Kevin McHale has been around the NBA long enough to know that not every win can be pretty.
And Houston's 82-70 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night was proof.
McHale's Rockets overcame 22 turnovers and won despite shooting just 39 percent from the field to snap a four-game losing streak.
Rookie Chandler Parsons scored 20 points, and Kevin Martin 17 for the Rockets. Jordan Hill came up big off the bench with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
"Sometimes in the NBA, you've just got to win ugly," McHale said.
"Believe me, that was ugly for both teams out there, but it was prettier for us."
The Rockets broke open a tight game in the third quarter, and the poor-shooting Bobcats could never make a serious run at the lead.
The closest they got was within five with 2:30 remaining, but Parsons made a 3-pointer from the right wing and a jumper from deep in the left corner to put the Rockets back up by double digits.
The Rockets held the Bobcats to 35 percent shooting from the field and outrebounded them 57-44.
"I thought we were tired and couldn't really do anything, couldn't execute, couldn't run, couldn't defend," Bobcats coach Paul Silas said.
"It's just one of those nights. Even layups. We had shots right at the hoop but we couldn't convert. I can't fault them, I mean, they played as well as they could play. We just didn't have it. . . . We played a tough game Monday night (at New York), and then to come back tonight and have to play, that's rough. It's rough."
The Bobcats couldn't muster much offense with the exception of center Byron Mullens, who turned in another solid game off the bench, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
It was the sixth time in eight games Mullens has finished in double digits in scoring.
The Bobcats were playing without starting forwards Corey Maggette, who is out two to four weeks with a strained left hamstring, and Tyrus Thomas, who needed a rest after seeing significant playing time in the team's previous three games.
HOUSTON (82) — Parsons 9-16 0-0 20, Scola 4-12 1-2 9, Dalembert 2-2 2-2 6, Lowry 2-7 2-3 6, Martin 5-19 5-6 17, Dragic 2-4 0-0 5, Patterson 2-6 0-0 4, Hill 5-9 2-3 12, Budinger 1-8 0-0 3. Totals 32-83 12-16 82.
CHARLOTTE (70) — Brown 3-6 0-0 6, Diaw 2-14 0-0 4, Diop 0-0 0-0 0, Augustin 4-13 2-2 11, Henderson 6-14 0-0 12, Carroll 2-6 0-0 4, Walker 4-13 1-1 9, Mullens 5-11 5-6 15, White 4-10 1-2 9, Biyombo 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-88 9-11 70.
Houston
20
23
24
15
—
82
Charlotte
23
16
14
17
—
70
3-Point Goals—Houston 6-17 (Parsons 2-4, Martin 2-5, Dragic 1-2, Budinger 1-4, Lowry 0-2), Charlotte 1-13 (Augustin 1-4, Carroll 0-1, Brown 0-1, Walker 0-3, Diaw 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Houston 65 (Hill 12), Charlotte 50 (Mullens 10). Assists—Houston 18 (Lowry 8), Charlotte 16 (Augustin, Walker, Diaw 3). Total Fouls—Houston 17, Charlotte 19. A—13,421 (19,077).
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