MICHAEL FINLEY scored 22 points as the Spurs picked up their seventh straight win with an easy 109-88 victory over the Houston Rockets in San Antonio on Sunday.

Tony Parker added another 22 points and Tim Duncan had 13 for the Spurs.

The much-hyped matchup between the Southwest Division rivals turned out to be more of a dud. The Spurs had the lead for almost the entire game and led by as many as 25 points. The Spurs shot 53 percent from the field and had 21 assists to the Rockets’ 12. “They got us on our heels early,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “They played extremely well offensively. We never got a handle on this game.”

Luis Scola scored a season-high 24 points for the Rockets. Tracy McGrady — most often matched up against Spurs top defender Bruce Bowen — and Rafer Alston each had 13 points after shooting a combined 9-for-38.

“I thought we did a good job of keeping them out of the paint, which is their strength,” McGrady said. “Today, they were making jumpers.”

(SD-Agencies)