(Best E Casino) - It wasn't long ago that Houston put together a historic 22-game winning streak. The string of wins catapulted the Rockets near the top of the Western Conference standings.
Houston (52-25) is No. 5 in the West and is two games behind the New Orleans Hornets for the top seed in the conference and first place in the Southwest Division. The Rockets, who have earned their second straight playoff berth, are just one game in back of the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs.
The Rockets, who are 6-5 since their franchise-best winning streak was ended on March 18 at home against the NBA-best Boston Celtics, will play three of their final five regular season games at the Toyota Center. They will host Seattle, Phoenix and the Clippers, and will visit Denver and Utah for their final road contests.
Houston continues its push to earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, as they host the SuperSonics on Wednesday at the Toyota Center. The Rockets are 3-0 against Seattle this season and have won six straight in the series. Seattle has lost six straight after winning its last three at Houston.
The Rockets will open a two-game homestand against Seattle. Aaron Brooks tallied 18 points and four assists off the bench, and the Rockets secured a playoff berth with a 105-79 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at the Staples Center.
Luis Scola scored 16 points and Tracy McGrady collected 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists for the Rockets, who have won three in a row.
The Rockets, who will host Steve Nash and the Suns on Friday, are 28-10 at home this season. They have won two straight and 17 of their last 18 games at home.
McGrady has posted 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and a team-best 5.8 assists per game this season. He is shooting just 42.5 percent from the field, including 30.1 percent from beyond the arc. The 6-8 McGrady has scored in double-digits in 10 straight games and is averaging 22.9 points during that span. He has logged at least 40 minutes in nine of his last 14 outings.
Houston has allowed its opponent to reach the century mark four times in its last 23 contests. The Rockets are 2-2 when the opposition scored at least 100 points in those games.
