Rockets batter reeling Bobcats

Lonny Baxter scored a season-high 18 points and pulled down 11 boards, while David Wesley contributed 15 points and six assists for the Rockets, who have won two straight contests and stopped a seven-game home losing streak.

Matt Carroll led a balanced Charlotte attack with a season-high 19 points and Brevin Knight added 14 along with seven assists for the Bobcats, who have lost nine consecutive games.

Charlotte led 15-14 early but the Houston closed the first quarter on a 10-3 spurt, capped by a pair of Baxter free throws, to take a 24-18 lead.

The Rockets led 51-44 at the half despite a 13-3 Bobcats’ streak late in the second quarter.

Charlotte would get as close as 51-46 on Raymond Felton’s jumper in the initial stages of the second half. But Houston used a 10-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Wesley treys, to extend the lead to 15 points with 8:25 remaining in the third quarter.

McGrady took a Jake Voskuhl elbow to the face at the end of the period and did not return to the game. Voskuhl was called for a flagrant foul and the Rockets held an 82-58 edge heading into the final frame.

The Bobcats got no closer than 86-63 and could not make a run, as Houston held its big lead and cruised to the easy victory.

The Rockets connected on 46.4 percent of their shots, while Charlotte shot 41.5 percent from the field. Houston won the rebounding battle, 48-34.

Game Notes

Charlotte’s most recent victory came against the Rockets, a 111-106 double- overtime decision on January 10...Charlotte had won the previous three meetings between the teams...Houston has a 4-13 record at home, the worst in the NBA, and hadn’t won at the Toyota Center since December 6 against Boston...The Bobcats are 4-20 on the road...Charlotte committed 18 turnovers...The Rockets scored 40 points in the paint...Each team had five scorers in double figures.