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DeRozan, Raptors rout Rockets

Mar 8, 2012 - 3:14 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - DeMar DeRozan led six Raptors in double figures with 23 points as Toronto downed the Houston Rockets, 116-98, on Wednesday.

Jose Calderon had a double-double with 17 points and 12 assists, Linas Kleiza netted 19 points and Leandro Barbosa scored 15 for Toronto, which has alternated wins and losses over its past seven games.

The Raptors shot 59.2 percent from the field and nailed 6-of-12 attempts from beyond the arc.

"I'm feeling more comfortable now since the beginning of the season...and we're not losing the close games lately as we were earlier," DeRozan said.

Chandler Parsons had 19 points to lead the Rockets, who have lost five in a row since a four-game winning streak.

"Terrible game, everything we did we were a step slow," Rockets head coach Kevin McHale said. "...We didn't have any defensive flow, any defensive formation."

With the score tied at 28 after one quarter of play, Barbosa scored five points during a 13-4 Raptors spurt to start the second. But the Rockets responded with a 6-0 flurry to pull within 41-38 midway through the frame.

Toronto, though, outscored Houston 15-8 the rest of the way as it took a 58-46 lead into the locker room. DeRozan netted six of his 14 first-half points during the stretch.

Amir Johnson's layup gave Toronto a 69-52 lead with 8:40 remaining in the third, but Parsons and Kyle Lowry helped Houston get back into the contest.

Parsons scored 10 points while Lowry netted seven to go with three assists in the third as Houston trailed by just six, 82-76, heading into the fourth.

Courtney Lee picked a good time to hit his first field goal as his trey pulled Houston within 91-87 with 7:43 to play in the fourth.

But Toronto answered with a 15-2 surge to put the game away.

Barbosa's three-point play and Kleiza's trey capped the run as the hosts took a 106-89 lead with 3:51 left.

Game Notes

Toronto is 11-6 all-time against Houston at home...DeRozan has started 121 straight games for Toronto which is third on its all-time list behind Damon Stoudemire (122) and Alvin Williams (131)...The Raptors are 13-26 after 39 games, the same mark through 39 contests last season...The Raptors are 11-4 when leading at halftime...Amir Johnson (14) and James Johnson (10) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Raptors...The 116 points scored for the Raptors is a season-high.