The Houston Rockets matched the NBA's third-longest winning streak when they recorded their 19th consecutive triumph with a 91-73 rout of the New Jersey Nets on Monday.
Tracy McGrady sparked the milestone victory with 19 points.
Only the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks have longer streaks, the Lakers winning 33 consecutive games during the 1971-1972 season, while the Bucks put together 20 successive victories in 1971.
PHOTO: AP
The Lakers also had a 19-game winning streak eight years ago.
"It's fantastic to have your team mentioned with some of the best teams and some of the best players to have ever played the game," Houston's Rafer Alston told reporters after scoring 12 points.
McGrady said the Rockets defense has played a big role in the streak and was key in Monday's victory.
"Defense wins ball games and that's what we're great at," McGrady said. "We didn't shoot the ball particularly well tonight and our defense bailed us out."
The Nets scored only 28 points in the first half, shooting an ice-cold 20.9 percent, enabling the Rockets to enjoy an 18-point intermission lead that was never threatened in the second half.
Houston will attempt to record a 20th consecutive victory at Atlanta today.
Celtics 100, 76ers 86
At Philadelphia, Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 12 rebounds to help Boston down Philadelphia and reach 50 victories for the first time in 16 years.
The Celtics opened with a 15-0 run, won their ninth straight game and reached the 50-win mark for the first time since they finished the 1991-1992 season 51-31.
Andre Miller scored 22 points and Andre Iguodala had 17 for the Sixers, who had an eight-game home winning streak snapped.
Cavaliers 88, Trail Blazers 80
At Cleveland, LeBron James had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season, and Cleveland rallied in the second half to beat Portland
It is the 17th triple-double of James' career.
Joe Smith, playing in place of Ben Wallace, who missed the second half of the game with back spasms, scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half.
LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 25 points.
Spurs 107, Nuggets 103
At San Antonio, Tim Duncan had 23 points and 18 rebounds, and San Antonio beat Denver in the second meeting between the teams in four days.
Tony Parker added 16 points and Manu Ginobili scored 13 and had a career-high 14 assists for the Spurs. Allen Iverson led Denver with 28 points despite a broken finger.
J.R. Smith added 22 points and Carmelo Anthony contributed 18.
San Antonio, which lost in Denver on Friday, snapped a two-game skid and tied the Los Angeles Lakers at the top of the Western Conference.
Magic 123, Hawks 112
At Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 26 points and 16 rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu had the second triple-double of his career, and Orlando rolled past Atlanta.
Turkoglu racked up 23 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as the Magic tied their season-high scoring output. Rashard Lewis added 22 points and reserve Keith Bogans had 19 as the Magic went 15-of-28 from behind the arc.
Joe Johnson scored 27 points and Mike Bibby had 23 for Atlanta.
Mavericks 108, Knicks 79
At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points in 22 minutes, then was among four starters who got to take the last quarter off as Dallas polished off a listless New York.
New York trailed by as many as 28 before intermission, then got within 14 points early in the third quarter. Dallas pulled away soon after for its second straight win and a 6-5 record since Jason Kidd arrived.
Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, New York's top two scorers, returned to the lineup but it hardly mattered. The Knicks made only one of 13 shots to start the first quarter, then did it again to start the second quarter, setting the tone for their seventh straight loss.
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