This Week in Sports :: March 10-14, 2008

Mar 13, 2008

This week in sports the Houston Rockets make history and Tyler Hansbrough joins some elite company. See what else happened!

Rockets Make History

The Houston Rockets made history on Wednesday night as they tied the second longest winning streak in NBA History. Their 83-75 victory over the Atlanta Hawks helped the Rockets win their 20th straight game which matched the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks' accomplishment. Only the 1971-92 Los Angeles Lakers have a longer winning streak of 33 games. The Rockets are winning without their franchise player Yao Ming, who is out for the year with a foot injury. As of Friday, the Rockets are 44-20 and are in second place in the Western Conference.

North Carolina to Honor Hansbrough

North Carolina All-American Tyler Hansbrough is about to join elite company by being one of only eight players in the school's history to have their number retired. Tyler joins a list that includes Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Antawn Jamison. For a UNC player to have his number retired, the must win a National Player of the Year award, which he has done this year. Hansbrough, who is a junior, is the only player in school history to be named to the All-ACC Team, three times. He is also is only the sixth player in Carolina's history to score over 2,000 points.

U.S. Sweeps World Cup

First, U.S. Alpine skier Bode Miller clinched his second overall World Cup title in Bormio, Italy on Thursday. Then fellow American, Lindsey Vonn took the women's title on Friday. Those victories marked the first time the U.S. has swept the men's and women's ski titles in 25 years at the World Cup. The last Americans to win both titles together were Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney, who did it in 1983.

Notes Around the Sports World

The hottest team in the NHL right now is the San Jose Sharks who have won their last 10 games. As of Friday, they are in second place in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings, who have a one game advantage over them.

The Detroit Red Wings gave forward Dan Cleary a five-year extension worth $14 million on Wednesday. Cleary has been enjoying his best season with a career-high 40 points.

Last year's top pick in the NBA Draft, Greg Oden, practiced for the first time since injuring his knee last summer. The Portland Trailblazers' center has been spending the past year rehabbing his surgically-repaired knee.

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