NBA Game Summary - Denver at Houston

Houston, TX (Basketball News) - Tracy McGrady finished with 32 points and eight assists and Mike James added 23 points off the bench to power the Houston Rockets past the Denver Nuggets, 115-87, in a key matchup at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets moved into a tie with Sacramento for the fifth spot in the Western Conference playoff race after the Kings lost in Phoenix on Friday. Houston holds the tiebreaker over the Kings as a result of a better conference record. Meanwhile, the Nuggets dropped to seventh place in the conference and trail Houston and Sacramento by one game. All three teams have already clinched a playoff berth.

Yao Ming posted 13 points and 11 rebounds and Dikembe Mutombo notched 11 points and 12 boards for the Rockets, who have won five straight and seven of their last 10 games. Scott Padgett added 13 points in the victory.

Kenyon Martin ended with 22 points and nine rebounds and Carmelo Anthony netted 16 points, but the Nuggets had their 10-game winning streak halted. Andre Miller recorded 12 points and nine assists and Nene finished with 12 points for Denver.

The loss was just the third since the All-Star break for the Nuggets. Both of the previous setbacks came to the Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns.

Denver played the game without center Marcus Camby, who sat out with a right hamstring injury suffered in Friday’s win over Memphis.

The Nuggets jumped out to a quick start and led 18-4 near the midway point of the first quarter. Anthony and Miller each scored six points in the stretch for Denver, which would hold a 34-24 advantage after one period.

The Rockets completely turned the game around in the second quarter, outscoring Denver, 32-15, in the period. Houston opened the second with a 15-5 burst to even the score at 39-39. Padgett had eight points in the stretch, including a three-pointer to even the score with 5:45 left.

Houston grabbed its first lead of the game when Mutombo hit a pair of free throws to make it 43-41 with 4:33 remaining. McGrady would give the Rockets a seven-point edge at halftime after hitting a pair of three-pointers in the final minute to make it a 56-49 game.

McGrady led the Rockets with 14 points at the break and Martin paced Denver with 14.

The Rockets continued to roll in the opening minutes of the third quarter and opened up a 70-54 cushion on Clarence Weatherspoon’s jumper in the lane with 7:07 left. Houston held an 80-70 edge after 36 minutes of action.

Houston then opened the final period with a 19-4 explosion to grab a 99-74 lead. Padgett started the run with a slashing layup and Jon Barry’s three- pointer gave the Rockets a 25-point edge with 7:05 left. Houston’s lead would grow as large as 28 points in the closing minutes.