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Rockets burn Knicks

Jan 20, 2011 - 6:15 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Kevin Martin led a balanced attack with 21 points, as the Houston Rockets took down the New York Knicks, 104-89.

Kyle Lowry added 18 points for the Rockets, who have won three in a row. Chase Budinger and Luis Scola each donated 13 points and eight rebounds for Houston, which got 12 points apiece from Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier.

Amare Stoudemire finished with 25 points and five boards for the Knicks, who have dropped four straight games. Stoudemire has now scored at least 20 points in 26 consecutive tilts, the most in Knicks history since Patrick Ewing did it in 28 straight contests from January 25-March 27, 1990.

Raymond Felton chipped in with 14 points and five assists for New York, which got 13 points and seven boards from Toney Douglas.

"We just tried to make every shot hard whether it was a contested three or in the paint...Amare is a load. He is having an MVP type season," Houston center Chuck Hayes said. "I just wanted to take away his space, beat him to the spot and make him shoot over me."

Holding an 11-10 lead early on, Houston put together a 13-4 run to create some breathing room. Martin tallied five points during the stretch, including two free throws with four minutes left to make it 24-14.

The Rockets shot 59.1 percent from the field over the first 12 minutes to take a 36-27 edge.

Landry Fields' three-point play with 2:48 remaining until half cut the gap to 49-44 before Houston scored the next six points to take an 11-point lead. It was 60-50 at the break.

New York never got closer than eight in the third, and the Rockets took an 82-71 margin into the fourth.

Danilo Gallinari and Douglas made back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth to cut the gap to 84-79. But Budinger's jumper and Brooks' layup on the next two possessions essentially put the game away.

"Defensively in the first quarter, we just didn't have the umph that we needed. I thought the last three quarters we competed pretty well," Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Game Notes

Houston swept its home-and-home series with the Knicks for the fifth time in six years. They have won six straight over New York in Space City...Houston center Brad Miller (knee) and forward Patrick Patterson (flu-like symptoms/chest) missed the game.