Rockets bring back guard Brooks for playoff drive

Brooklyn Nets guard C.J. Watson tries to block Sacramento Kings guard Aaron Brooks (3) in the second quarter of their NBA basketball game in New York January 5, 2013.

(Reuters) - The Houston Rockets shored up their backcourt for the playoff drive by signing free agent guard Aaron Brooks, a former first-round pick of theirs, the NBA team said on Tuesday.

Brooks, who averaged 8 points and 2.3 assists with the Sacramento Kings before being released on March 1, spent last season with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, who he helped reach the CBA Finals.

His best NBA campaign came in 2009-10 with Houston, when he earned Most Improved Player honors after averaging career highs of 19.6 points and 5.3 assists in 82 starts and set the franchise single-season record for three-pointers made.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)