within 41-35 at halftime.

Yao, Mobley, Jackson and Weatherspoon combined to score the team's final 23 points of the second quarter, while the Suns made just three field goals in the last nine minutes of the half.

The Suns, led by Marion, took command in the third period, and led 73-58 at the end of the quarter. During the period, the Suns hit six 3-pointers — three by Marion, two by Barbosa and one by Johnson.

Notes:@ This was the beginning of a five-game, nine-day home stand for the Suns, who also play Portland, Seattle, Golden State and Toronto before going back on the road Feb. 11. They had been away from America West Arena for 22 of their previous 32 games. ... Houston's 11 points in the first quarter were the fewest allowed by the Suns in the opening period this season and matched their total for any period. The Rockets' 36 first-half points also were a season low for a Phoenix opponent and the Suns' 13 in the period were their low for the second quarter. ... Entering the game, the Rockets were allowing an average of only 84.0 points, just above the modern-day league record of 83.4 by the 1998-99 Atlanta Hawks (news). Only four times this season have the Rockets yielded more than 100 points, including twice in overtime. ... Suns forward Tom Gugliotta missed the game because of the flu.

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