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Rockets-Warriors Preview
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
- Houston has won 15 of its last 17 games against the Warriors. The Rockets defeated Golden State, 140-109, in their first meeting this season.
- The Rockets have lost each of their last three road games, however, each contest in that span has been decided by eight points or less.
- The Warriors are allowing 118.5 points during their current four-game losing streak. Golden State has won four straight and eight of its last 10 home games.
- James Harden has scored at least 30 points in each of his last three games, averaging 33.7 points in that span. Harden has scored 20+ points just twice in his 11 career games against Golden State.
- Stephen Curry has made at least one three-pointer in 38 consecutive games -- the second-longest active streak in the NBA (Kyle Korver, 44).
- The Rockets are averaging the third-most points in the paint in the NBA this season (46.3) and have had at least 50 points in the paint in each of their last three contests.
By NOEY KUPCHAN
(AP) -- The Golden State Warriors have to be feeling good about their chances of regrouping at home after a winless four-game trip.
Last week's stop in Houston is surely fresh in their minds.
Golden State tries to snap its longest losing streak of the season Tuesday night and avenge an especially ugly defeat to a Rockets team that's controlled this series of late.
While the Warriors (30-21) have been one of the NBA's better clubs over the first half of 2012-13, they allowed an average of 118.5 points and were outscored by 20.7 per game during their trek.
"It's very frustrating," All-Star forward David Lee said. "Not only losing four games in a row, but in the manner that we lost them. Every team goes through those ups and downs during the season. The key for us is to figure it out sooner rather than later."
The Warriors saw their woes continue Saturday in a 116-91 loss at Dallas, their fourth game in five nights. Stephen Curry had 18 points on 8-of-23 shooting and Klay Thompson was limited to 11 - 5.3 less than his season mark - for Golden State, which was outscored 29-8 in transition.
"We're fine. There's no panic," coach Mark Jackson told the league's official website. "We lost another game. We didn't play well, we made mistakes, we did not put together 48 minutes of basketball, but there's going to be no panic. We're going to regroup and be preparing for the next one."
Winners of four in a row and 15 of their last 19 at home, the Warriors didn't appear to be adequately prepared for their visit to Houston last Tuesday.
Jeremy Lin had 28 points to lead eight players in double figures as the Rockets (28-25) tied an NBA record and set a franchise mark with 23 3-pointers in a 140-109 rout. Golden State prevented Houston, which has won three straight and 15 of 17 in this series, from setting the record by fouling down the stretch.
"Throughout the whole game, you figured they'd cool off," Curry said. "But we have to force them to take tougher shots. You just can't give them open looks."
The Rockets could be hard-pressed to come out with a repeat performance given their recent efforts on the road. Houston, which has dropped three straight and nine of 12 in opposing arenas, fell 117-111 at Sacramento in the opener of a three-game trip Sunday.
Averaging 33.7 points and shooting 63.5 percent over the last three games, James Harden scored 30 for the Rockets, who let a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead slip away.
"It's definitely a setback and I feel like we gave this one away," said forward Chandler Parsons, whose team visits the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. "On the road, coming down the stretch we have to take it. It's only going to get harder on this road trip with Golden State and in L.A. ... Those games now are a lot bigger."
Golden State could be without Jarrett Jack for a fourth consecutive game due to a bruised shoulder. The veteran point guard, who scored 20 against the Rockets last week, was averaging 15.9 points and 7.8 assists over a 12-game stretch before getting hurt.
Still trying to get his left ankle back to full strength, Warriors center Andrew Bogut is expected to be available after sitting out the second game of a back-to-back Saturday.
Updated February 12, 2013
© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
