• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Warriors, Rockets tangle in Space City

Mar 22, 2012 - 2:36 PM (Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets are currently clinging to the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference and hope to improve their postseason status when they resume a four-game homestand tonight versus the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets are just a half-game ahead of Utah for the final postseason spot in the West and opened the residency with Tuesday's 107-104 win versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Goran Dragic has filled in nicely for an ill Kyle Lowry and registered 16 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds, while Luis Scola and Courtney Lee netted 23 points apiece for Houston, which rallied from 17 points down, snapped a two-game skid and won for the third time in five tries.

Chandler Parsons scored 13 points and pulled down seven boards in the victory.

The Lakers were up 95-83 midway through the final frame when the Rockets launched into a 17-2 flurry. Bryant tied it at 101 a bit later before Dragic planted himself in the left corner and buried the decisive shot.

"You have to shoot that kind of shot when you're open," said Dragic. "It doesn't matter if it goes in or out. It was a good shot and luckily we scored that and we went up three points."

Houston guard Kevin Martin missed his fifth straight game with a strained right shoulder and is questionable for tonight. The Rockets, winners of two straight at home, are 17-6 as the host and will also entertain Dallas and Sacramento on the homestand.

Golden State ended a four-game slide with last night's 101-92 victory at New Orleans and received a career-high 27 points from rookie Klay Thompson.

David Lee netted 25 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and Brandon Rush scored 16 points off the bench for the Warriors, who are 4 1/2 games behind the Rockets for the last playoff berth in the West.

"The true test of a team is when you face adversity and when you're under- manned and going through tough times. Do you begin to point the finger or do you grow? Clearly, this is a team that is growing," said Warriors coach Mark Jackson.

The Warriors improved to 9-12 away from Oakland and are still without point guard Stephen Curry, who is out indefinitely with an ankle issue.

Golden State defeated Houston, 106-97, back on Feb. 12 this season in Oakland, but has lost 12 of the past 14 meetings in this series. The Warriors are winless in six consecutive trips to Space City.