HOUSTON ROCKETS (9-14) 110, CAVS (7-16) 95
at Toyota Center
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs' seven-game losing streak is their longest since 2004. They've also lost eight in a row on the road, including 0-4 in December.

The schedule on the road doesn't let up, either, as they are in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Miami on Wednesday and Indiana on Friday.

They are scoring plenty of points. They just can't stop anyone. Maybe it's time for Coach Byron Scott to tweak his defensive system. The Cavs have taken a major step back on the defensive end.

The Cavs, who have lost five in a row at the Toyota Center, hung around for a while against the Yao Ming-less Rockets. But Kevin Martin tore them a new one on Saturday with 40 points, the highest scoring total against the Cavs this year.

The Cavs are now 0-2 since the big lineup change.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Shane Battier (6-8, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Chuck Hayes (6-6, 238)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Luis Scola (6-9, 245)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Kevin Martin (6-7, 185)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Kyle Lowry (6-0, 205)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F Jamario Moon, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
Rockets - F Patrick Patterson, C Yao Ming, G Aaron Brooks.
OFFICIALS
Ken Mauer, Brent Barnaky, David Jones