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03/18/2010 12:01 AM EDT
Brooks hits 7 3s in Rockets' win
HOUSTON 107, MEMPHIS 94

By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON(AP) -- Aaron Brooks' perfect 3-point shooting trumped the
Memphis Grizzlies' strong inside game Wednesday night.

Brooks set a Houston record by hitting seven 3-pointers without
a miss and scored 31 points, and the Rockets snapped the
Grizzlies' seven-game road winning streak with a 107-94 victory.

"Kind of a weird experience," said Brooks, who went 11 for 14
from the field overall. "I don't think I've ever shot 7 for 7 in
a game, a pickup game or anything like that. Some of the shots
were off-balance, I don't know. It just felt good."

Luis Scola scored 20 points, and Kevin Martin added 18 for the
Rockets, who moved into ninth place in the Western Conference -
a half-game ahead of Memphis. Houston has won four straight, its
longest streak of the season.

"It's less than a month away from the end of the season," Scola
said. "We've just got to win games in any possible way. Ugly? So
be it."

Zach Randolph had 30 points and 15 rebounds for the taller
Grizzlies, who scored 64 points in the paint, a season high for
a Houston opponent. The Rockets countered by going 10 for 19
from 3-point range and holding Memphis to one 3-pointer in seven
attempts.

Rudy Gay scored 14 points, and Mike Conley added 11 for the
Grizzlies, who've lost eight straight games in Houston.

"The effort was there and we played hard," Conley said. "They
just shot the ball so well."

Backup forward Jordan Hill grabbed a career-high nine rebounds
for Houston. The 6-foot-10 Hill was the Rockets' most effective
defender on the 6-9, 260-pound Randolph, who scored almost all
of his points near the rim.

Rudy Gay scored 14 points, and Mike Conley added 11 for the
Grizzlies, who've lost eight straight games in Houston.

Memphis led by as many as 11 in the first half, but the Rockets
cut the deficit to 55-53 by the break. Houston gave away 12
turnovers in the first half, but none in the last four minutes
to draw closer.

Houston pulled ahead in the third quarter, after the Grizzlies
committed four turnovers in the first 5 minutes. Trevor Ariza's
turnaround jumper with 6:57 left gave the Rockets a 66-59 lead.

Randolph picked up a loose ball and scored with 6:05 left in the
third quarter, Memphis' first field goal of the second half.
Brooks swished consecutive 3s to help Houston build the lead
back to 10.

"He killed us," Randolph said. "He was pulling up and hitting 3s
once he was crossing midcourt."

But Brooks wasn't the only Rocket who shot well after the break
- the team made 22 of 35 shots (63 percent) in the second half,
including 6 for 10 from 3-point range.

"When you make shots, everything opens up," Scola said. "You
play much calmer and we all have a little more space."

The Grizzlies used their size advantage to score 50 points in
the lane through three quarters, but the Rockets still led by
nine heading to the fourth.

Marcus Williams' 3 in the first minute of the final quarter cut
it to 82-76. Scola scored and Shane Battier swished a 3-pointer
from the corner to restore the double-digit cushion.

Brooks hit his sixth 3 with 6:07 left, tying Battier's franchise
record for 3-point tries without a miss, set earlier this
season. Brooks' sank No. 7 with 4:07 remaining to send Houston
over 100 points.

NOTES: The Rockets shot 53 percent overall (39 of 73) and
improved to 13-0 when they shoot 50 percent or better. ... Scola
finished with seven rebounds, snapping his streak of consecutive
double-doubles at six. ... Memphis C Hasheem Thabeet replaced
Marc Gasol (strained neck) in the lineup for the second straight
game. Coach Lionel Hollins said Gasol is "day to day," but
could've played Wednesday. "I'm not so sure that if this was a
heated playoff battle or a playoff game, that he wouldn't play,"
Hollins said. "He's been banged up in this area two or three
times this year. It's just best that he not play."