STEVE NASH had 19 points and 15 assists and the Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets 115-105 on Saturday night for their fifth straight win.

Leandro Barbosa and Amare Stoudemire had 21 points apiece for the sharp-shooting Suns, who've won seven of the last eight meetings with Houston.

Mike James scored 17 in place of Tracy McGrady, who missed his second straight game because of a sprained right elbow.

Luis Scola had 20 points and 11 rebounds, but Yao Ming had only 12 on 4-for-17 shooting for the Rockets, who have lost four in a row.

Already short-handed without McGrady, the Rockets were further depleted when Yao and Shane Battier each picked up their second fouls in the first six minutes of the game and went to the bench.

Steve Francis started the second quarter, his long-awaited debut with the Rockets. Francis signed a two-year deal in July, but had been relegated to the bench since the season began, the third-string point guard behind Rafer Alston and Mike James.

The fans cheered when Francis brought the ball up the court for the first time and they gasped when he drove the basket and took a hard foul from Boris Diaw. Francis sank two free throws with 10:32 left in the half to cut Houston's deficit to 41-35.

(SD-Agencies)