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Rolling Rockets rip Kings 111-96
Tracy McGrady scored 22 points and David Wesley added 21 to help the Houston Rockets win their fourth straight game against a top Western Conference team, 111-96 over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Reserve Mike James added 20 points and Yao Ming scored 17 as Houston ended an 11-game losing streak in Sacramento. The Rockets hadn't won in Arco Arena since a 107-93 victory on March 28, 1999.
Houston's last four wins have come against four of the best five teams in the Western Conference — Dallas, Seattle, Phoenix and Sacramento. The Rockets, who trail the Kings by one game for fifth in the conference, will try to complete a perfect four-game road trip with a win Monday night against last-place Golden State.
Peja Stojakovic had 21 points and Cuttino Mobley added 20 as the Kings had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Sacramento missed the inside presence of Brad Miller, who was placed on the injured list before the game after breaking his left leg Saturday in a light shooting drill. Miller is expected to be sidelined for at least a month.
Houston got great shooting from its guards, as Wesley, James and Jon Barry combined to make 20 of 26 from the field. The Rockets shot 53 percent overall.
The Kings, who trailed by 18 in the second quarter, cut the deficit to five points with a 12-2 run in the third quarter featuring a pair of 3-pointers by Mobley. But Houston scored the next seven points, capped by a swooping finger roll from McGrady to go back up by 12.
Sacramento got it back down to six on a dunk by Brian Skinner with 3:45 to go and had a chance to get it even closer but Skinner knocked a rebound out of bounds.
Houston took advantage, getting two free throws from Yao and a jumper by McGrady to make it 105-95. After Bibby made one of two at the line, James hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to make it 108-96 with 1:59 to go.
The Rockets took the lead for good with a 13-2 run starting late in the first quarter. The spurt was capped by consecutive baskets by Juwan Howard to open the second quarter, giving Houston a 34-24 lead.
James scored five straight points to end a 10-1 run late in the second quarter that extended the Rockets' lead to 59-42. Houston, which shot 57 percent in the first half, led 66-52 at the break, its third straight half with at least 60.
Ron Garretson called two technicals — one on Yao and the other on Kings coach Rick Adelman. ... The Kings activated forward Erik Daniels to take Miller's place. ... Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens was in attendance and threw an autographed football into the stands during a first-half break.
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