NBA NEWS EXTRA - The Rising Houston Rockets - MARCH 2008

Yao Ming - NBA photo Tracy McGrady - NBA photo

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Saturday March 8, 2008

The Rockets set a franchise record with their 16th consecutive win Wednesday night March 5, besting the Indiana Pacers 117-99. Houston eclipsed its last 15-game winning streak from the 1993-94 season

NBA's ROCKETS ROAR

The Houston Rockets set a franchise record with their 16th consecutive win Wednesday night, besting the Indiana Pacers 117-99. Houston eclipsed its last 15-game winning streak from the 1993-94 season and set another team record by winning its seventh straight game by double figures.

Prior to the streak, the Rockets were 24-20 (.545) and 10th in the Western Conference standings. Since their Jan. 29 win over Golden State to start the streak, the Rockets have upped their winning percentage to .667 and at 40-20, Houston owns the fourth best record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference from Jan. 28, the day before the Rockets began their NBA-season-best 16-game winning streak, to how the race looks today.

Houston registered a 5-0 record since Yao Ming was injured. Since that time Tracy McGrady has picked up the slack.

The 1972 Los Angles Lakers hold the NBA consecutive win record with 33. Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich and Miami Heat coach Pat Riley were on that squad. The team finished with a 69-13 regular season record and won the NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks in five games.

COMAPARATIVE STANDINGS

West Standings - January 28, 2008

1. New Orleans (32-12) .727

2. Phoenix (32-13) .711

3. Dallas (31-13) .705

4. San Antonio (28-15) .651

5. L.A. Lakers (27-15) .643

T-6. Golden State (27-18) .600

T-6. Utah (27-18) (27-18) .600

T-8. Denver (26-18) (26-18) .591

T-8. Portland (26-18) (26-18) .591

10. Houston (24-20) (24-20) .545

West Standings - March 6, 2008

1. San Antonio (42-17) .712

2. L.A. Lakers (43-18) .705

3. New Orleans (41-19) .683

4. Utah (40-22) .645

5. Houston (40-20) .667

6. Phoenix (40-21) .656

7. Dallas (39-22) .639

8. Golden State (37-23) .617

9. Denver (36-24) .600

10. Portland (31-30) .508

Note:

Utah is the fourth seed, one spot ahead the Rockets, despite a lower winning percentage, by virtue of its leading the Midwest Division. The 113-98 win lst night at Dallas made the Rockets one of eight teams in NBA history to win at least 17 straight games and raised their record to 41-20.

Three NBA Broadcasters Honored Three NBA team play-by-play men have been honored by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association as 2007 Sportscaster of the Year in their respective states.

The Detroit Pistons' George Blaha won for Michigan;

The Portland Trail Blazers' Brian Wheeler for Oregon; and the

The Seattle SuperSonics' Kevin Calabro for Washington.

And the Winners Are:

The Cleveland Cavaliers', LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers', Kobe Bryant were named Eastern Conference and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played for the month of February...

The Detroit Pistons', Flip Saunders and the Houston Rockets', Rick Adelman were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in February...

The Atlanta Hawks', Al Horford and the Houston Rockets', Luis Scola were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played for the month of February.

(NBA)