Rockets 103, Wizards 76
Chase Budinger collected 21 points and eight rebounds and Luis Scola added 19 and eight as the Houston Rockets crushed the visiting Washington Wizards 103-76 on Friday.
Jordan Hill recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Rockets, who have won eight of their last nine.
The Wizards were playing their second game under interim coach Randy Wittman, who had guided the team to a 92-75 win over the Charlotte Bobcats in his debut Wednesday. For a while Friday, it looked as though Wittman might be on the verge of the team’s first road win.
After scoring the first two baskets of the third quarter, Washington was on top 45-44.
Things quickly went down hill from there, as Scola went on to score 10 points in the period and the Rockets pulled away. Houston bridged the end of third quarter and the beginning of the fourth with a 22-0 run. Budinger and Hill each had transition dunks as the lead grew to 93-62.
The Rockets ended up outscoring the Wizards 59-35 in the second half despite being without leading scorer Kevin Martin, who missed the game with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
John Wall collected 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five turnovers for Washington.