# Regular Season Game 31: Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

​*(15-15)/(18-13)*

When/Where:
*Monday, December 31, 7:00 p.m. ET*
*Toyota Center* 














































*Alston / Wells / Battier / Hayes / Yao*














































*Davis / Ellis / Jackson / Harrington / Biedrins*


*Preview

Before leaving Toyota Center on Saturday night, Rafer Alston tried to remember the last time that the Rockets had won back-to-back games.

He couldn't reach that far back into his memory.

"We haven't done that in awhile," Alston said.

He's hoping the Rockets' latest run of success will be a bit more memorable.

Behind an offense that has been clicking of late, the Rockets have strung together their first winning streak in three weeks and have pulled back to .500. They'll try to maintain their recent surge on New Year's Eve when Baron Davis and the Golden State Warriors roll into town.

Despite playing without injured star Tracy McGrady over the past two games, the Rockets are beginning to see signs of progress within Rick Adelman's high-motion offense and the wins are starting to pile up after a frustrating start to the season. Houston (15-15) has won three of its past four games.

Now, the Rockets are hoping to keep it going.

"We have to try to build a rhythm here because we're in the Western Conference and a lot of teams are starting to get away from everybody else," Rockets forward Chuck Hayes said. "We got to be one of those teams."

The Rockets haven't had much trouble gaining some momentum over the past week.

Since coming up short in a double-overtime thriller to Denver, the Rockets have made steady progress on the offensive end. The most significant development has been finding someone beyond Yao Ming and McGrady to provide a scoring boost.

During wins over Memphis and Toronto, the Rockets had at least five players in double figures in each game. Houston had better ball movement in those performances, making it harder for defenses to simply key on Yao in the middle.

That is, of course, what the Rockets have been seeking all season.

"We have been preaching balance," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "When we have balance, we are a much more difficult team to beat. When we have lopsidedness, we are not so good and so it's good to see different guys touching the ball. It's also nice to know that we have a force like Yao (Ming) to go to in the end."

Houston's sudden ability to get points in transition hasn't hurt either.

Since Adelman turned to once seldom-used Aaron Brooks, the rookie has teamed up wtih third-year guard Luther Head to provide the Rockets with more fast-break points and easy scoring opportunities.

Head believes that's a big reason why things are beginning to click.

"We need to keep doing that," Head said. "We're the most effective when we're getting the ball up the court and not relying on our half-court game. When the ball keeps moving, that's when we're tough to defend."

Could such progress finally yield a significant winning streak?

Since opening the season with a couple of three-game winning streaks, the Rockets have strung together three consecutive victories only one other time. Before Saturday's performance against Toronto, Houston hadn't even won back-to-back games in three weeks. The rough start had left the Rockets sitting two games behind Golden State for the eighth best record in the Western Conference.

With 30 games finished and some teams beginning to separate themselves from the field, the Rockets are well aware that they need to get on a roll soon.

Alston and Co. can't go weeks trying to remember their last winning streak.

"We have to get it going," Alston said. "We're behind the eight-ball in our season and where we thought we would be. We got to put together a nice winning streak."


Warriors Update: The Warriors have recovered from their early season start. They can thank Stephen Jackson for that. Since his return from a seven-game suspension, Golden State has racked up 16 wins in its past 23 outings. Jackson is having one of the best seasons of his career, averaging a career-best 21.5 points. The Warriors have even improved on the road with his help. They're 9-7 away from Oracle Arena, which is impressive considering that the Warriors were 12-29 on the road last season.*


_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

Let's end 2007 with a win.


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## WhoRocks (Feb 24, 2005)

This tips off midnight for me so if i'm here watching it I'll be very unhappy, haha.

Not to mention the fact that I watched almost up to half time of last night's game and it was terrible.

Anyway, Go Rockets!


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

*vBookie*

What? What? Winning streak? Make it three.


Errrr, can't make the vbookie today, freaking system glitch.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Rockets squeeze out a win. 3 Game Win Streak

Happy New Year.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

If we didn't suck so much, I would laugh at how much attention Yao receives from defenses.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Our interior D is pathetic without Yao. We really need a backup center.


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## WONTONnPHO (Jan 6, 2004)

Hmmm looks like Novak's D needs help :sour:


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

What a stupid foul by Yao. Seriously, what the **** was he thinking?


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Biedrins looks like a Nazi officer.


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## WONTONnPHO (Jan 6, 2004)

Bonzi is steppin up!


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Happy new Year guys its noon 1st Jan in Sydney


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Brooks
Head
Wells
Battier
Yao

Put that team on rain threes or get it into Yao


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

That was embarrassing 22 washout in the 4th Q..................

Also we got outrebounded by the GSW.........By 13 total rebounds................They had 15 Offensive rebounds...........To our 9...............Despite the fact our shooting was a lower %..................PS Yao only had 8 shots...............Doesnt Yao get more shots when TMAC is in the game(I know he was in foul trouble, still).....................


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

I can't believe the fourth quarter. Why does this keep happening to this team? We need to play the whole game, not part of it. This is frustration.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

I missed the game. Baah we lost.


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