HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets needed one win in their last two games or a loss by Portland on Wednesday to secure home-court advantage in their first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers. [url=http://www.basketballpistonsauthority.com/rick-mahorn-pistons-jerse y-c-18/]Rick Mahorn Jersey[/url

HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets needed one win in their last two games or a loss by Portland on Wednesday to secure home-court advantage in their first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers. Rick Mahorn Jersey . They were certainly happy to wrap it up Monday night instead of waiting until Wednesday to learn their fate. Chandler Parsons scored 21 points and Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones added 20 apiece to lift the Rockets to a 104-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The victory gave No. 4 seed Houston home-court advantage in their first-round playoff series with Portland. "We fought hard for it," coach Kevin McHale said. "It took a little longer than I hoped, but we knew we had to get 54 wins and we got there with one to spare. Im glad we didnt have to wait until Wednesday to try and get it." James Harden agreed. "We wanted to come out here and take care of business and not rely on our last game on the road," Harden said. San Antonio used a big run at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go on top and was up by three later in the period when Houston scored eight straight to regain the lead at 95-90. A layup by Jeff Ayres got the Spurs within four points before Harden knocked down a long 2-pointer with less than a minute left to make it 100-94. Marco Belinelli had 17 points to lead the Spurs, who limited the minutes of stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili with their top seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secure. Duncan had 12 points in less than 30 minutes, Parker scored 10 in about 25 and Ginobili had 10 in about 22. "We definitely did what we wanted to do," Parker said. "We were able to play everybody — no injuries — and we got a good sweat out of it. We did some good stuff and Houston got the win at the end." Harden added 16 points with seven assists for the Rockets, who swept the four-game series this season with San Antonio. Howard had 17 rebounds and Jones pulled down 11 for Houston. It was the second game back for Howard after he sat out the previous eight because of a left ankle strain. "I feel like I was in a better rhythm, but Im going to continue to get in shape, continue to do whatever I can to get my wind back so I can do more things on the floor." The Spurs opened the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run to go on top 82-80 for their first lead since the first quarter. Belinelli got that run going with a 3-pointer and finished it with a jump shot. Houston missed five shots, including two layups as San Antonio took the lead. A layup by Parker cut Houstons lead to three points with about eight minutes left in the third quarter. The Rockets then used a 7-2 run to push their advantage to 64-56. Parsons started the run with a 3-pointer and Jones did the rest, starting with a tip-in before capping it with a soaring, one-handed alley-oop dunk on a pass from Harden. The Rockets scored seven straight points later in the quarter to push its lead to 14, but San Antonio scored the last six points of the quarter with four from Ginobili to cut the lead to 76-68 entering the fourth quarter. Houston led by nine after the first quarter and scored the first five points of the second quarter to extend its lead to 35-21. The Spurs had cut into the lead midway through the quarter and got within 41-36 with about five minutes left in the half after four quick points by Duncan. An alley-oop dunk by Duncan about three minutes later cut Houstons lead to 48-40 late in the second quarter. Harden got miffed at Ginobilis physical defence after that and put his left shoulder into him and knocked him to the ground as he drove down the court. That play was initially ruled a flagrant foul on Harden, causing him to yell and curse at the officials as Patrick Beverley held him back. The play was reviewed and knocked down to a personal foul, but Harden received a technical for his behaviour after the call. Ginobili made the free throw and Boris Diaws hook shot got San Antonio within five, but Howard reverse layup left the Rockets ahead 50-43 at halftime. NOTES: Duncan received a technical in the first quarter when he knocked Beverley down after the guard was called for a foul on Duncan. ... Howard got a technical midway through the third quarter when he seemingly inadvertently slapped Ginobili in the face at the end of a play. ... San Antonios Matt Bonner missed the game because of food poisoning. ... Francisco Garcia (sore back) and Parsons (sore wrist and hip) returned after missing the last game with injuries. Bill Laimbeer Jersey . The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. Luke Kennard Jersey . The Packers, Lions and Bears were a combined 35-15 and as long as Jay Cutler can say healthy, all three could make the playoffs in 2012. http://www.basketballpistonsauthority.com/stanley-johnson-pistons-jersey-c-7/ . Rajne Soderberg, the director of the Stockholm Diamond League event, said in an email Friday that the ban still holds. Euromeetings, the organization representing Europes top track events, "will continue to recommend that members do not invite athletes who we believe cause disrepute to our meetings and our sport.Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - After a slow start, the Montreal Canadiens scored three unanswered goals to top the New York Islanders, 3-1, on Tuesday. Carey Price made 37 saves for the Canadiens, who have won five of their last six games. Montreal got second-period goals from Andrei Markov and Brendan Gallagher, and David Desharnais added an insurance marker late in the third period to seal the win. Kyle Okposo scored for the Islanders 12 minutes into the game, but they did not light the lamp again as they lost their four-game winning streak. Chad Johnson got the start in net for New York and made 18 saves on 21 shots. The Canadiens needed 14 minutes just to get their first shot on goal, but the second period went much better. Montreal was able to tie the game six minutes into the middle period. With traffic in front of the net, Markov blasted a shot from the blue line past Johnson for the equalizer. Just five minutes later the Canadiens moved in front. On a 3-on-2, Gallagher dropped a pass off to Alex Galchenyuk and drove to the net. Galchenyuk set up Sergei Gonchar for a shot that was partially blocked, and Gallagher pounded the loose puck in the slot past Johnson for the 2-1 lead. Andre Drummond Jersey. Late in the game the Canadiens added an insurance goal before New York could even get the extra attacker on the ice. In transition, Lars Eller found Desharnais cutting to the net, and Desharnais was able to redirect the pass past Johnson for the two-goal lead with 1:11 left in the game. The Islanders were buzzing early in the game, as they fired 11 shots on Price before Johnson had to make his first save. New York capitalized on that fast start with the first goal. After some strong skating through the neutral zone from John Tavares created a 2-on-1 rush, Okposo received Tavares pass and snapped the puck by Price for the 1-0 lead. Game Notes Price moved passed Ken Dryden for third-most games in Canadiens history by a goaltender ... Markov has two goals and four assists in a five-game point streak ... This was Markovs 800th NHL game, all with Montreal ... Galchenyuk has four goals and three assists in his four-game point streak ... Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak did not dress with what was described as a maintenance day. 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