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Rockets end skid, top Celtics

Jan 11, 2011 - 4:28 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Aaron Brooks led a balanced attack with a game- high 24 points as the Houston Rockets snapped a five-game losing streak after defeating the Boston Celtics, 108-102, at TD Garden.

Kyle Lowry finished with 17 points and eight assists, while Chase Budinger hit 3-of-4 from three-point range to end with 13 points off the bench for the Rockets, who shot 52.7 percent from the field and made 10-of-20 from beyond the arc.

Luis Scola donated 12 points and nine rebounds, and Jordan Hill ended with 12 points and eight boards in the victory.

"We were struggling at the start of the year and the guys came out and played a solid game," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We shot the ball well and never folded, never gave them an inch. It's just a nice win to get."

Ray Allen and Marquis Daniels each went for 19 points apiece for Boston, which has dropped two in a row after a four-game winning streak. Paul Pierce and Glen Davis netted 16 and 12 points, respectively, in defeat.

Brooks hit a fade away with 8:47 left in the fourth to put Houston in front 90-80 and the Rockets went ahead by a seemingly comfortable 12-point margin at 106-94 after Brooks drained a triple with 3:13 remaining.

However, Daniels made a driving layup and Allen and Pierce hit back-to-back threes as part of an 8-0 run to make it a 106-102 game with 27.2 seconds to play.

Boston wouldn't get any closer as Brooks was fouled and made both free throws with 17.2 ticks left to ice the victory for the Rockets.

"I told our guys I thought overall it was probably our worst defensive effort in three, four years as far as overall effort," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

Rajon Rondo's runner beat the first quarter buzzer, but Houston still led 27-22 after the opening 12 minutes.

Houston stretched its advantage to nine, 33-24, early in the second before Von Wafer finished off a 9-0 run by the Celtics to even things with 8:44 left in the half.

The game stayed tight for the rest of quarter and Shane Battier made 1-of-2 from the stripe in the closing seconds to give the Rockets a 50-49 edge heading into the locker room.

Allen's layup tied the contest at 57-57 nearly 3 1/2 minutes into the third, but Lowry made a pair at the stripe and Hill's putback dunk put the Rockets back in front.

Patrick Patterson finished the scoring in the third with a layup with 27.2 seconds left, and the visitors were up 80-74 after three quarters.

Game Notes

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett missed his seventh straight game with a right leg injury...Boston made 50.7 percent of its shots and 5-of-13 from three- point territory...Despite the loss, Boston has have won four of the past seven meetings between the teams, but the Rockets improved to 12-5 in their last 17 trips to the New England area...The Celtics dropped to 16-3 at home this season, while Houston improved to 7-14 as the visitor...Rondo had a game-best 12 assists to go with nine points...Brooks returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury.