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  Sunday, Jan. 23 8:30pm ET
Bullard scores season-high 24 points
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets ended one streak and kept another going.

Matt Bullard scored a season-high 24 points and led a 3-point barrage as the Rockets beat Miami 101-88 Sunday to extend their winning streak to six games and snap an 0-for-8 streak against the Heat.

The Rockets hit 15 of 31 3-pointers. Their previous season high was 13-for-32 on Nov. 20 at Seattle.

"It was one of those nights," Bullard said. "I felt really good before the game and although I came out and missed a few shots, I still felt good and after awhile, we got rolling. Everybody was feeling good after that."

The Rockets led 46-40 at the half and saved their big punch for the third quarter when they shot 11-of-17 overall and 6-for-6 from 3-point range.

"We didn't show up tonight," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "It was a very, very poor effort on our part. It was the worst effort of the year. I'm very disappointed we didn't come on the road and build off our last win. I played the bench more tonight because they gave a better effort than our starters."

Bullard had 13 points in the period, nine coming on 3-pointers, as the Rockets took a 78-61 lead into the fourth quarter.

Hakeem Olajuwon got the final period started with a crowd-pleasing "Dream Shake" jumper, and Bullard added another 3-pointer to keep the pressure building against the stunned Heat.

"This is a wonderful win, especially against a team like Miami," Olajuwon said. "It's so good to see the way we play as a team. Our collective effort. There is no question about it, the respect is coming around. There is so much talent on this team it's just a matter of time."

Bullard was 6-for-10 on 3-pointers and Cuttino Mobley added 18 points, including 4-for-6 on 3-pointers.

"We talked at halftime about how the mid-range game was open," Mobley said. "We went to it more in the second half. We have a lot of good shooters on this team and people are going to have to realize that.

"When we play like this we can keep up with anybody."

Alonzo Mourning led the Heat with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Voshon Lenard put on a late spurt and finished with 20 points.

The Heat built a 29-22 lead early in the second quarter, but Mobley came in and scored 13 points, fueling a 20-5 run by the Rockets for a 42-34 lead with 2:53 left in the half.

Mobley started the rally with two 3-point baskets, and after Kenny Thomas and Walt Williams added 3-pointers, Mobley hit another shot, Francis hit two free throws and Kelvin Cato had a three-point play.

"I can't tell you how good this team executed," Tomjanovich said. "They were swinging the ball around as well as I could want. Kenny, for a young guy, is really talented."

"We worked on some of the things we thought they would do and they did them. That's why the game plan is so crucial."

Game notes
Alonzo Mourning needed one rebound to reach 5,000 for his career. He now has 5,010 . ... Sunday's game marked the first time since Nov. 26 that both of Houston's top centers, Olajuwon and Kelvin Cato, have been healthy.
 


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