Brooks looks to build on a strong debut as Houston's starting point guard as the Rockets go for their fourth straight win - and sixth straight against the Charlotte Bobcats - on Sunday at the Toyota Center.

Brooks stepped into the starting lineup and had 19 points with six rebounds and eight assists in a 93-86 win over Dallas on Friday night. He was 7-for-15 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range in Houston's first game since trading Rafer Alston to Orlando on Thursday as part of a three-team deal.

"You try to keep it the same, but you're definitely a little bit nervous," said Brooks, who'll be backed up by Kyle Lowry, acquired from Memphis in the trade. "But I'm nervous every game. That's when I play my best. ? I just play, and once I get up and down a couple times and realize it's just basketball, I'm going to be all right."

Brooks, the 26th overall pick in 2007, put Houston (34-21) up by five with a 3-pointer with two minutes remaining and connected on another with 24 seconds left to seal the Rockets' third straight win.

"He's always had that confidence," Rockets forward Shane Battier said of Brooks, averaging 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 39.5 percent (17-for-43) from 3-point range in eight starts. "In the games he's played down the stretch, he's hit some pretty big shots for us. He's not scared to take that shot."

The Alston trade came two days after McGrady, a seven-time All-Star, said he'd miss the rest of the season because of microfracture surgery on his left knee.

While McGrady's presence will no doubt be missed, Brooks' potential eases the loss of the team's top two playmakers.

"We have confidence in him," coach Rick Adelman said. "He's going to make big shots."

While Adelman was pleased, the same couldn't be said for Bobcats coach Larry Brown after a 92-80 loss to the Magic on Friday. Charlotte (22-33) had 14 assists - its lowest total since Nov. 22 - in its last game before a five-game western road trip.

"We had so many possessions where it was one pass and a shot or no passes and a shot," Brown said. "Even when we stole the ball and we're on a break, we wouldn't pass the ball."

Point guard Raymond Felton took responsibility for the lack of ball movement after totaling five assists and shooting 6-for-18 from the field.

"I didn't get us into the offense," said Felton, who wasn't dealt at Thursday's deadline despite being mentioned in numerous potential trades. "We looked bad because it was my fault."

Charlotte hasn't looked much better in recent meetings with Houston. After winning their first three games against the Rockets, the Bobcats have dropped five straight.

All-Star Rockets center Yao Ming has shot 63.0 percent (34-for-54) from the field in four career games against the Bobcats.

Felton, in his fourth season, has shot 38.0 percent (27-for-71) lifetime against Houston, including 27.6 percent (8-for-29) in two games last season.