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HOUSTON - Heading into a game with the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale had his eye on a few matchups. A specific one that caught his eye was getting Dwight Howard in the post.The plan worked.With San Antonio missing big bodies Tim Duncan, who was rested along with fellow veteran Manu Ginobili, and Tiago Splitter (right calf tightness), Howard dominated the interior from the opening tip, scoring 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in leading Houston to a 98-81 victory.We looked at some stuff (on tape) and we got him in the post, McHale said. I thought (Howard) rolled hard and got some late at the rim. He was really devastating on those high passes. Its important that he gets in a rhythm and plays. It doesnt matter who is out there playing for them, hes got to play well for us.The win runs Houstons record to a league best 6-0 while dropping San Antonios mark to 2-2.With no Duncan or Splitter inside Houston had a decided advantage down low and exploited it from the beginning, feeding Howard at every turn. Whether on the pick-and-roll, at the elbow, or on alley-oop passes, Howard was the target and had a double-double — 20 points and 12 rebounds — by halftime as he exploited a vulnerable Spurs interior defence where Matt Bonner, Jeff Ayers, and Aron Baynes struggled to keep up.We are a sum-of-the-parts team, Popovich said. We have to have all our parts to be at our best. We cant rely on one player. We have to do it as a group. If we have injuries, we need our full bench to continue to play at our best.When Howard was not scoring inside, James Harden filled the stat sheet, adding 20 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Rockets. While he had his share of points, Harden was clear after the game about the advantage of having a force inside.Its tough with the best big man in the league rolling down the paint, Harden said of Howard. Hes a lob target, and you have shooters around him. Its tough to guard it.As the Spurs struggled to keep Howard from gutting them in the middle, they had little consistency when they had the ball. They started the game sluggish, going scoreless in the first six minutes.While San Antonio rebounded and pulled to within 18-15 at the end of the first quarter, that was as close as the Spurs would get. The tough night finished with the defending NBA champs, who trailed by as many as 31, shooting just 34.4 per cent from the field.It was a bad night tonight and I couldnt hit a shot, Tony Parker, who finished with just six points, said. Defensively, we did OK, but we never got into an offensive rhythm.Cory Joseph led the Spurs with 18 points off the bench and Baynes had 12 points and 11 rebounds.TIP-INSSpurs: Marco Belinelli was an injury scratch due to a strained right groin and was replaced by Bonner. . San Antonio started 0-for-15 on 3-pointers, making their first with 7:02 to go in the third quarter, and finished 2 for 20 from beyond the arc.Rockets: Terrence Jones missed his second straight game with a leg contusion. . Patrick Beverley missed the game due to a strained hamstring and was replaced by Isaiah Canaan, who scored 12 points along with Jason Terrys 16 points. . Houston has now won six games over the Spurs dating to last season.WINNING BIGHouston has won each of its first six games by 10 points or more. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Rockets are the first team to accomplish the feat since the 1985-86 Denver Nuggets.DEFENDING THE ARCHouston came into the game holding opponents to 29.1 per cent from beyond the arc. That number will improve after holding the Spurs to 2-for-20 shooting from 3-point range.UP NEXTSpurs: Host New Orleans on Saturday.Rockets: Host Golden State on Saturday. . -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans. . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. . Scotlands Greg Laidlaw made one of two penalty kicks and all three conversions, and Stuart Hogg added a try in the second half. "The most important thing to come out of the game is that we did not get scored against," Laidlaw said. . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here.Mens Teams Province/Territory Skip British Colombia Alberta Saskatchewan Jacob Hersikorn Manitoba Braden Calvert Ontario Northern Ontario Tanner Horgan Quebec Felix Asselin Nova Scotia Matthew Manual New Brunswick Rene Comeau Prince Edward Island Tyler Smith Newfoundland/Labrador Greg Smith Northwest Territories Matt Miller Yukon Joe Wallingham Nunavut Kane Komaksiutiksak Womens Teams Province/Territory Skip British Colombia Corynn Brown Alberta Saskatchewan Kristen Streifel Manitoba Beth Peterson Ontario Northern Ontario Krysta Burns Quebec émilia Gagné Nova Scotia Mary Fay New Brunswick Justine Comeau Prince Edward Island Veronica Smith Newfoundland/Labrador Sarah Hill Northwest Territories Carina McKay-Saturnino Yukon Bailey Horte Nunavut Sadie Pinksen ' ' '
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