Rockets Get Back to Winning, Edge Warriors

It took an improbable 3-pointer from Bobby Jackson and an impressive
all-around effort from Tracy McGrady to get the Houston Rockets back
to their winning ways.

McGrady had 26 points while running the offense, Jackson hit two key
3-pointers in the fourth quarter and the Rockets got back to playing
like they did during their 22-game winning streak in a 109-106 victory
over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

"We just had energy,'' McGrady said. "We had a lot more energy than we
did the last two games. We did a better job executing and moving the
ball. This was a big win.''

The Rockets had been blown out in back-to-back games to bring an end
to the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, failing to reach
75 points in either loss. So coach Rick Adelman matched Golden State's
small lineup and ran much of the offense through McGrady in the post.
McGrady responded with eight assists to go along with his big scoring
night.

"He just puts so much pressure on the other team when he gets the
ball,'' Adelman said. "It was good to get it started that way.''

The power-packed Western Conference gave the Rockets little cushion
and a third straight loss would have dropped them into a tie for sixth
place with San Antonio in the conference. Instead, they moved within
percentage points of New Orleans for the lead in the Southwest
Division.

"This is an insane race,'' said Shane Battier, who added 17 points.
"You can't even begin to worry about it. You just have to win games.
At the end of the day, if you win enough you'll be in the right
spot.''

Carl Landry returned from a seven-game absence from a knee injury to
score 17 points for the Rockets, who started their 22-game winning
streak with a victory over Golden State on Jan. 29. Jackson scored 16
off the bench.

Baron Davis scored 27 points and Monta Ellis added 24 to lead the
Warriors. Al Harrington added 18 points and a season-high 14 rebounds,
while Mickael Pietrus had 16 points and 13 boards.

The loss cut Golden State's lead over Denver for the final playoff
spot in the West to 1 1/2 games.

"We've got to be a lot smarter, that's what it comes down to,'' Golden
State's Stephen Jackson said. "We've just got to be a lot smarter on
the court and that's a game that definitely hurts. We've still got a
lot of games left but this is a game we should've won. We flat out
should've won.''

Ellis tied the game at 87 midway through the fourth quarter when he
scored on an acrobatic scoop to the hoop, sending the fans to their
feet. But Houston answered the charge out of a timeout, getting a
jumper by McGrady and an off-balance, double-clutch 3-pointer as the
shot clock wound down from Jackson to start an 8-0 run.

"Just throw it up there and pray that it goes in,'' Jackson said. "I'm
just glad I made it. I had to double pump because Baron would have
blocked it if I didn't.''

The Warriors came right back in a fourth quarter that had a playoff
intensity to it. Pietrus hit a 3-pointer, Ellis scored on another
impressive drive and Davis converted on a fast break as Golden State
scored seven points in just over 50 seconds to make it 95-94 with
about 3 minutes remaining.

Davis' 3-pointer tied the game for the Warriors, but Bobby Jackson
responded by hitting an open 3 of his own. The teams traded baskets
before Golden State missed a pair of potential game-tying 3-pointers
from Pietrus and Jackson with about 1 minute remaining. Davis missed
another 3 that could have tied it with 8 seconds left and Houston held
on for the victory.

"We didn't play with a sense of urgency,'' Davis said. "We gave them a
lot of easy buckets and a lot of open shots. That's something we
talked about before the game.''

Notes: Dikembe Mutombo, who had started all 12 games since Yao Ming
went down with a season-ending foot injury late last month, did not
play at all against the smaller Warriors. ... Stephen Jackson teamed
with five-time Grammy winner John Legend to promote the Show Me
Campaign, which aims to fight poverty in Africa. Jackson pledged to
donate $500 for every point he scored in the game. He finished with
15, for a $7,500 contribution. Jackson plans to travel to Africa this
summer.