Kevin Martin scored 21 points and Chase Budinger added 19 as the Houston Rockets pulled back above .500 with a 94-78 victory over the visiting Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday.

Chuck Hayes grabbed 17 rebounds and Kyle Lowry shook off a tough shooting night to collect 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Rockets (35-34), who moved to within 2 ½ games of the idle Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Bobcats (28-39) fell one-half game behind the Indiana Pacers for the No. 8 spot in the East.

Neither team shot well from the field but Houston managed to string together some offense in the first half, putting up 29 points in the first quarter and taking a 49-39 lead into the break.

The Rockets pushed it out to as much as 63-45 in the third before Charlotte chipped away, drawing as close as 76-70 with 7:20 left in the game. But Houston went on a 15-4 run over the next 6:30 to put it away.

D.J. Augustin led the Bobcats with 22 points, while Boris Diaw had 13.