Rockets' streak hits 18 in a row
The Houston Rockets' winning streak is getting serious. So is their march to the top of the Western Conference.
Tracy McGrady scored 41 points Saturday night, and the host Rockets stretched their winning streak to 18 games with a 106-96 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.
The Rockets have won their last nine games by double digits and moved into a tie with the Hornets in the overall conference standings. Houston, 13-15 in mid-December, closed within 1 game of San Antonio in the Southwest Division.
With 2 ins in three meetings with the Hornets this season, the Rockets have the third-best record in the conference. Only the Los Angeles Lakers and Spurs are ahead of Houston and that was motivating McGrady more than the winning streak before the game.
"The third spot," said McGrady. "Once I heard that this morning, I was like, 'OK. Let's get it done."
The Rockets have the NBA's longest victory streak since the Lakers won 19 in a row in the 1999-2000 season. Houston became just the seventh team in history to win 18 or more consecutive games -- five of the previous six won the NBA championship.
McGrady said bluntly that the Rockets' streak still has no significance. His mind is already preparing for the postseason, where he's winless in six series.
"Our concentration and focus is really all about the playoffs," he said. "We've had pretty good runs in the regular season. Not quite like this, but, this is a team that's won 50 games in the past. It's all about the playoffs with us.
"The streak is great. We'll make a little history. But it really doesn't mean anything."
Chris Paul had 37 points and 11 assists for the Hornets.
Hawks win twice: Host Atlanta won the NBA's first replay since 1983, holding off Miami 114-111 in overtime in the completion of a protested game.
The Hawks then won the regularly scheduled contest 97-94 as Joe Johnson matched a season high with 39 points. Ricky Davis led Miami with 27 points, and Dwyane Wade added 24.
The teams opened the night by replaying the final 51.9 seconds of a Dec. 19 game, which was protested by the Heat after the Atlanta stat crew mistakenly ruled Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out in the extra period. O'Neal wasn't even around for the do-over, having been traded to Phoenix last month.
The game resumed from the point of the protest and neither team scored during their brief time on the court. They got a 15-minute break, then returned for the regularly scheduled game.
Mavericks 111, Nets 91: Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points and became the leading scorer in franchise history, helping host Dallas beat New Jersey in the first meeting between the teams since making an eight-player deal featuring Jason Kidd.
Kidd had 13 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 points as Dallas ended a three-game losing streak and improved to 5-5 since the big trade.
Richard Jefferson scored 22 points for New Jersey, which lost its fifth straight and fell to 3-7 since adding Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager and Keith Van Horn.
Nowitzki upped his career point total to 16,644, 1 more than Rolando Blackman.
Celtics 119, Grizzlies 89: Ray Allen scored 23 points, and Paul Pierce added 19 to lead Boston past host Memphis, the Celtics' eighth straight win. Hakim Warrick led the Grizzlies with 15 points.
Cavaliers 103, Pacers 95: LeBron James scored 38 points, and Anderson Varejao added 15 points and 16 rebounds as host Cleveland beat Indiana. Danny Granger had 19 for the Pacers.
Bobcats 100, Wizards 97: Jason Richardson scored 34 points, and Charlotte stretched its winning streak to a franchise-record five consecutive games by beating host Washington. Antawn Jamison had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards.
Warriors 104, Magic 95: Baron Davis scored 33 points, and Stephen Jackson had 20 as Golden State beat host Orlando. Dwight Howard led Orlando with 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Blazers 120, Knicks 114 (OT): Brandon Roy scored 8 of his 27 points in overtime, and Portland overcame Nate Robinson's career-high 45 points to beat host New York in overtime.
Jazz 132, Nuggets 105: Mehmet Okur made a career-high six 3-pointers, scoring 27 and adding 11 rebounds as host Utah beat Denver. Allen Iverson scored 28 to lead the Nuggets.