Small businesses continued turning to the U.S. Small Business Administration for commercial credit in record numbers through the first three quarters of FY 2005, reflecting their confidence in the U.S. economy and the stability of the SBAloan program that backs their loans.

Small businesses secured SBA backing under the agency's flagship 7(a) program for 71,131 loans through the first nine months of the fiscal year, a 21 percent increase over the same period a year ago and a 49 percent increase over the same period two years ago.

The loans made so far this year amount to $11.1 billion, 19.5 percent more than in the same period last year, and on a clear pace for a record-setting year for the program.

HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bulls are going to surpass their victory total of last season. All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming just didn't want them to do it at the Toyota Center.

McGrady collected 24 points and nine assists and Yao added 21 and 10 rebounds as the Houston Rockets posted their first five-game winning streak of the season with a 105-92 triumph over the Bulls. The Bulls (23-23) matched their win total from last season with a 107-100 triumph at Dallas on Tuesday. Bulls Tickets. They held a 29-28 lead after one quarter in this one but did not score for the first 6:12 of the second period, allowing the Rockets to score 15 straight points in that span to seize control.

"It's been a great run for us and we've been doing a great job of sharing the ball," said McGrady, who led the Rockets in scoring for the 33rd time this season. "We've just been making the right plays for the team and limiting our turnovers. The offense is definitely clicking and if we can get our defense on that same page, then we'll really be a hell of a team."

A layup by Bulls rookie Ben Gordon with 7:48 remaining cut the deficit to 86-77 before the Rockets countered with 11 straight points to put away the game. Yao capped the run with a dunk off a feed from McGrady to open a 97-77 cushion with 5:27 left.

"The last couple of games we have been really good on offense," Yao said. "But for some reason, until tonight, we loosened up on the defensive side. Tonight, I thought we had no problem with our offense. The second team did a great job in the second quarter and that really set the tone for us."

All five starters scored in double figures for Houston, which made half its 82 shots. The Bulls connected on just 37 percent (35-of-95).

Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy was quick to praise the Rockets' defensive effort, especially David Wesley's work against the Bulls' guards.

"I'm still trying to devise a defense where (Wesley) can guard everybody on the perimeter," Van Gundy said. "He can guard point guards, and he was all over Gordon and then he'd switch over to (Kirk) Hinrich. He really set the tone for us defensively tonight."

Houston's Dikembe Mutombo came off the bench to collect six points and 13 rebounds in just 17 minutes for Houston.

"I think a lot of our playing well had to do with the practice we had yesterday," Mutombo said. "It was a great practice and everyone was excited and ready to get out there tonight. It has been awhile since we have played this well defensively and I think that had a lot to do with it."

Before doing so on Wednesday, the Rockets had not held any of their previous nine opponents under 40 percent.

Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 20 rebounds off the bench for Chicago, which fell to 1-3 on a five-game road trip. Chandler became the first Rockets opponent to grab at least 20 rebounds since Denver's Kevin Willis did it on April 10, 2001.

"For some reason, we just had trouble executing the small things," Chandler said. "Our offense was out of sync, and you just can't play catch-up against a good team like Houston."

Chicago coach Scott Skiles said the Bulls had a hard time finding the basket and guarding Yao.

"We're just not very good against Yao, but I think we did a respectable game against McGrady," Skiles said. "Houston is a better team than us and we would have had to play an error-free game against them just like we did at Dallas last night. Houston came out, executed and made plays, and that was the game right there.

"We had a record year for this loan program a year ago, and we're going to set another record in 2005," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "It tells us that the critics are wrong, that small businesses are confident enough to invest in the future of the American economy, and that this program is here to help them do it. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of the self-funded footing on which the President has placed the loan program, and the confidence that lenders have in its stability. I am very pleased with this performance so far this year."

The gains are also reflected in the SBA's Certified Development Company, or 504, loan program. Through the first nine months of the fiscal year, the 504 program had issued 6,434 loans worth $3.44 billion, more than 6 percent ahead of the same period a year ago, when the program had produced 6,058 loans for $2.88 billion.

The budget for the current year makes more than $21 billion available to small businesses through the two loan programs, including $16 billion in small business lending under the 7(a) program and $5 billion under the 504 program.

For information on applying for an SBA loan, visit the SBA's extensive Web site