Raptors edges Rockets for first win streak since April

TORONTO - The injury-depleted Toronto Raptors won consecutive games for the first time in eight months with a 103-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon (C) reacts in front of teammates Amir Johnson (L) and John Lucas III after drawing a penalty to the Houston Rockets during the second half of their NBA basketball game in Toronto, on Dec 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Alan Anderson scored a team-high 24 points while DeMar DeRozan added 19 to lead a spirited Toronto effort that handed the Rockets a seventh straight road loss.

"We've been working so hard, we've been practicing so hard and we were staying together and trying to do a lot of things," Raptors guard Jose Calderon, who had 18 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for a triple-double, told reporters.

"I know it's been a tough time and we couldn't turn that into a win (earlier) but it feels great."

Playing without injured Andrea Bargnani and Kyle Lowry, two of the Raptors' top three scorers, Toronto built an early 12-point lead and held off a late Houston charge for its first win streak since April of the 2011-12 season.

Houston pulled to within two points twice during the final minute but Anderson helped put the game out of reach with a reverse layup with 11 seconds left in regulation.

James Harden had a game-high 28 points for the Rockets, who were unable to bust out of their longest road-losing streak since dropping eight in a row in 2001.

For Toronto (6-19), the win avenged last month's 117-101 road loss at Houston (11-12), which came during a dismal run that saw the Raptors loss 12 of 13 games.