Houston Rockets Win 20 Straight Games: Still Get No Respect

  Like Rodney Dangerfield once said (OK, way more than once), "I get no respect."  I imagine that's how the Houston Rockets feel after notching their 20th consecutive win, matching the second longest win streak in NBA history. Yet in the eyes of many observers, they aren't even the best team in their own conference. When the Rockets started this run, it was at a very improbable time. Houston was only 15-16 on New Years Day, if you recall.  Yet even after losing Yao Ming, they have continued to do nothing but win, having now gone 8-0 since they lost their star center to a season-ending foot injury. But lacking a low-post presence and playing in the Western Conference makes respect hard to come by.  With teams like the Spurs and Lakers, among others, it is an extremely competitive conference. The Lakers have been considered legitimate contenders since adding Pau Gasol and the Spurs...well, they're the freakin' defending NBA champs.  Yet ... (link)