(Sports Network) - The Golden State Warriors carry a four-game winning streak
into a four-game road trip Tuesday night when they visit the Toyota Center to
take on the Houston Rockets.
The Warriors have picked up two home wins and two road wins on their recent
streak. Golden State has scored over 100 points in five straight and will take
the Western Conference Player of the Week into action.
David Lee, who was named to his second All-Star game, averaged 18.0 ppg, 14.3
rpg, 7.8 apg and shot 51.7 percent from the field last week where all four
victories during this run occurred. He became the first player since Kevin
Garnett in 2003 to post four consecutive games with at least 15 points, 12
rebounds and seven assists.
"It goes back to us being 4-0 last week," said Lee. "I'm happy I could do my
part. I'm really excited about the honor. It comes from the team's success
first."
In their last victory Saturday against the Phoenix Suns, the Warriors put the
game away in the second half. Golden State outscored Phoenix, 65-43 in the
final two frames to win handily, 113-93.
Now, a very difficult road trip awaits, starting with the Rockets, then it's
the Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks before
returning home.
The Warriors are 14-11 on the road and 15-12 against the Western Conference.
The Rockets have won of their last five and five of their last seven. Their
most recent victory came on Saturday night when they showed very little home
hospitality in a 109-95 trouncing of the Charlotte Bobcats.
Against the Bobcats, James Harden recorded a triple-double with 21 points, 11
rebounds and 11 assists. Chandler Parsons and Patrick Patterson both had 24
points and Parsons grabbed 10 boards.
Omer Asik was outstanding as well. He netted 19 points and pulled down 15
rebounds. Over his last three games, Asik averaged 17.7 rpg in less than 31
minutes a game and has swept 47 percent of the opponents' missed shots. Reggie
Evans leads the NBA collecting 35.6 percent of opponent's misses.
"It's huge," said Jeremy Lin about Asik's rebounding. "You look at his plus-
minus and things like that; he affects the floor (in so many ways) getting
defensive rebounds and all that stuff. When he's not in the game we're
definitely hurting on the glass. He's big time."
Lin tweaked his left ankle in practice on Monday, but is expected to play
Tuesday night.
The Rockets have owned this matchup in recent history with 14 wins in their
last 16 battles. The Warriors have lost eight straight in Houston with their
last victory there coming on Dec. 31, 2007.
The Sports Network