McGrady helps Rockets win again

CHICAGO — Tracy McGrady scored 25 of his 31 points in the second half and hit the go-ahead jumper to lift the Houston Rockets to an 84-77 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

McGrady's long jumper with 1:19 left broke a 77-77 tie. Houston's Shane Battier blocked a driving layup by Ben Gordon with 25 seconds left. McGrady then hit one of two free throws to make it a three-point game and Chuck Hayes and Luther Head added two apiece.

It was the fifth 30-point performance in six games for McGrady, who hit just three of 10 shots in the first half.

Juwan Howard added 16 points and nine rebounds, Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 16 rebounds, and the Rockets won for the sixth time in eight games since Yao Ming broke a bone in his right leg.

CLIPPERS 100, HORNETS 90: At Oklahoma City, Sam Cassell scored 31 points and Cuttino Mobley finished with 20 to lead the Clippers to the win.

Playing for the first time in three weeks, Cassell scored 10 points during Los Angeles' decisive 17-3 fourth-quarter surge, including a 3-pointer that gave the Clippers the lead for good at 79-77 with 9:12 to play.

Cassell had missed seven games with plantar fasciitis in his left heel before returning against the Hornets, and Mobley hyperextended his left elbow last week at Miami.

NUGGETS 104, BUCKS 92: At Denver, Earl Boykins scored 26 points and Allen Iverson had 23 for the Nuggets.

The Bucks were without injured guard Michael Redd and lost his backcourt mate Mo Williams during the game. Ruben Patterson, who played in Denver last season, started in Redd's spot and scored 29 points, three shy of his career high, and had 11 boards.

Marcus Camby added 19 points and 15 rebounds for Denver, which snapped a five-game losing streak.