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HOUSTON -- Kevin McHale preaches consistency. So far his young Rockets team hasnt heeded his words and is coming off two straight losses to the Grizzlies. McHale knows Houston, despite a 29-17 record, must play better. Coming up on Tuesday night are the Southwest Division-leading San Antonio Spurs. When asked how his team can be more consistent, McHale shared several ideas. "Weve got to be better against a lot of different styles of basketball," he said. "Weve got to know what our strengths and weaknesses are and play to our strengths. Weve got to be way more tied together and diligent about all the little things. We worry too much about all the big things. But weve got to do all the little things and that leads to big things." The Rockets have won both previous meetings with the Spurs this season. McHale doesnt expect that success to factor into Tuesdays game, especially with San Antonio coming off a tough loss to the Heat. "Its going to be a tough game," McHale said. "The first two games dont make any difference. Were a different team. Theyre a different team. Weve got to play really well. That team lost to Miami, theyre going to come in hungry." Dwight Howard is still upset about how Houston played against Memphis, but believes rough spots like this will help the Rockets in the long run. "These are growing pains," Howard said. "Losing those games and trying to learn from experience on how to play is good for our team. We hate to lose and we were all (ticked) off about the last two games, but it was some things that we learned and picked up from playing against a team like Memphis and well get better." The 28-year-old Howard knows that a team as young as the Rockets is going to have many ups and downs throughout the season. But he thinks the lessons they learn now will be the difference when they get to the playoffs. "We cant look at anything in a negative way," he said. "We have to stay positive and understand that everything comes with time. Weve still got to play hard and go out there and be aggressive but also understand that were a great team in progress. It doesnt happen overnight." James Harden, who leads the team in scoring with almost 24 points a game, has struggled offensively in the last two games, averaging just 13. He hasnt had any of those struggles against San Antonio since joining the Rockets before last season and has averaged 30 points a game against the Spurs. He isnt sure why hes played so well against the Spurs. "Im just happy to go out there and do my job," Harden said. "Whether its the Spurs or the Memphis Grizzlies or the Thunder or the Lakers or whoever, every game is important to me and I just try to go out there and do my best." Harden believes the Rockets have had trouble with consistency because of various injuries that have forced them to change their starting lineup almost every night. "Whatever guys are out there were trying to get it going," he said. "Its kind of hard to get a rhythm and kind of get a feel for where guys like to be at because every other game its a different lineup. So we just work with it." Along with Harden getting back on track, the Rockets are also focused on being aggressive inside and looking to score there first. The Rockets lead the NBA in points in the paint, but were outscored 104-62 in that area in the last two games. "We just shot long shot after long shot and never got the ball in the paint," McHale said. "When were getting in the paint, good things happen." Philadelphia Phillies Shirts . The time off didnt slow them down. Tyler Zeller scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds, Kyrie Irving added 14 points and the Cavaliers pushed their winning streak to five games Tuesday night with a 114-85 victory over the skidding Philadelphia 76ers. Phillies Jerseys China . After a 99-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, his Celtics coaches and teammates have only positive things to say about the Toronto-born rookie. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/ .ca. The NHL Play of the Year showdown kicks off with some slick moves going head-to-head with a combination of soft hands and endless patience. Philadelphia Phillies Store .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Wholesale Phillies Jerseys .com) - Jenny Boucek is the new head coach of the Seattle Storm.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the ongoing Redskins name debate, a truly dominant pitching performance, the bargain basement standards of the LPGA and MLBs latest fine import. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is down to the Washington Redskins name debate, and not just because theres any debate at all over the most clearly racist name in sports. No, its because the debates getting dumber by the second, as it ratchets up. A sitting U.S. Congressman - low bar, I know - compared Barack Obama to Kim Jong-Il, or -Un, after a federal trademark case declared the name derogatory. A Fox News host - low bar, I know - compared the name to the New York Giants offending tall people. This happens often, and its always, always stupid, people. Its like the Yankees, or the Lakers, or the Dallas Cowboys of stupid. Calling Dallas the Cowboys, of course, should only be offensive to competent and/or humble cowboys, one and all. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Clayton Kershaw, superstar pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who brought the no-hitter back into vogue with a performance for the ages Wednesday night at Coors Field. And I know what youre thinking: another no-hitter, big deal. Theres been so many of them in recent seasons that weve all grown a little bored of pitchers we didnt know or care about throwing another no-no. But it was different against the Colorado Rockies. This is a big name - Kershaw - striking out 15 batters, walking no one, in total command, only reaching the count of three balls on one batter and had it not been for an error by Hanley Ramirez, were talking perfect game here. Add Vin Scully broadcasting to the ooccasion and baseball doesnt get any better than that.dddddddddddd Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is down not to 11-year-old Lucy Li, who qualified for the U.S. Open, but to womens professional golf, whose thimble-deep talent pool made it possible for an 11-year old to qualify. The sixth-grader, who looked like she should be entered in a hopscotch tournament and not slugging it out on Pinehurst no. 2, shot a pair of credible 78s, a score that matched marquee names Natalie Gulbis and Laura Davies but left her far off the cut. Nice two-day story. But rather than celebrate the presence of a sprite in the event, shouldnt the USGA, and by extension the LPGA, be mortified a novice qualified? The kid is precocious, but she isnt exactly Mozart. Dave Naylor, TSN: And my thumb is up to Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees for proving that sometimes a player really is worth all the hype. You may remember how Tanakas transfer from Japan was the major story of the MLB off-season. You may also remember that when the first Major Leage hitter he faced in Melky Cabrera took him deep … some were wondering if the Yankees had just uncovered the next “Dice-K” Matsuzaka. Well right now Tanaka leads the American League in wins and ERA and is among the leaders in innings-pitched, as well as strikeouts and walks per nine innings. And hes looking like a good bet to win both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year honours. Coming off a perfect 24-0 record in Japan last season, experts cautioned not to expect the same thing from Tanaka in the major leagues. And they were right. After all, on May 20th against the Cubs he did something he never did all of last season in japan. He took the loss. ' ' '