HOUSTON (AP) Barely alive in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets focused on the one outcome they could control Saturday night.

Courtney Lee scored 20 points, Goran Dragic added 18 points and seven assists and the Rockets snapped a six-game losing streak with a 99-96 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

”We needed this win, so we could get that bad feeling off our backs,” said Luis Scola, who had 13 points. ”We really, really needed it.”

Chase Budinger added 11 points for the Rockets, who came into the game in the 10th spot in the West, one game behind Utah and Phoenix.

Minutes after their game ended, the Rockets tuned in to the start of the Orlando-Utah game as they dressed and prepared for the trip to Miami, where they will play the Heat on Sunday.

”We’ve been thinking about games and possibilities for all these six games. It didn’t work,” Scola said. ”We’ve got to go to Miami and win one basketball game and hopefully, just hopefully, at the end of the day, we’ll still have chances.”

Only two weeks ago, Houston had its fate in its hands after a four-game road winning streak. The Rockets came home and lost to Utah and Phoenix, then dropped a home-and-home set against Denver, another team in the bottom half of the standings.

The Rockets lost road games at Dallas and New Orleans this week, and struggled with the lowly Warriors, who have lost eight in a row.

”We needed to find a way to win one,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. ”It was just one of those games, we weren’t sharp and we made some 3s to get some separation out of them. But it was another one of those games where we really weren’t at the top of our game.”

Klay Thompson scored 24 points and Brandon Rush added 19 for the Warriors, who have lost 20 of their last 24. The team announced earlier in the day that Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry would undergo surgery on their injured ankles.

Golden State coach Mark Jackson used only eight players and liked their effort.

”I was really proud of my guys,” Jackson said. ”We were short-handed, but put ourselves in position down the stretch to win the ballgame.”

The Warriors got within two points midway through the fourth quarter, but Lee hit two 3-pointers to help Houston close it out.

Lee made his third 3-pointer and Patrick Patterson banked in a jumper to put Houston up 93-86. But Patterson missed an uncontested dunk, and Rush converted a three-point play to draw Golden State close again. Lee swished a corner 3 with 2:38 remaining, but Rush broke inside for a dunk and Thompson hit a floater to close the gap to two.

Budinger made a free throw with 1:07 remaining, and Dragic picked off a bad pass from Richard Jefferson with 50 seconds left. Patterson grabbed a late offensive rebound and tipped in a miss by Dragic with 7 seconds left to finally put it away for Houston.

”Breath of fresh air,” Patterson said. ”We haven’t had a win in a long time.”

The Rockets made 14 of 26 shots in the first quarter to lead by as many as 12 points. They continued to shoot well to start the second and also controlled the boards early, after getting outrebounded in five of its previous six games.

Houston finished with a 40-36 edge in rebounds.

McHale cited poor defense as a factor in the Rockets’ recent slide, and the Warriors hit several open shots in the second quarter to keep pace. Rush hit a 3 and Charles Jenkins made two free throws to draw Golden State within five, and the Rockets started to worry that they were letting another one slip away.

Golden State scored the final six points of the half from the free-throw line and trailed 58-55. Rush had 13 points and Jenkins had 12 in the first half, while Scola led Houston with 11.

Notes: The Rockets scored 13 points off 18 Golden State turnovers. … Houston held the Warriors to eight offensive rebounds and nine second-chance points. … Jenkins scored 16 points. … The Warriors have lost eight straight games in Houston since December 2007.

DENVER (AP) – Arron Afflalo scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 101-86 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night in the opener of a crucial home-and-home set between playoff hopefuls.

The teams play again in Houston on Monday night.

 With the win, the Nuggets took sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, a-half game behind Dallas, which lost in overtime to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier Sunday.

 The teams are clinging to the final two playoff spots in the West, trying to fend off fast-charging Phoenix and Utah.

 Ty Lawson also scored 20 points for Denver, which has won five straight at home. Chase Budinger and Luis Scola each scored 19 to lead the Rockets, who lost their third straight game and saw their four-game road winning streak come to an end.

The Rockets, who lost to the Suns and Jazz at home in the last week, led this one 49-43 at the half but were outscored 37-19 in the third quarter, falling behind 80-68 and never recovered.

The Nuggets opened the fourth quarter with an amazing play in which Andre Miller threw the ball three-quarters the length of the court for an alley-oop dunk by Corey Brewer. They stretched their lead to 87-68 before Goran Dragic’s layup ended an 11-0 spurt by Denver.

Nuggets coach George Karl said his team had to treat its final seven games like a playoff series, suggesting they had to win four games at minimum to reach the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season. All but one of their remaining opponents are playoff-caliber teams.

 The Rockets, who last made the playoffs in 2009, have a rough road to the postseason themselves. After their back-to-backs against Denver, they play at Dallas, and they’ve lost six straight to the Mavericks.

Rockets guard Courtney Lee missed a dunk in the third quarter, leading to a 3-pointer by Afflalo at the other end that capped a 14-4 run to open the second half and put Denver ahead 59-53.

Budinger scored 16 first-half points, doubling his scoring average and leading the Rockets to a 49-43 halftime lead. He sank four 3-pointers, including tree in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the first quarter, when he poured in 11 quick points, including a 3 that was on its way when the buzzer sounded and the backboard lit up in red lights.

 Notes: Rockets C Marcus Camby, who has been playing through torn ligaments in his left wrist, played eight minutes before leaving with a sore back. He had no points, one rebound and two assists. … Wilson Chandler returned to the court for Denver, playing limited minutes after missing eight games with hip and groin injuries.

 (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson, left, attempts to steal the ball from Houston Rockets point guard Goran Dragic during the first quarter of their game at the Pepsi Center on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

So the Nuggets, they lead the whole NBA with 19.9 fast-break points. Not bad. But on Sunday, in a huge matchup against Houston, Denver outdid itself, tallying 29 fast-break points in a 101-86 Pepsi Center win. It was the Nuggets’ fifth consecutive win at home.

The Nuggets and the Rockets entered the night with a 32-27 record, tied for seventh in the Western Conference. With the Nuggets win, not only are they now a full-game ahead of Houston, but they’re in the driver’s seat for the tiebreaker. If Denver wins Monday night in Houston, Denver has the tiebreaker. But if Houston wins, and the season series is 2-2, then Houston would win the tiebreaker because they have a better conference record.

Denver pushed and pushed, notably

in the second half, wearing down the visitors like it used to routinely do at home. Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo, the backcourt starters, each led the Nuggets with 20 points, while rookie Kenneth Faried tallied a double-double — 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Nuggets trailed by six points at halftime, 49-43, but the home team went on a torrid run in the third quarter, taking advantage of the low-post void left by Marcus Camby, who left the game with back pain. Denver outscored Houston 37-19 in the third quarter, scoring nine fast-break points, including a Lawson layup with 0.4 seconds left in the quarter. Lawson finished with eight points in the quarter.

Denver’s 29 fastbreak points were three from tying a season-high. Corey Brewer was key with his efforts in transition, galloping down court, finishing 7-for-12 from the field for 14 points.

And how about Andre Miller? On Sunday, he was imperative in pushing the basketball, tallying a team-high 11 assists, along with six points and seven rebounds.

Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com

DENVER
– Arron Afflalo scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 101-86 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night in the opener of a crucial home-and-home set between playoff hopefuls.

The teams play again in Houston on Monday night.

With the win, the Nuggets took sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, a-half game behind Dallas, which lost in overtime to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier Sunday.

The teams are clinging to the final two playoff spots in the West, trying to fend off fast-charging Phoenix and Utah.

Ty Lawson also scored 20 points for Denver, which has won five straight at home. Chase Budinger and Luis Scola each scored 19 to lead the Rockets, who lost their third straight game and saw their four-game road winning streak come to an end.

The Rockets, who lost to the Suns and Jazz at home in the last week, led this one 49-43 at the half but were outscored 37-19 in the third quarter, falling behind 80-68 and never recovered.

The Nuggets opened the fourth quarter with an amazing play in which Andre Miller threw the ball three-quarters the length of the court for an alley-oop dunk by Corey Brewer. They stretched their lead to 87-68 before Goran Dragic’s layup ended an 11-0 spurt by Denver.

Nuggets coach George Karl said his team had to treat its final seven games like a playoff series, suggesting they had to win four games at minimum to reach the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season. All but one of their remaining opponents are playoff-caliber teams.

The Rockets, who last made the playoffs in 2009, have a rough road to the postseason themselves. After their back-to-backs against Denver, they play at Dallas, and they’ve lost six straight to the Mavericks.

Rockets guard Courtney Lee missed a dunk in the third quarter, leading to a 3-pointer by Afflalo at the other end that capped a 14-4 run to open the second half and put Denver ahead 59-53.

Budinger scored 16 first-half points, doubling his scoring average and leading the Rockets to a 49-43 halftime lead. He sank four 3-pointers, including tree in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the first quarter, when he poured in 11 quick points, including a 3 that was on its way when the buzzer sounded and the backboard lit up in red lights.

Notes: Rockets C Marcus Camby, who has been playing through torn ligaments in his left wrist, played eight minutes before leaving with a sore back. He had no points, one rebound and two assists. … Wilson Chandler returned to the court for Denver, playing limited minutes after missing eight games with hip and groin injuries.

HOUSTON – In a game they absolutely, undeniably, desperately had to have, the Suns managed to lead for 17 seconds of the first half.

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Photos from the game | Box score | Twitter updates

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Then they turned absolute in their resolve, undeniable on offense and desperate on defense to resuscitate their playoff hopes with a 112-105 victory Friday night against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.

The Suns (31-28) pulled to within a game of Houston (32-27) for eighth place in the Western Conference and moved back into ninth place with Utah’s loss at New Orleans. The Suns victory also split the season series with Houston, leaving a potential tiebreaker between the two to come down to conference records. Phoenix is 21-20 against the West, and Houston is 21-21.

“It was do or die,” Suns forward Jared Dudley said. “We had to see how badly we wanted it.”

The Suns didn’t get too far behind in the first half until Houston took a 52-44 late in the second quarter. But Goran Dragic had picked up a third foul and exited, and the Suns cut Houston’s lead to 55-51 by halftime. Houston center Marcus Camby posted 10 points, 18 rebounds and four assists in the first half, but Camby did not have another rebound after that.

Marcin Gortat nearly caught Camby, finishing with 15 rebounds and scoring 20 in a pick-and-roll frenzy. It was his fifth 20-point, 15-rebound game after he took the brunt of Gentry’s halftime rage for Camby’s first half.

“We were down four, not down 40,” Gortat said. “We just got yelled at. We came out harder. Let’s say the first half was just a warm-up. We came out prepared, and Houston relaxed a little bit.”

More important, the Suns caught the Rockets quickly in the third quarter. Gortat scored eight of the Suns’ first 18 third-quarter points to take the lead, and then the defense made it stand once Grant Hill entered the game as a reserve in his first game back from arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago.

Houston trailed 69-67 before missing nine of its final 10 shots of the third quarter. The Suns took an 81-69 lead to the fourth when Hill made a jumper for his first points and Steve Nash hit a one-footed running jumper. The lead grew to as much as 16 with 5:46 to go.

But as has been the case in many recent fourth quarters on the road, the Suns had trouble finishing off Houston. There were quirky plays, including two fouls on 3-point attempts as Houston scored 10 of its final 19 points at the free-throw line. The Rockets rallied to cut the Suns lead to five twice and had a chance to get closer, but Courtney Lee charged into Nash on one possession and missed a 3 on the next.

Dudley, who had scored 11 points in the previous three games, then hit a 3-pointer for a 108-100 lead with 36.2 seconds to go. Dudley finished with 19 points, including 3-for-5 3-point shooting. His 13 first-half points helped keep Phoenix close. Houston scored 28 points in the paint and 11 at the free-throw line in the first half.

“I have to play at that level for us to be where we’re at right now,” Dudley said.

After a 21-point first quarter, the Suns posted three quarters of at least 30 points to follow the same pattern as their victory Monday at Minnesota, which started this trip that ends tonight at San Antonio.

Nash finished with 18 points and 10 assists, and the bench was stellar again with 36 points.

Hill played the final 17:36 after logging eight shot-less minutes in the first half. He helped the Suns defensively.

“To be able to stay in front of them was good,” Hill said. “I felt good. I was a little surprised how long I played in the second. I don’t know if I played 17 straight minutes with a good knee. I’m in shape, but I didn’t have game rhythm. Hopefully I’m better (today).”

View from press row

In his first game back, Grant Hill did not have a big impact early, but it was positive later when he played the game’s final 17:36. He offered to come off the bench, which will help tonight when Alvin Gentry is trying to match up his time with Manu Ginobili. Hill hadn’t done so since 2008, did not take a shot in his first nine minutes and did not execute with the ball late. But he moved well defensively, especially in the second half to draw a Patrick Patterson offensive foul, hustle for a close-out on a Courtney Lee 3-point attempt and rip the ball from Kyle Lowry on a breakaway.

Report

Key player

After scoring 11 points in the previous three games, Jared Dudley had 19 Friday night, including a key last-minute 3-pointer.

Key moment

The Suns closed the third quarter with a 12-2 run for an 81-69 lead as Houston shot 1 for 10 and committed a turnover.

Key number

0 Houston center Marcus Camby’s second-half rebounds after getting 18 in the first half.

HOUSTON
– Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 15 rebounds, Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists and the Phoenix Suns boosted their playoff hopes with a 112-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Jared Dudley scored 19 points, Michael Redd added 13 and Sebastian Telfair had 12 for the Suns, who moved into the ninth spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix also moved within one game of the Rockets, who came in holding the No. 7 seed in the West.

Grant Hill had four points and six rebounds in his first game back following March 30 surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in his right knee.

Marcus Camby had 14 points and 18 rebounds and Luis Scola scored 21 for the Rockets.

Nash had five assists in the first nine minutes, but Camby had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists over that span for the Rockets, who led most of the first quarter.

Houston hit 12 of 24 shots and Camby grabbed 10 rebounds in the quarter, and the Rockets led 28-21.

Camby fought three Suns for an offensive rebound — his 13th rebound of the game — and hit a fadeaway jumper for a 43-38 Houston lead. Chase Budinger sank Houston’s first 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in the half to stretch the lead to eight.

Camby had 10 points and 18 rebounds at halftime, and Houston led 55-51 at the break.

Houston started 2-for-8 from the field out of halftime, including two misses from 3-point range. Camby was whistled for a technical foul after snapping at referee Brent Barnaky, and the Suns added to the lead.

Redd’s first 3-pointer pushed the lead to 10, as the Rockets continued to misfire. Houston went 6-for-23 from the field in the third quarter and trailed 81-69. Rookie Markieff Morris then opened the fourth quarter with a three-point play, and Telfair sank two free throws to finish a 17-2 Phoenix run.

The Rockets missed five straight shots before Scola’s baseline jumper with 8:45 remaining. But that only cut the Suns’ lead to 88-75, and Telfair answered with a 3-pointer to put the Suns up 91-75.

Phoenix led 95-81 with 5:58 to go when Nash returned from a long break. Gortat scored inside seconds later, and the Suns matched their biggest lead.

Chandler Parsons broke free for a two-handed dunk to cap a quick 10-2 Houston run. But Parsons fouled Nash on a drive, and the two-time MVP sank both free throws for a 101-91 lead.

Goran Dragic sank two free throws and swished a straight-on 3-pointer to start Houston’s last-ditch rally. The Suns led only 105-100 after Scola scored inside with 1:52 remaining. But Courtney Lee missed a 3-point try with a minute left, and Dudley swished a 3 at the other end with 36 seconds left to put it away for the Suns.

NOTES: The Suns have won nine of their last 12 meetings with Houston, and 11 of the last 16 games in Houston. … The Suns have won eight of their last 13 games when they trail at halftime. … Gortat has 14 games this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. … Camby is the first Rocket to grab 10 rebounds in a quarter since Chuck Hayes pulled down 12 in the first quarter against Cleveland in February 2011. … The Rockets went 4-for-19 from 3-point range.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets ‘ big men dominated Golden State on Thursday, with one of the NBA’s greatest centers clapping in approval from his courtside seat.

Rookie Chandler Parsons had 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, Samuel Dalembert added 15 points and 10 boards and the Rockets routed the Warriors 109-83 on the same night the franchise honored Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston’s championship teams of the 1990s.

Goran Dragic added 17 points and nine assists for the Rockets, who outrebounded Golden State 48-31, blocked six shots and scored 58 points in the paint.

“When you stay big and they go small, you’ve got to really make them pay,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. “You’ve got to be able to block shots and really control the paint and we were able to do that.”

Richard Jefferson scored 14 points and David Lee added 12 for the Warriors, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

“To win games, we have to be the hardest working team on the floor every single night,” Golden State coach Mark Jackson said.

The Rockets maintained their hold on the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference by beating Golden State for the 13th time in the last 15 meetings. The Warriors have lost seven straight games in Houston dating to December 2007.

Olajuwon, the NBA’s career leader in blocks, joined former Rockets teammates Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie and Robert Horry for the pregame unveiling of a mural honoring Houston’s two championship teams in 1994 and ’95.

The quartet sat courtside with owner Les Alexander as the current Rockets took control of the game.

Houston hit 11 of its first 14 shots, most of them from close range, to quickly build a 14-point lead. Scola started 5 for 6 from the field and flipped in an easy hook shot for a 30-16 lead.

“There were a lot of guys open,” Scola said. “We were talking early about cuts, and how we can get something going. It’s good when you make up a play, or you talk about something, and then it works. It gives you a lot of confidence and it opens up a lot of things after that.”

Golden State rallied in the second quarter against a Houston lineup of mostly reserves. Jefferson finished a fast break with a dunk and swished a 3-pointer during a 17-5 run that cut the deficit to 37-35.

Dragic and Parsons answered with back-to-back 3-pointers and the Rockets extended the lead again. Parsons, Scola and Dragic were all in double figures by halftime and Houston led 56-47. The Rockets scored 34 points in the paint in the first half.

“When you have athletic big men, you don’t have to always go small against other teams,” Dalembert said. “I saw an opportunity to go in and just go out there and kill them on the boards.”

Scola started the second half with a three-point play, following a hard collision with Lee. Scola broke free for a layup on Houston’s next possessions, as the Warriors continued to give up easy baskets underneath.

Nate Robinson was called for a flagrant foul when he wrestled down Dragic on a breakaway. Dragic landed hard on his tailbone and slid into the base of the stanchion, but he stayed in the game.

Houston’s left-handed point guard then threw a perfect alley-oop pass to Dalembert for a dunk that made it 68-53 lead five minutes into the third quarter. Dragic sank a 3-pointer later in the quarter to stretch the lead over 20 for the first time.

Dragic also had nine of the Rockets’ 23 assists. He was making his seventh straight start in place of Kyle Lowry, who’s recovering from an illness.

“Goran’s playing great, you can’t even complain,” Parsons said. “No doubt we want Kyle back, but we haven’t missed a beat with Goran, he’s passing the ball, making big shots and really running our team well.”

The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 15-4 in the third quarter and took an 84-67 lead to the fourth. Houston’s reserves kept control in the final quarter, and rookie Marcus Morris’ mid-range jumper with 4:19 left put the Rockets over 100 points for the sixth time in eight games.

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets’ big men dominated Golden State on Thursday, with one of the NBA’s greatest centers clapping in approval from his courtside seat.

Rookie Chandler Parsons had 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, Samuel Dalembert added 15 points and 10 boards and the Rockets routed the Warriors 109-83 on the same night the franchise honored Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston’s championship teams of the 1990s.

Goran Dragic added 17 points and nine assists for the Rockets, who outrebounded Golden State 48-31, blocked six shots and scored 58 points in the paint.

”When you stay big and they go small, you’ve got to really make them pay,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. ”You’ve got to be able to block shots and really control the paint and we were able to do that.”

Richard Jefferson scored 14 points and David Lee added 12 for the Warriors, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

”To win games, we have to be the hardest working team on the floor every single night,” Golden State coach Mark Jackson said.

The Rockets maintained their hold on the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference by beating Golden State for the 13th time in the last 15 meetings. The Warriors have lost seven straight games in Houston dating to December 2007.

Olajuwon, the NBA’s career leader in blocks, joined former Rockets teammates Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie and Robert Horry for the pregame unveiling of a mural honoring Houston’s two championship teams in 1994 and ’95.

The quartet sat courtside with owner Les Alexander as the current Rockets took control of the game.

Houston hit 11 of its first 14 shots, most of them from close range, to quickly build a 14-point lead. Scola started 5 for 6 from the field and flipped in an easy hook shot for a 30-16 lead.

”There were a lot of guys open,” Scola said. ”We were talking early about cuts, and how we can get something going. It’s good when you make up a play, or you talk about something, and then it works. It gives you a lot of confidence and it opens up a lot of things after that.”

Golden State rallied in the second quarter against a Houston lineup of mostly reserves. Jefferson finished a fast break with a dunk and swished a 3-pointer during a 17-5 run that cut the deficit to 37-35.

Dragic and Parsons answered with back-to-back 3-pointers and the Rockets extended the lead again. Parsons, Scola and Dragic were all in double figures by halftime and Houston led 56-47. The Rockets scored 34 points in the paint in the first half.

”When you have athletic big men, you don’t have to always go small against other teams,” Dalembert said. ”I saw an opportunity to go in and just go out there and kill them on the boards.”

Scola started the second half with a three-point play, following a hard collision with Lee. Scola broke free for a layup on Houston’s next possessions, as the Warriors continued to give up easy baskets underneath.

Nate Robinson was called for a flagrant foul when he wrestled down Dragic on a breakaway. Dragic landed hard on his tailbone and slid into the base of the stanchion, but he stayed in the game.

Houston’s left-handed point guard then threw a perfect alley-oop pass to Dalembert for a dunk that made it 68-53 lead five minutes into the third quarter. Dragic sank a 3-pointer later in the quarter to stretch the lead over 20 for the first time.

Dragic also had nine of the Rockets’ 23 assists. He was making his seventh straight start in place of Kyle Lowry, who’s recovering from an illness.

”Goran’s playing great, you can’t even complain,” Parsons said. ”No doubt we want Kyle back, but we haven’t missed a beat with Goran, he’s passing the ball, making big shots and really running our team well.”

The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 15-4 in the third quarter and took an 84-67 lead to the fourth. Houston’s reserves kept control in the final quarter, and rookie Marcus Morris’ mid-range jumper with 4:19 left put the Rockets over 100 points for the sixth time in eight games.

NOTES: Rockets G Kevin Martin sat out for the sixth straight game with a right shoulder strain. … The Rockets have won 27 consecutive games when holding their opponent below 90 points. … Golden State signed free agent center Mickell Gladness to a 10-day contract. … Warriors C Andris Biedrins (strained groin) sat out for the second straight game.

HOUSTON—Rookie Chandler Parsons had 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, leading the Houston Rockets to a 109-83 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.

Goran Dragic added 17 points and nine assists for the Rockets, who dominated the Warriors inside, outrebounding Golden State 48-31 and scoring 58 points in the paint. Luis Scola scored 18 and Samuel Dalembert added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Richard Jefferson scored 14 points and David Lee added 12 for the Warriors, who’ve lost five of their last six games.

The Rockets maintained their hold on the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference by beating Golden State for the 13th time in the last 15 meetings. The Warriors have lost seven straight games in Houston dating to December 2007.

The Rockets hit 11 of their first 14 shots, most of them from close range, to quickly build a 14-point lead. The Warriors gave away five turnovers in the first nine minutes to help Houston widen the gap.

Scola started 5 for 6 from the field and flipped in an easy hook shot for a 30-16 lead.

Golden State rallied in the second quarter against a Houston lineup of mostly reserves. Jefferson finished a fast break with a dunk and swished a 3-pointer during a 17-5 run that cut the deficit to 37-35.

Dragic and Parsons answered with back-to-back 3-pointers and the Rockets extended the lead again. Parsons, Scola and Dragic were all in double figures by halftime and Houston led 56-47. The Rockets scored 34 points in the paint in the first half.

Scola started the second half with a three-point play, following a hard collision with Lee. Scola broke free for a layup on Houston’s next possessions, as the Warriors continued to give up easy baskets underneath.

Nate Robinson was called for a flagrant foul when he wrestled down Dragic on a breakaway. Dragic landed hard on his tailbone and slid into the base of the stanchion, but he stayed in the game.

Houston’s left-handed point guard then threw a perfect alley-oop pass to Dalembert for a dunk for a 68-53 lead five minutes into the third quarter. Dragic sank a 3-pointer later in the quarter to stretch the lead over 20 for the first time.

The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 15-4 in the third quarter and took an 84-67 lead to the fourth. Houston’s reserves kept control in the final quarter, and rookie Marcus Morris’ mid-range jumper with 4:19 left put the Rockets over 100 points for the sixth time in eight games.

NOTES: Dragic made his seventh straight start for Kyle Lowry, who’s recovering from an illness. … Rockets G Kevin Martin sat out for the sixth straight game with a right shoulder strain. … The Rockets honored their “Team of the 1990s”—Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Kenny Smith, Mario Elie and Robert Horry—with the unveiling of a mural in a pregame ceremony. “It shows how classy the organization is, by honoring the winning culture, the winning attitude,” Olajuwon said. “It’s beautiful.” … Golden State signed free agent center Mickell Gladness to a 10-day contract. … Warriors C Andris Biedrins (strained groin) sat out for the second straight game.

The short-handed and inconsistent Houston Rockets haven’t had much success building off victories, but a stretch of home games provides them with the opportunity to create some momentum.

The Rockets look to win their seventh straight at home over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.

Houston is still in playoff position in the Western Conference, but is clinging to a half-game lead over ninth-place Utah. The Rockets (25-22) have just four wins in their last 12 games.

Goran Dragic helped them overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-104 on Tuesday, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer with 28 seconds left as Houston avoided a third straight loss.

He finished with 16 points and 13 assists, scoring 10 points in the final quarter. Houston, which averaged 88.5 points the previous two games, was down by nine with five minutes left.

“It’s huge, especially after losing those two games,” Dragic said. “Today we were fighting.”

Dragic has been starting in place of Kyle Lowry (bacterial infection), and Rockets leading scorer Kevin Martin has missed the last five games with a right shoulder injury. It’s not certain when either will return.

While the absence of two starters could be tough to deal with down the stretch, the Rockets are hoping to take advantage of a heavy stretch of home games. Tuesday opened a four-game homestand for Houston, which plays five of its next six at Toyota Center.

The Rockets are 17-6 at home.

“We have to win those games if we want to be a playoff team,” said Dragic, who has averaged 16.0 points the last seven games – nearly double his season average.

It would help if Luis Scola can continue his hot stretch. He finished with 23 points Tuesday and is averaging 20.3 on 50.5 percent shooting the last six games.

Houston lost 106-97 at Golden State on Feb. 12, committing 19 turnovers, but it has won six in a row at home over the Warriors by an average of 15.1 points.

Scola has averaged 22.8 points and 12.0 rebounds in his last five games versus Golden State.

The Warriors (19-25), who are 4 1/2 games back of the Rockets, are trying to win back-to-back games after snapping a four-game skid with a 101-92 victory at New Orleans on Wednesday.

After giving up an average of 105.3 points in the previous four games, Golden State trailed 58-51 midway through the third quarter. The Warriors responded with a 20-5 run, then held the Hornets to 20 points in the final 12 minutes.

Rookie Klay Thompson scored a season-high 27 points, hitting four of the team’s 14 3-pointers, and David Lee added 25 points and 11 rebounds. Thompson has averaged 20.0 points in six games since Monta Ellis was traded to Milwaukee.

“I can’t just come in right away as a rookie and replace someone like that,” Thompson said. “I’m just trying to do what I do and play my style of basketball.”

Golden State was without starting center Andris Biedrins as he sat out with a sprained shoulder he sustained Monday against Minnesota. His status for Thursday is uncertain.

Stephen Curry remains out with an ankle injury.

Read More: Michael Redd (G – PHO), Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets

Led by a season and Suns-high 25 points from Michael Redd off the bench (10-13 shooting), the Phoenix Suns climbed to one-game over .500 with an important home win over the Houston Rockets, 99-86. The Rockets are one of several teams the Suns will need to pass to earn a playoff spot.

“That’s vintage Mike Redd,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said, “he gets on a role and he gets really difficult to guard.”

Phoenix is now just one-half game behind the Rockets for the eighth spot in the West and with the victory secure their first four-game winning streak of the season.

The Rockets were short-handed without starting point guard Kyle Lowry and starting shooting guard Kevin Martin and they were tired after playing a close game against the Clippers the night before.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well, we didn’t move the ball, we didn’t have a good rhythm to start the game and we got ourselves in a hole and we were never able to climb out of that hole,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

This might be a “no excuse league” but those “reasons” certainly played a role in the outcome of this contest. But a win is a win and the Suns will take it.

The Suns jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

Joining Redd in the scoring column was Channing Frye (19 points, eight rebounds) and Marcin Gortat (15 points, 10 rebounds). Steve Nash finished with four points and 11 assists. The Rockets were led by Luis Scola’s 18 points while Goran Dragic added 16 points and 8 assists. The Rockets only shot 43% from the field.

The Suns now will head out on a four-game road trip through Miami, Orlando, Indiana, and Cleveland before returning home to face he San Antonio Spurs on March 27.

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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 17: (L-R)Kobe Bryant #24 and Derek Fisher #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during Game One of the NBA Playoffs against the New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center on April 17, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

HOUSTON — A person familiar with the deal says the Houston Rockets have acquired center Marcus Camby from Portland and Derek Fisher and a 2012 first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in separate trades.

The Rockets are sending point guard Jonny Flynn, center Hasheem Thabeet and a second-round pick to the Trail Blazers and forward Jordan Hill to the Lakers. The person spoke Thursday on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

The 6-foot-11 Camby brings a much-needed inside presence to the Rockets, who are 24-20 and currently hold the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. Fisher provides depth and championship experience to the point-guard spot. Goran Dragic has started the last four games in place of Kyle Lowry, who’s expected to miss 2-3 more weeks with a bacterial infection.

Fisher has spent 13 of his 16 NBA seasons with the Lakers and was part of five championship teams with Kobe Bryant. The Rockets play the Lakers in Houston on Tuesday.

The Rockets have been looking for big men since Yao Ming retired last summer. They were ready to trade Dragic, Luis Scola and Kevin Martin for Pau Gasol before the season, but NBA commissioner David Stern nixed the trade for “basketball reasons” on behalf of the league-owned New Orleans Hornets.

Houston signed Samuel Dalembert on the day after Christmas, and the addition of Camby now forms a formidable frontcourt trio with Scola.

Houston picked up Flynn in a trade with Minnesota last June. Flynn was the sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft. He had played more in the last week, after Lowry got sick.

The 7-foot-3 Thabeet has been a bust since the Rockets acquired him in a trade that sent Shane Battier to Memphis last February. Thabeet played a total of 23 minutes this season and had nearly as many fouls (5) as points (6).

Hill scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Houston’s 107-87 win over Charlotte on Wednesday night. Hill sat out the Rockets’ win in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night with flu-like symptoms and missed nine games between February and March with a right knee sprain.

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