(Sports Network) - The longest win streak of this 2007-08 NBA season will be put on the line tonight at Houston's Toyota Center, where the torrid Houston Rockets aim to extend their remarkable run in a key Southwest Division showdown with the New Orleans Hornets.

Houston has ripped off a franchise-record 17 consecutive victories, which matches the seventh-longest tear by a single club in league history. The surge has vaulted the Rockets within a single game of New Orleans for the No. 3 playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The latest triumph came in impressive fashion, as the Rockets put an end to Dallas' 12-game home win streak with a 113-98 decision at the AmericanAirlines Center. The loss was only the fourth in 29 outings as the host for the Mavericks this season.

Tracy McGrady scored 31 points and doled out nine assists to pace Houston, while Rafer Alston netted a season-best 24 points and rookie Carl Landry added 17 off the bench.

The Rockets have now gone an astounding 21-1 since January 15 and can become the first team since the 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers to win 18 straight contests. That Lakers squad won 19 in a row from February 4-March 13, 2000.

Houston is also riding a string of 11 straight home wins and hasn't tasted defeat since a 97-89 setback to Utah at the Toyota Center on January 27. The team has also gone 5-0 since All-Star center Yao Ming was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

The Rockets' tear also includes a 100-80 road victory over the Hornets on February 22, which avenged a 87-82 New Orleans win in Houston earlier this season. The Hornets have had the upper hand in the series as of late, however, winning eight times in the last 11 encounters between these division rivals.

New Orleans is on a pretty good run of its own, having won three straight games and five of its last six. The Hornets tuned up for tonight's marquee matchup with an easy 107-96 home win over slumping New Jersey on Friday.

Chris Paul scored 25 points and dished out 16 assists to pace New Orleans, which also received career highs of 20 points and eight rebounds from rookie Julian Wright.

Wright was starting in place of All-Star forward David West, who has missed the Hornets' last two games with a sprained left ankle and is expected to be unavailable tonight as well.