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Bulls-Rockets Preview

Jan 23, 2010 - 7:53 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Chicago (19-22) at Houston (24-18), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Houston Rockets felt good after getting a road win against a Southwest Division rival in their last game. Now they look to enjoy some extended time at home.

The Rockets look for their 10th win in 11 games at the Toyota Center on Saturday when they host the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, who is coming off one of the highest-scoring games of his career.

Houston (24-18) opens a season-long six-game homestand looking to improve on their impressive recent stretch at home. After a slow start, the Rockets are 13-5 at the Toyota Center and have played the fewest home games of any NBA team.

Houston, which hasn't played more than three consecutive games at home, returns there Saturday after a 116-109 win at San Antonio on Friday that snapped a five-game road losing streak. The win was the team's fourth in six games overall, but the previous three wins all came against clubs with losing records.

"We haven't had a road win in a while, so this was a good place to get one," coach Rick Adelman said after his team shot a season-high 55.1 percent.

Aaron Brooks finished with 23 points, seven assists and three steals while reserves Kyle Lowry and Carly Landry combined for 42 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter.

Brooks, who scored a career-high 43 points against the Timberwolves last week, had been held to a combined 27 in the previous two contests.

He and the Rockets look to win their fourth straight at home over the Bulls on Saturday. Brooks scored 18 off the bench in the most recent meeting between the teams at the Toyota Center last season, a 107-100 victory Feb. 3.

The Bulls (19-22), meanwhile, are looking to build off the first win in a seven-game road trip. After suffering losses to the Warriors and Clippers, Chicago came away with just its fifth road victory after beating Phoenix 115-104 on Friday.

Rose finished with 32 points - five shy of his career high set in a double-overtime win against Washington last week. He was 15 of 21 from the field and had five assists and three steals.

"Derrick is just going to continually improve," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "His jump shot obviously looks a lot better. He's got better arc on it, something we work with him a lot on. There's no secret pill or magic or whatever. It's about wanting to get better and putting the time and being coachable and wanting to learn."

Rose helped lead the Bulls, who shot 50.6 percent, to their highest-scoring road game of the season. They are averaging 93.8 points away from home and had shot 39.6 percent in the previous two road contests.

Rose wasn't the only player to have a good game Friday. John Salmons returned after missed the previous contest with the flu and finished with 14 points. Kirk Hinrich, who also was ill, bounced back to add 14 points after being held to nine on 3-of-14 shooting against the Clippers on Wednesday.

The Bulls haven't won consecutive road games this season.