Yao, McGrady Lead Rockets over Heat for 10th Straight Win
racy McGrady scored 23 points, Yao Ming added 21 and the Houston Rockets won their 10th straight game, a 112-100 victory over Miami on Thursday night that sent the Heat to their 10th straight loss.
Houston has won 14 of its last 15 games and the winning streak is its longest since the championship season of 1993-94 when the team opened with 15 straight.
Miami, the NBA's worst team playing in its first game since the All-Star break, has just nine wins and has lost 25 of its last 26 games.
The Heat got 33 points from Dwyane Wade, and Shawn Marion added 18 points and 10 rebounds in his fourth game with Miami since being traded from Phoenix in the Shaquille O'Neal deal.
The Rockets led comfortably most of the way and were ahead by 11 before Carl Landry wowed the crowd by putting his arms out as if he were flying on his way down from a dunk that made it 98-85 midway through the fourth quarter. Landry had 19 points.
The Heat wouldn't threaten again after that play.
McGrady, who had 10 assists, got back on track after struggling with poor shooting in his last five games to post his first 20-point game since Feb. 4.
The Heat went on a 10-4 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Marion, to open the third quarter and cut it to 66-58. The Rockets reeled off five straight points to push their lead to 13 at 71-58 with about 7 minutes left in the quarter.
Miami cut the lead to eight points two more times in the third, but each time the Rockets answered with a small run to get the advantage back into double digits.
Notes:@ The Rockets had held their last seven opponents to less than 90 points. ... It was the 19th time McGrady has had double-digit assists with the Rockets.
02/21/2008 10:59 PM
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON
Yao Ming defends against Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion during the first half of a basketball game Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, in Houston.
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
racy McGrady scored 23 points, Yao Ming added 21 and the Houston Rockets won their 10th straight game, a 112-100 victory over Miami on Thursday night that sent the Heat to their 10th straight loss.
