TRACY MCGRADY had 36 points capped by a late hot streak, and the Rockets opened their West Coast trip on a high note with a defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Rafer Alston added 17 points for the Rockets, who have posted back-to-back wins following a six-game losing streak, and have beaten the Clippers four straight times at Staples Center.

Yao Ming had 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Clippers, who haven’t shot 50 percent or better in any of their first 13 games, finished at 32.9 percent and have dropped seven of nine contests after a 4-0 start. Chris Kaman led them with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

The Clippers lost point guard Sam Cassell with 8:18 left in the first quarter after he strained his left calf defending Alston away from the ball in front of the Houston bench. Cassell is one of only five Clippers to play in every game this season, along with Kaman, Tim Thomas, Ruben Patterson and Quinton Ross.

Two other Clippers, forward Corey Maggette and point guard Brevin Knight, were pressed into service after coach Mike Dunleavy classified them as game-time decisions in his pre-game session with reporters. Maggette, who missed the previous four games with a right hamstring strain, scored 21 points off the bench on 7-for-13 shooting. Knight played 13 scoreless minutes after missing two games with a groin strain.

The Rockets let the banged-up Clippers hang around for three tedious quarters before blowing the game open with a 22-5 run in the first 5:04 of the fourth. McGrady, who helped fuel the pivotal rally with 14 points, started it with two free throws and a pair of 17-footers. The seven-time All-Star added a three-point play off an acrobatic reverse layup and capped the run with an 18-footer.

“Defensively, I thought we were good all night,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said after the Rockets held the Clippers five points shy of the fewest they had scored against the Rockets. “The first half and stages of the third quarter, we struggled offensively, but Tracy, he just took it up another notch and took the game over.”

(SD-Agencies)