Amare32
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Houston Rockets (22-30 ) @ Phoenix Suns (34-17)
When Thursday 16th February
Time: 8.00 PT
Location: Phoenix
TV: UPN 45, TNT
Probable Starting Lineups:
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PG-Rafer Alston
SG-David Wesley
SF-Tracy Mcgrady
PF-Juwan Howard
C-Yao Ming
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PG-Steve Nash
SG-Raja Bell
SF-Shawn Marion
PF-Boris Diaw
C-Kurt Thomas
Key Bench Players
Rockets
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Stromile Swift- 9.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 48% FGSuns
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Leandro Barbosa - 12.8 points, 2.5 assists on 49% FG, 45% 3P
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Eddie House- 10.4 points, 2.0 assists on 44% FG, 40 3P%Key Match-up
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VS
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Tracy Mcgrady- 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5 assists
Raja Bell- 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Game Preview
The Houston Rockets' best play this season may be coming at the wrong time.
The Rockets will try for their fourth straight win and eighth in nine games when they visit the Pacific Division-leading Phoenix Suns in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
The Rockets have posted a 7-1 record in February after a stretch in which they lost 16 of 21.
Houston tallied season-highs in points, field goal percentage and margin of victory in a 128-97 victory Tuesday over the Los Angeles Clippers.
McGrady led the Rockets with 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting in the rout.
"I was pretty focused," said McGrady, who will start for the Western Conference in Sunday's All-Star game in Houston.
"I told those guys I've been dealing with some things personally off the basketball court, so I haven't really been myself on the court.
"I just wanted to come out and take all of that personal stuff and leave it off the court and try to get a win for my team."
That effort came one game after scoring just seven points on 3-of-20 shooting in a 90-83 win over New York.
Center Yao Ming, also an All-Star starter, notched 17 points and 12 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the season and is shooting 64 percent from the field over the last three games.
Houston recorded just six wins during the 21 games Yao missed following toe surgery, but the team is 7-2 since he returned to the lineup on Jan. 30.
Rafer Alston added 17 points and 13 rebounds while newly acquired Keith Bogans (18 points), David Wesley (16) and Stromile Swift (12) also scored double-digits for the Rockets.
The Rockets are holding opponents to 91.1 points per game, but will face a challenge against the Suns -- the league's highest-scoring team at 107.0 points per contest.
Phoenix reached 100 points for the 14th straight game in a 116-101 victory Wednesday over the Denver Nuggets. The Suns drained 14 3-pointers and shot 51 percent from the field for their sixth win in seven games.
Shawn Marion an All-Star reserve, recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds while Raja Bell added 20 points for the Suns, who had 33 assists. Steve Nash, a starting All-Star guard, had 19 points and 12 assists and Boris Diaw also added a double-double.
"This team is great at distributing the basketball and Nash and Boris (Diaw) did a great job of finding people," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, whose team outrebounded the Nuggets 53-37. "When the ball moves like that and Raja and everybody gets involved, it makes it really easy and when we can hit 14, 3-pointers, we'll hurt a lot of people."
Phoenix has won six of the last eight matchups, but has lost two straight at home to Houston
Rockets Game Notes
The Houston Rockets on Monday acquired F Maciej Lampe from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for G Moochie Norris. The 6-11 Lampe has averaged 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 60 career games with Phoenix and the Hornets. He was selected by the New York Knicks with the 30th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft but never played for the Knicks. In 2003-04, Lampe played in 21 games for the Suns, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Lampe averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 37 games with Phoenix and the Hornets last year. This season, he has played in only two games for the Hornets. Norris averaged 2.2 points and 1.0 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 29 games with the Rockets this season. Norris was in his second stint with Houston after being acquired in a trade with the New York Knicks on February 24.
Suns Game Notes
The Suns made the most of their opportunities from the arc Wednesday, making 14-of-25 3-pointers while forcing the Nuggets to miss all 14 of their attempts from long range. "Obviously, we shot the ball really well," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "When you shoot 14-of-25 3-pointers, you can hurt a lot of people." ... All five starters scored in double figures and three posted double-doubles. G Steve Nash has 19 points and 12 assists, F Shawn Marion collected 21 points and 12 rebounds and F Boris Diaw chipped in 17 and 10. ... Behind Marion and Diaw, Phoenix held a commanding 53-37 rebounding advantage.
