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Landry leads Rockets past Clippers

Dec 23, 2009 - 5:41 AM HOUSTON(AP) -- Carl Landry is definitely feeling better now.

Landry matched his career high with 27 points in his first game back after dental surgery, helping the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-99 on Tuesday night.

Landry damaged five teeth Friday night when he took an elbow to the mouth from Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki. He went 7 for 10 from the field and 13 for 15 from the free-throw line as Houston beat the Clippers for the 10th time in 11 games.

"Every night it's a different person," Landry said. "You never know. That's what makes us a great team.

"We don't have any superstars but we have a lot of dogs in this locker room that are hungry and who want to win. It's a good thing."

Luis Scola had 19 points for the Rockets, including 11 in the third quarter when Los Angeles made a charge. Landry had 13 in the fourth.

"This was a huge game for us," Scola said. "This is a team that is right behind us and we are going on the road again so we needed it."

Chris Kaman had a career-high 29 points for the Clippers, who haven't won in Houston since Dec. 23, 2006. Baron Davis added 18.

Kaman wasn't very impressed with his milestone.

"It doesn't matter at all," Kaman said. "It's very frustrating to lose. We played a decent game but we didn't finish at the end. I thought we could do it but Houston made good plays at the end and we turned the ball over. It hurts to lose, it's not fun."

The Rockets led 74-63 midway through the third quarter but Los Angeles pulled within two in the fourth. Landry helped Houston pull away again with two free throws, a dunk and a reverse layup during a decisive stretch after the Clippers rallied.

"We were trying to score but at the same time it was hard to stop them," Los Angeles guard Eric Gordon said. "We got a lot of fastbreak points and that kept us in the game. They are a big surprise to a lot of people. They all do their jobs and play together well and do whatever they need to get wins."

Kaman had 14 points in the first quarter but Los Angeles trailed 34-33 after one.

Rockets star Tracy McGrady, working his way into shape after knee surgery, had 10 points and three assists in eight minutes.

"I felt good each game, building a little more confidence and a little bit better rhythm and shape," McGrady said. "It's a process. There's really not much you can do in eight minutes but I was just trying to go out there gradually and play off of instinct and hopefully I'll start to come around."

NOTES: Houston's Chase Budinger sat out with a sprained right ankle. ... Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy played 4 1/2 seasons with Houston and was a member of the 1980-81 Rockets team that reached the NBA finals.