Suns move past Rockets in West

PHOENIX -- Amare Stoudemire scored 38 points, including a franchise-record 20 of 20 on free throws, and the Phoenix Suns won their seventh in a row by beating the Houston Rockets, 122-113, on Saturday night.

Stoudemire, who also had 13 rebounds and four blocked shots, broke the club record of 17 consecutive free throws in a game, set by Paul Silas against Atlanta on Jan. 10, 1971.

Shaquille O’Neal added 23 points -- his most since coming to Phoenix -- and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Since the trade for O’Neal, Stoudemire is averaging just under 29 points and 10 rebounds.

The Suns shot 57%, 76% in the first half, in moving ahead of the Rockets with the third-best record in the Western Conference, a half-game behind New Orleans and a game behind the conference-leading Lakers.

Tracy McGrady had 30 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Rockets, who trailed by 23 points in the second quarter and 17 at the half. The Rockets cut it to eight on several occasions but could get no closer.

The Rockets have lost three of four following their 22-game winning streak. Two of those losses came when they were playing for the second night in a row. They won at Golden State, 109-106, on Friday night.