The Rockets defense had been slumping for weeks. In the eight games since the winning streak, five opponents scored at least 99 points, four had made better than 50 percent of their shots.

The Rockets think of themselves as a defensive team. "It's our bread-and-butter," Bobby Jackson said. When that was gone, there was not enough left.

"The streak I think in some ways took some things out of us that we're trying to get back," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We're trying to get that energy level back.

"There is no doubt, no doubt, that for our team, we have to play every possession with guys into it possession by possession. Our team, it's an absolute necessity that everybody is into it."

In the two games since, they have.
..