Houston drop Toronto
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The Houston Rockets needed a boost after losing four of their last five games.
The struggling and beat-up Toronto Raptors provided just that.
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Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola goes up for shot over Toronto Raptors forward Amir Johnson. [Richard Carson/reuters] |
Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks scored 28 points each in three quarters and the Rockets rolled to a 116-92 win over Toronto on Monday night.
The Rockets led by 32 after three and both teams played mostly reserves the rest of the way.
Houston scored the first five points of the game and never trailed in this one as the Raptors dropped their fourth in a row in their sixth straight game without All-Star Chris Bosh.
"We caught a team that was short-handed and we shot well and moved it well," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We did what we wanted to do. It's a game that we needed to get, so now we have to try to build on that."
Bosh did not make the trip as he deals with a sprained left ankle and Jose Calderon missed the game with an elbow injury. Hedo Turkoglu scored four points in 15 minutes in the first half, but did not return after halftime because of a sore ankle.
"Let's be a little bit realistic, three of our top four players are not playing," Raptors coach Jay Triano said. "I don't care who you're playing against, if three of your top four guys aren't out there and playing, you're going to have a hard time winning games."
Marcus Banks led the Raptors with 15 points and Andrea Bargnani added 14.
Triano saw his team get discouraged early after Houston's hot start.
"Without Chris and Jose, two big scorers, we've got to manufacture points somewhere and I think everybody tried to take it upon themselves and we played selfish basketball," he said.
Houston opened the second half with a 12-5 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Brooks, to extend its lead to 80-52. Banks hit a reverse layup before Martin scored five straight points to make it 85-54.
The Rockets look like they are adjusting to their new lineup with Martin. He and three other players were acquired Feb. 18 in the deal that sent Tracy McGrady to the Knicks.
"I think we are all just getting used to playing with each other," Brooks said. "I think Kevin has been playing pretty good lately, not only with his shot, but finding people when they're open."
