[Erie Times News] TMAC "We don't want to get tired of winning,"...

article link

Rockets stay hot, beat Cavs
Cleveland can't stop Houston win streak


BY DUANE RANKIN
duane.rankin@timesnews.com [more details]

CLEVELAND -- Neither the All-Star break nor the Cleveland Cavaliers could cool off the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Extending their winning streak to nine games, the Rockets imposed their stifling defense in a 93-85 win before a sellout crowd of 20,562 at Quicken Loans Arena.

"We don't want to get tired of winning," Houston star Tracy McGrady said. "That's our motto moving forward."

With the league's longest current winning streak, Houston (33-20) took ownership of the game with a 9-0 fourth-quarter run en route to sweeping the season series against the Cavaliers (29-24).

While the Rockets have won 18 of their last 21 games, Cleveland has lost three of its last four. Still without injured players Anderson Varejao (ankle) and Sasha Pavlovic (foot), the Cavaliers will try to rebound today at Indiana.


"Legs might have had something to do with it having four days off (from the All-Star break), but we have to continue to get better," Cavs All-Star LeBron James said.

Houston, which came into the game ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring defense and third in field-goal percentage defense, allowed fewer than 90 points for the eighth straight game.

"What we're developing on this team is a team like the (Detroit) Pistons, really," McGrady said. "Great defensive team."

James was their main defensive focus Tuesday.

Shane Battier drew the assignment of guarding the man who won MVP honors in Sunday's All-Star game in New Orleans. His defensive strategy was simple.


"The game plan was you hope he had a good time in New Orleans," Battier said, laughing. "That was the game plan. The only thing you can do against a guy that good is make him work."

In the first half, James didn't make a shot on seven field-goal attempts. Battier primarily guarded James, but the Rockets gave help on him whenever James drove.

"The guy is too good to guard 1-on-1," Battier said. "If anyone says they can guard him 1-on-1, they're lying."

James did post his fifth triple-double of the season with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, but shot only 7-of-18 from the field.

"I missed some easy shots I usually make," James said.


Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming and McGrady didn't shoot too well, either, combining for 9-of-38 from the field.

McGrady had 17 points while Ming chipped in 16 on 3-of-17 shooting. The difference Tuesday was that Houston's supporting cast played better.

"It don't matter how many superstars you have," James said. "It's about the guys that surround you that know their role. And they have those guys."

On the Rockets' game-clinching 9-0 run, neither McGrady nor Ming scored. Veteran guard Rafer Alston and rookies Carl Landry and Luis Scola accounted for the points as Houston took a 79-66 lead with 8 minutes, 58 seconds remaining.

Scoring a team-high 22 points, Alston started the run by hitting one of his six 3-pointers.


DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail.