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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Carlos Rogers changed his hairstyle and looked
like a new man. He played like one, too.
Rogers, who decided to loosen his tight hair braids on Tuesday
morning, scored a season-high 22 points and Steve Francis added 21
as the Houston Rockets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 100-95.
|  | | The one hand of Houston's Steve Francis is better than the two of Chris Gatling, who was beaten to this loose ball. |
The victory was just the second in nine games for the Rockets,
whose bench outscored Cleveland's 45-11.
Rogers, playing in his second game since coming off the injured
list, made 10 of 11 field-goal attempts -- all on putbacks, layins
or dunks -- and added 10 rebounds in 31 minutes.
"It felt good to have a game like this, but I come to play
every night," said Rogers. "Whether I'm on the bench or whatever,
you've got to be ready. I get paid for this, paid well. So I don't
get all puffed up over this."
The 6-foot-11 Rogers, who was kidded about his frizzed-out
hairdo by some fans during the game and some Cavs afterward, had
been averaging just 3.5 points in 11.4 minutes this season. But he
got extended playing time because of injuries to Hakeem Olajuwon
and Kelvin Cato.
"What I love about Carlos is his ability to catch the ball,"
Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "He just catches it and puts
it back in."
Shannon Anderson had 15 points, Cuttino Mobley 14, and Matt
Bullard hit two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for the
Rockets.
Lamond Murray led Cleveland with 24 points. Clarence
Weatherspoon had 18 rebounds, Andre Miller had 19 points and eight
assists. Rookie center Chris Mihm had a season-high 17 points.
The Cavaliers, who have three players on the injured list,
dressed nine but had only eight available for the game. But it was
Cleveland's poor free-throw shooting down the stretch that did it
in.
"Trash. Terrible," said Cavs forward Chris Gatling, who shot
1-for-5 from the line. "We can't let guys like Carlos Rogers come
in here and get 22 and 10. That's unheard of."
Earlier in the day, Cleveland acquired Jim Jackson and two
guards in a trade with Atlanta for Brevin Knight. But Jackson,
Anthony Johnson and Larry Robinson still had to pass physicals
before they could join the Cavs.
Cleveland trailed by nine points early in the fourth when Miller
scored on two gorgeous drives midway through the period to give the
Cavs an 84-83 lead with 6:25 remaining.
But the 6-foot-10 Bullard, one of the league's best shooting big
men, hit consecutive 3s to put the Rockets up 89-86 with 4:49 left.
Rogers scored six of Houston's next eight points and had three
offensive rebounds as the Rockets put the game away at the
free-throw line in the final minutes.
"We've got guys injured," Francis said, "and Carlos is the
next closest thing we have to a 7-footer. He filled in great.
Whenever I got double teamed, I looked the defense off and there
Carlos was, flashing down the middle. And there Carlos was, getting
the offensive rebound. That's something we need."
Rogers, who was on the injured list from Dec. 16-27 with a
strained left knee, was heckled by a fan as he checked into the
game.
"Nice hair," the fan yelled at Rogers.
"He didn't have any hair," Rogers said. "What's that about?"
After Anderson scored nine straight points, Francis and Rogers
combined for Houston's final 13 of the third quarter as the Rockets
took a 73-66 lead into the fourth.
Game notes
Jackson, Robinson and Johnson arrived during the game. ...
Houston is 5-0 vs. Central teams this season. ... Rogers' previous
high this season was 10 against Denver on Nov. 30. ... The Rockets
were without Olajuwon, who was sent home from the road trip with a
swollen right knee. ... Cavs G Wesley Person said he probably won't
play Wednesday at Milwaukee when he's eligible to come off the
injured list with a bruised right elbow. Person has been on the IR
since Dec. 23. ... The Cavs matched an arena record with 31
rebounds in the first half.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
Hawks trade Jackson to Cleveland for Knight
RECAPS
Washington 115
Minnesota 108
Atlanta 92
Boston 81
Houston 100
Cleveland 95
New Jersey 120
Orlando 110
Milwaukee 104
Chicago 70
San Antonio 80
Miami 72
Indiana 91
Seattle 83
LA Clippers 110
Toronto 97
Sacramento 121
Phoenix 117
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Houston's Carlos Rogers flushes the Steve Francis pass for two of his 22 points.
avi: 431 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Rudy Tomjanovich Official Site
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