Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Rockets beat Warriors 97-94
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-15 14:47

Tracy McGrady had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and the Houston Rockets wrapped up their unbeaten West Coast swing with a 97-94 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.


Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady goes up for a basket against the Golden State Warriors Monday, March 14, 2005, in Oakland, Calif. [AP]
Juwan Howard added 18 points and seven rebounds before leaving with a sprained right knee late in Houston's fifth straight victory, the team's second-longest winning streak of the season behind an eight-game run from Jan. 31-Feb. 15. 

The Rockets held off a remarkable rally by Golden State in the waning moments.

Mickael Pietrus hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Warriors to 79-74 with 7:37 left. Zarko Cabarkapa then made consecutive 3s that got it to 87-83 with 4:49 left. Pietrus tied it with a four-point play at 2:56, but McGrady hit a jumper on the other end.

Yao Ming made two free throws with 49 seconds left and David Wesley hit two with 10 seconds remaining. Baron Davis made a layup moments later, then Wesley converted two more free throws. Pietrus missed a long 3 at the buzzer.

The Warriors got a huge boost off the bench from Cabarkapa, who added career highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes.

Yao had 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Wesley added 16 points.

Houston's previous four wins came against four of the best five teams in the Western Conference: Dallas, Seattle, Phoenix and Sacramento. But it was the last-place Warriors — they were supposed to be weary after an eight-game road trip — who gave them one of the toughest games.

Howard went down hard after teammate Mike James fell backward into his knee while guarding Cabarkapa. Howard was on the floor for several minutes before being helped off the court by two teammates.

He grimaced in pain as he left. He was scheduled to be evaluated by team doctors Tuesday morning.

Houston swept a West Coast trip of three or more games for the first time since winning five straight from March 4-11, 1997 — against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas and San Antonio.

Troy Murphy had 24 points and nine rebounds for the cold-shooting Warriors, who at times showed signs of fatigue after returning from the grueling eight-game, 13-day trip that covered 6,951 miles.

Davis, acquired in a trade with New Orleans on Feb. 24, was in the Warriors' starting lineup for the first time, playing in place of the injured Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy and forward Calbert Cheaney both were sidelined with sprained right ankles.

But Davis, Jason Richardson and Derek Fisher started the game 3-for-27 — Davis 1-for-8, Richardson 2-for-10 and Fisher 0-for-9. Richardson finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Golden State trailed 42-29 late in the second quarter before getting consecutive 3s to pull within 42-35 at halftime. But Houston started the second half with a 7-0 run.



Figure Skating Championship: Day One
Streaking Rockets topple Kings 111-96
Lleyton Hewitt advances in Pacific Life
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

National People's Congress enacts historic law for peace

 

   
 

Anti-Secession Law adopted by NPC (full text)

 

   
 

Olympic torch expected to run through Taiwan

 

   
 

German gets compensated for fake paintings

 

   
 

N.Korea says to develop more nuke weapons

 

   
 

Philippine police end prison siege, kill 22

 

   
  Rockets beat Warriors 97-94
   
  Man United face Newcastle in FA semis
   
  Conti replaces Del Neri as Roma coach
   
  David Beckham setting up soccer academy
   
  Davenport, Sharapova win third-rounders at Pac Life
   
  Depleted Wizards top Lakers 95-81
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement