|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
Saturday, Dec. 4 8:30pm ET
Suns' 7-game win streak snapped | |||||
|
| ||||||
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns got sloppy and it cost them their seven-game winning streak. The Houston Rockets are happy to finally win two in a row. "We have to build on it, stay positive and not get complacent," Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich said after his Rockets beat the Suns 105-95 Saturday night. The victory, only the second in eight home games for Houston this season, also marked the first time that the Rockets, who beat the Clippers Thursday, have put together back-to-back victories. "We just didn't take care of the basketball," Suns' guard Jason Kidd said after Houston converted 20 Phoenix turnovers for 32 points. "The games we've lost we've been tossing the ball around like a hot potato." Shandon Anderson scored 26 points for the Rockets and Charles Barkley added 21, including 15 in the second half. "Everyone played well for us," Barkley said. The Suns got 21 points each from Penny Hardaway and Cliff Robinson but lost for the first time since Nov. 15. "We were flat the whole game," Phoenix coach Danny Ainge said. "I didn't recognize that team out there. Thirty-two points we gave them off turnovers was ridiculous." "Turnovers have been hurting us consistently," Robinson said. "Sometimes we try and make too spectacular of a pass and we pass up good shots." Barkley and Cuttino Mobley each scored five points during a 12-4 Houston run early in the fourth quarter after Rex Chapman's basket to open the period had cut Houston's advantage to 79-71. Phoenix would get no closer. The Rockets were without starting guard Steve Francis, who sprained an ankle in Wednesday's 128-122 double-overtime loss at Phoenix, and center Hakeem Olajuwon, out for at least a month after undergoing surgery earlier in the week to repair a hernia. Second-year guard Bryce Drew, making only his second career start, replaced Francis and had 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. "Tonight, the way our offense was working, we were able to give Shandon some open looks and he knocked them down," Drew said. "There is nothing like the value of experience that he is getting out there," Tomjanovich said of Drew. The Suns made only four field goals in the second quarter -- three by Chapman and one by Hardaway -- and shot just 22 percent. The Rockets, meanwhile, were 10-of-19, including four 3-pointers, to go ahead by as many as 16 points, 51-35. Phoenix used an 8-2 run over the final 2:29 of the half, connecting 8-for-8 from the free throw line, to trail 53-43 at the break. Game notesThe winning streak was the longest since a 10-game streak in the 1997-98 season. ... During the streak, the Suns were outscoring opponents by an average of 16 points. ... Phoenix had won 10 of the last 13 meetings against the Rockets. ... Phoenix is seventh in the league in rebounding so far this year. Last season, the Suns ranked 21st. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Phoenix Clubhouse Houston Clubhouse RECAPS New York 92 New Jersey 82
Houston 105
  | |||||