A team that traditionally has used hostile territory as a crucible in which to fire the ingredients of championship contention thus far has found the road icy and treacherous.

Players who have been part of the championship history understand the need to begin amassing some road success.

"We've been playing well the last couple games," said All-NBA point guard Tony Parker, who had a season-high 32 points in Wednesday's win over Golden State, "but I want to see what we're going to do against the big teams, so Houston's going to be a good test for us.

"It's on the road, and we need to start winning on the road, so we'll see what we can do."

This season's schedule has afforded the Spurs fewer opportunities for early wins than previous seasons. Tonight's game against the Rockets will be just the fifth away game - fewer than any other pre-December schedule during the Duncan era.

"Our schedule, early on, was really wacky," Parker said. "We had a game here and then a three- or four-day break, and then a game on the road. Hopefully, we'll start getting some continuity here with December approaching."

The Rockets , thumped 130-99 by the Mavericks at home on Wednesday, have found a way to maintain a winning record without their two All-Stars, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

Yao is out for the season with a foot problem. McGrady, who had microfracture surgery on his left knee in February, completed his first full practices this week but is not likely to return tonight.

McGrady's status doesn't change the Spurs' approach to the game.

"(This game) will be big," Roger Mason Jr. said. "We haven't had a lot of success on the road. The road is where we really bond and start coming together. Hopefully we can start doing that."

History suggests slow road starts do not portend disaster.

Four times in the past 12 seasons, the Spurs entered the second full month of the season with more road losses than wins: 1999 (2-5), 2000-01 (2-4), 2002-03 (3-5) and 2003-04 (2-6).

The lockout-shortened 1999 season began in February. The Spurs finished the 50-game season 37-13.

In the three 82-game seasons, the final win totals were 58, 60 and 57.

"I'm a firm believer we will get a win on the road this season," Richard Jefferson said, tongue in cheek. "It's not like we need to win this game more than any other. We need to win every game. It's not like you win one and all of a sudden you win them all."

The Spurs come into tonight's game off three straight double-figure victories at home, their longest win streak of the young season. The victories have stoked their confidence that they are starting to gain some chemistry and continuity with a roster full of newcomers.