Sports / NBA Rockets Climb Over Mavericks McGrady leads Houston to a team-record 17th straight win By Mitch Pritchard, Newser Staff Posted Mar 7, 2008 3:27 AM CST Copied Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady celebrates after making a basket during the third quarter of a basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, March 6, 2008, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (Associated Press) The Houston Rockets didn't miss a beat without star center Yao Ming again last night as they cruised past the Dallas Mavericks 113-98, reports the Houston Chronicle. Tracy McGrady pumped in 31 points as Houston won a franchise-high 17th straight game. The Rockets also snapped a Mavs run that had seen them beat Houston six straight and 10 of 11. Dallas was playing without its own star Dirk Nowitski, who was suspended for a flagrant foul. With him out of the lineup, it was even easier for the Rockets to win their eighth straight game by at least 12 points. The Rockets hit 52.4% of their shots and blew the game open after a Jason Kidd 3-pointer tied it for Dallas two minutes into the second half. (More NBA stories.) Report an error