HOUSTON – When the Suns visited Goran Dragic this season in early February, their former point guard had settled nicely into the role of backup point guard in Houston and recaptured his form of two years ago.

“It’s the Year of the Dragon, you know,” Dragic said then, referring to the Chinese calendar and his Phoenix-originated nickname.

Even he had no idea how true that would be. When Kyle Lowry went out because of a bacterial infection five weeks ago, it appeared Houston might drop out of the playoff race. Dragic kept the Rockets in it — and his former team out of it.

The Suns traded Dragic and a first-round draft pick last year for Aaron Brooks.Dragic has averaged 18.2 points, 8.7 assists and 1.9 steals as a starter while shooting 50.4 percent (41.8 percent on 3-pointers). Houston is 11-7 with Dragic starting, including last week’s victories over the Lakers and Bulls that earned him NBA Player of the Week honors alongside LeBron James.

It prompted Portland coach Kaleb Canales to liken Dragic’s game to that of Manu Ginobili, a comparison that then-Suns General Manager Steve Kerr made privately when he acquired a San Antonio second-round pick to draft Dragic in 2008.

“It’s different when you’re playing 35 minutes,” Dragic said Thursday after preparing to face the Suns here tonight. “You’re not rushing your shots. You explore your options. You try to make plays for your teammates. Then take your shots when you’re open. It’s much easier.

“The best part is we are winning. Last year in Phoenix, a lot of guys changed. I didn’t find a chemistry with those guys. Then I stepped on the broken glass (at his home), and I was out for a month. I wasn’t playing so well. Now I’m a new guy. On the court I’m feeling like a leader and I’m calling the plays.”

Dragic has averaged 37 minutes as a starter and acknowledged feeling the grind during a loss Wednesday night, when he played the entire second half against Utah. He also is experiencing another new phenomenon — “annoying” career speculation. Dragic will be an unrestricted free agent, and his play has earned the interest of several teams, including Phoenix. He is more non-committal about wanting to return now, although he has spent time with ex-Suns teammates on each trip.

“I loved playing with Goran,” Phoenix’s Channing Frye said. “He’s a great player, an extreme competitor and an even better person. I’m happy he’s doing well. He’s young and only going to get better.”

The Suns’ need for Dragic is murky, too. Will Steve Nash return? Sebastian Telfair has a partial guarantee for next season. What will they do with Brooks? Could Dragic play off guard alongside Nash? And does Dragic now want his own show to run?

“I was dreaming about that moment to run a team and be the leader on the court,” Dragic said. “I feel great here. The Houston organization gave me a lot of chances. The coaching staff and Kevin McHale believe in me. I owe these guys.”

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, March 22 (UPI) — Chandler Parsons scored 20 points and claimed 11 rebounds Thursday, pushing the Houston Rockets to a 109-83 blasting of Golden State.

Houston won its second straight and improved its home record this season to 18-6. Only Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers among Western Conference teams have more home wins than do the Rockets.

The Rockets outscored the Warriors by 12 in the opening period, allowed Golden State to close within two in the second and then blew the game open in the second half.

Houston led the rebounding battle by 17 and had a 58-38 advantage in the paint.

Luis Scola added 18 points for the Rockets and Goran Dragic had 17 points with nine assists.

Golden State, which has lost five out of six, was led by Richard Jefferson with 14 points.

by Associated Press

khou.com

Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:59 PM

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.

March 21, 2012 – NBA Development League (D-League)
NEW YORK, March 21, 2012 – The Houston Rockets today re-assigned center Greg Smith to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment marks the 55th time an NBA player has been assigned to his NBA D-League affiliate during the 2011-12 season, and it is the second assignment for Smith since earning a GATORADE Call-Up to the Rockets on Feb. 9.

Smith (6-10, 250, Fresno State), has appeared in seven games with the Rockets this season, averaging 0.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.7 blocks.

A 2012 NBA D-League All-Star, Smith has appeared in 21 games for the Vipers this season, both on assignment and prior to his Call-Up, averaging 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 27.8 minutes. He has recorded eight double-doubles, including a season-high 28 points to go with 13 rebounds in a 125-120 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Jan. 17.

Rockets fans can stay in step with Smith, who is expected to join the Vipers today and be available tomorrow night when the team hosts the Los Angeles D-Fenders, by logging onto nba.com/futurecast to watch all of Rio Grande Valley’s games live, online, for free.

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Rockets 107, Lakers 104

HOUSTON — Even Kobe Bryant was impressed by Goran Dragic on Wednesday night, giving the Houston point guard a quick hug at midcourt after the Rockets rallied to beat Los Angeles.

Dragic hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 28 seconds left and finished with 16 points and 13 assists in the Rockets’ comeback victory.

Down by nine with 5 minutes left, the Rockets had a 12-0 run to take the lead.

Luis Scola and Courtney Lee scored 23 points apiece for the Rockets. Bryant had 29 points, and Pau Gasol added 21 for the Lakers.

The Rockets snapped a two-game losing streak, while the Lakers have lost two in a row.

Bryant, coming off a 3-for-20 shooting night Sunday, went 10 for 27 with two 3-pointers against Houston. The Lakers had 15 turnovers and were outrebounded 40-31. The Lakers missed five straight shots during the Rockets’ late spurt before Bryant sank a fadeaway with 1:28 remaining to cut it to 100-99. Patrick Patterson split two free throws before Bryant tied it with a long jumper over 6-foot-9 rookie Chandler Parsons, who guarded him most of the night.

Dragic answered by swishing a 3-pointer from the corner in front of the Lakers’ bench. Bryant then missed a straight-on 3-pointer off the back of the rim, Parsons rebounded and Lee’s free throws with 10.6 seconds left put the game out of reach.

Gasol and Andrew Bynum made 10 of 14 shots in the first quarter and the Lakers built a 40-25 lead. Bynum was ejected late in the third quarter after picking up his second technical foul for mouthing off to referee Monty McCutchen.

Pacers 102, Clippers 89

INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 25 points to help Indiana beat Los Angeles.

Knicks 106, Raptors 87

NEW YORK — Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Jeremy Lin added 18 points and 10 assists, and New York made it four straight easy victories under Mike Woodson by beating Toronto.

Heat 99, Suns 95

MIAMI –Chris Bosh scored 29 points, LeBron James survived two scary falls and Miami used a 17-0 fourth-quarter run to erase a 10-point deficit and beat Phoenix for their 14th straight home victory.

Jazz 97, Thunder 90

SALT LAKE CITY — Paul Millsap scored 20 points, Al Jefferson had 16 and Devin Harris added 15 to lead Utah to its fourth straight victory.

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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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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HOUSTON (AP) — 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 (which is Minnesota’s selection, acquired by the Rockets in a trade last season) to the Trail Blazers and forward Jordan Hill to the Lakers.

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.

HOUSTON (AP) — 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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