NBA: The Houston Rockets Fan Blog

Here's to next year

2009-08-03T19:27:00.002-05:00

It was a fun season to watch and you gotta love the overachievers that were on the court at the end, but in the long run, it was the end of an era.

It was definitely the end of the T-Mac era and probably the end of the Yao Ming era. Can David Andersen from Australia hold the fort until either Yao gets back or the Rockets can rebuild with someone new? Doubtful. Will Trevor Ariza be an adequate stopgap for Tracy and the now departed Ron Artest? Double doubtful.

Wish 'em luch boys. They're gonna need it!

They did it!

2009-05-01T22:05:00.001-05:00

The Rockets finally made it out of the first round after 12 years of frustration for Yao Ming and company. Congratulations, guys!

Next up - the Lakers. Ouch.

One down, 3 to go!

2009-04-19T10:58:00.002-05:00

The Rockets pulled off a mild upset last night in Portland by dominating the Trailblazers from start to finish. Yao was perfect and the rest of the team merely great as they carried out a perfect Rick Adelman gameplan with utmost efficiency.

Houston reclaimed the home court advantage they lost last week in Dallas. If they can scrape out a win on Tuesday, the Blazers will be in deep trouble.

Coming down to it

2009-04-05T22:46:00.003-05:00

We're finally down to the last five games and Houston is well-positioned to earn home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Let's hear it from the net. How far will they go this year?

San Antonio Falls

2009-03-23T18:00:00.003-05:00

We saw another great win yesterday by the Rockets over the San Antonio Spurs. Yao played strong defense against their big men and Ron Artest and the two point guards played under control. Luis Scola had a great game and is becoming an outstanding NBA forward.

Good job guys!

A Great Victory

2009-03-16T22:11:00.001-05:00

The Rockets beat the N.O. Hornets tonight without Yao Ming. The rest of the team just decided to make it happen and put together a tough, gritty, defensive game that stands out as one of the best this season. Way to go guys!

Finally - not a flopper

2009-03-06T18:21:00.002-06:00

Shaq comes to town tonight with the Phoenix Suns and Yao is glad to see him. Not that he loves playing against Shaq, but he's been playing against floppers (those who fake fouls by falling down) for the last few games and he's obviously frustrated. At least Shaq plays like a man.

Win Streak

2009-02-27T17:20:00.003-06:00

Things are looking up for the Rockets. McGrady is out and Artest, Battier and company are picking up the slack nicely. Sure was nice to send Cleveland packing. Adios king James!

Life without McGrady.

2009-02-17T22:19:00.002-06:00

First game back after the break and the Rockets beat the Nets like bastard stepchildren. Tracy who?

All-Star Break

2009-02-14T10:05:00.002-06:00

I'm tired and frustrated from the Rockets' roller-coaster ride this season, so I'm taking an all-star break. Happy Valentine's Day everybody!

A win is a win, right?

2009-02-08T11:54:00.003-06:00

Wrong. This one was better than usual, and not because of the opponents. The Minnesota Timberwolvews are hardly the class of the league, but even so, they had won 11 of their last 16 coming into Saturday night's game at Toyota Center. What made it special was that the Rockets played as a team. Five players scored in double figures, the rebounding and defense were good and three players had six assist each.

Are they finally putting it all together?

Plodding along

2009-02-01T12:46:00.003-06:00

Still on a winning pace, the Rockets seem destined for the playoffs, but their inconsistent performances and continuing injury problems do not bode well for getting past the first round. Tracy is out again, Artest is still hobbled and Battier's injuries still linger.

It's high time for the hospital ship to leave port.

Yao is perfect

2009-01-18T10:36:00.004-06:00

It's time for a positive post and Yao Ming's performance last night - and in fact, all season - deserves every word. Despite a collapsing defense and being double and triple-teamed on virtually every possession, Yao shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets to a 13 point win over the Miami Heat.

The game was Yao's 21st double-double of the season. He has been a rock in the rotation all year and a stabilizing influence in the locker room. Some might argue that Dwight Howard of Orlando is the best center in the game, and both his individual stats and team record would reinforce that argument. But with all the injuries and drama surrounding the Rockets, it's time to give credit where credit is due to the big guy. Yao Ming is the glue that has held things together and earned his team a .610 winning record and fifth place in the Western Conference.

Hang in there Yao. The reinforcements are coming.

Prophesy

2009-01-12T19:36:00.006-06:00

Apparently Rick Adelman read my last post. Tracy has been put on hold for two weeks according to the press release, but sources say it will be for as long as it takes for him to play at full speed. Adelman must be tired of the revolving door that T-Mac is causing. They've pretty much told McGrady to get in shape and learn to deal with the pain.

I hear calls to trade Tracy, but that is extremely unlikely. What team would absorb his current contract of $20 mil for two more years?

The time has come

2009-01-02T19:47:00.003-06:00

It's time for T-Mac to sit or go. He has earned zero playing time this year. Is it the knee injury? They are hard to overcome and take time to completely heal. Maybe more time than the Rockets have allowed.

Is he jealous of the other stars the Rockets have accumulated? Tracy has proven mostly well-rounded and unselfish in his tenure in Houston, averaging in the mid twenties in scoring with a half dozen each of rebounds and assists. But does Artest push his buttons?

Is he just used up? He came to the pros straight out of high school so he has not yet reached his thirtieth birthday, but has played 11 1/2 seasons in the NBA. That's a lot of strain on a body, especially when he was the focus of his team most of those years.

The answer to each of the above questions is: I don't care. He is not producing. Rick Adelman owes it to the team to give someone else his minutes so that they can establish a rotation on which they can depend. This team can never establish a groove when their lineup changes every night, especially when Tracy just mails in his performance as he did tonight against the Raptors.

Tracy had a good run with the Rockets, but he is a player that relies heavily on his athleticism and it seems to have left him. The coach needs to sit him down until it returns.

Good record against bad teams

2008-12-21T10:41:00.005-06:00

December has been kind to the Rockets, but mostly because of the schedule. They are 7-2 for the month, but the competition has been less than stellar. True, they beat two good teams - Denver and Atlanta, both at Toyota Center. The rest of the month has been a romp through the Weak Sisters of the Poor of the Western Conference. Road losses to the Clippers and Grizzlies spoiled an otherwise excellent month.

7-2 is a good record, but as I've said before, to ignore the records of the opponents is to stick one's head in the sand. Other than the Nuggets and Hawks, the rest of the teams they faced have a combined record of 73-138, an anemic .346 winning percentage, and the Rockets lost to two of those teams.

One bright spot has been the emergence of Aaron Brooks at the point. He still has a lot to learn, but is as quick as a hiccup, and plays with a lot of grit. Whatever he gives up on defense because of his height he seems to make up for on offense.

Yes, the injury bug still bites, and that sucker can sting. In the road loss to the Clippers, Tracy McGrady was hobbled and Ron Artest missed the game completely. McGrady and Artest both missed the road loss to the Grizzlies. Rafer Alston was injured in a home win against the Clippers and has missed the last three games. Brent Barry, who was slated to be a staple in the rotation, has missed all of December with a torn leg muscle.

I used to play a lot of B-Ball, strictly club stuff and I was never very good, but it did teach me a great deal about injuries, mostly ankle injuries. They take time to heal completely, and not just a little time. Six weeks for a severe sprain is optimistic to return to the court, but the pain may not go away for months at least. Same for the knees. Now that I am beyond my basketball days, the ankle pain is chronic. Basketball is a great game and provides valuable exercise, but it's hell on the wheels.

Again, the report card shows an Incomplete. When everyone gets healthy and the competition improves, we'll see where they stand. Merry Christmas everyone!

Pet peeve

2008-12-13T17:34:00.002-06:00

I hope I get my point across with this one. Got that? I HOPE. Not HOPEFULLY. That is the most misused word in sports interviews.

When someone says, "Hopefully, we will win the game," they are actually saying, "We will win the game, and while we are winning, we will be hopeful." It is putting an adverb where a verb should be. What they mean to say is, "I hope we will win the game." Equally correct would be , "I am hopeful that we will win the game." Also correct would be "We are going into the game hopefully." You may substitute the words "full of hope" for hopefully.

I know, the incorrect use of the word is listed in the dictionary as an option, but it is considered non-standard English. A word of advice to all athletes and coaches: Keep it simple. Don't use the word hopefully at all. It is rarely correct and just makes you sound like you never cracked a book in college. Just say "I hope."

Hopefully, you all will get the message. :)

Division Leaders

2008-12-05T20:18:00.004-06:00

The Rockets are 12-7 and lead the Southwest Division by 1/2 game over the New Orleans Hornets. Why do I feel like they are a mediocre team? Is it the inconsistency, winning against a good team one day and losing to a bad one the next?

Is it the injuries? T-Mac is out for a few weeks. In the press, everyone that should know says that McGrady's pain must be a booger to keep him off the court. OK. I guess I believe them. Shane Battier is back, but Shane and the coaches are limiting his minutes and games played for safety's sake. We've all seen him limp through games that mattered and ones that didn't. If he can play, Shane will be there. Brent Barry will miss a couple more weeks with a muscle tear in his leg. That won't do anything to help his 30% shooting percentage for the season. Ron Artest is nursing an ankle sprain. There is little doubt that Ron gives his all in every game. The concern is that he has had a reputation of playing offense as he sees fit rather than trying to blend into a system. Coach Adelman has not complained publicly about it, but one has to wonder if that isn't the reason for Artest's 34% shooting to date with the Rockets. In Adelman's system, teamwork counts in getting open shots.

I say we speak kindly of the injured and be glad that the Rockets that are available are on a pace to get good playoff seeding. If everyone gets healthy by mid-season... Well, look out, NBA!

Busy week

2008-11-23T12:45:00.003-06:00

The Rockets played four games in six nights this week and won three of them. It started in Oklahoma City where the Rockets handled the Thunder with apparent ease, though ultimately the game proved costly. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady both tweaked old injuries and Ron Artest sprained his ankle. Yao was held out of the Dallas game two days later for precautionary reasons. McGrady and Artest both played, but neither was 100%. Dallas thrashed the undermanned Rockets, with Nowitzki scoring 24 and perennial Rocket-killer Jason Terry hitting 13 of 21 shots for 31 points. All hands were on deck for the back-back games against Washington and Orlando and the Rockets used strong fourth quarters to pull out a pair of road victories.

After the OKC game, McGrady gave lip-service to "shutting it down for a while", obviously frustrated by the nagging injuries that are preventing him from being the T-Mac of old. To his credit, he suited up and gave it his best against Dallas. There was a story before the season began in reference to his sitting out virtually the entire pre-season. An unnamed teammate was quoted as saying that Tracy wanted the fame and accolades of being a superstar, but didn't want to pay the price for it. Those of us who have never been in the Rockets' training room or (obviously) inside Tracy's head cannot judge how bad his pain really is, but it's not the first time it's been said.

At 9-5, the Rockets are tied for second in the Western Conference behind only the Lakers. Obviously that's not bad and if they maintain that rate, 53 wins will probably get them home field advantage for the playoffs. The biggest concern is inconsistency. They've lost a couple they should have won. The probable cause is injuries. The nagging pain experienced by the Rockets' superstars can be worse some nights than others. What they need most is another player that brings all he has to the court every single night.

Shane! Come back Shane!

Hills and valleys

2008-11-16T11:34:00.002-06:00

The Rockets just completed a long road trip that must have felt like a very tall roller coaster. The longest trip of the season was made necessary because the very prestigious Latin Grammies were being held at the Toyota Center and needed several days before and after to prepare the facilities. I'm not being facetious about the prestige part. The Latin Grammies are huge throughout most of the world. Juanes was dominating, winning five grammies. If you have not heard his music, by all means check it out. He is very talented and his music is contagious. But back to the Rockets.

Following victories in each of their first three games of the season, the Rockets suffered a loss at home to the World Champion Boston Celtics in which they were never really out of the game by the numbers, but the Celtics seemed in command throughout.

The road trip began two days later in Portland with a deflating loss in overtime. Brandon Roy hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer in a hard-fought game the Rockets thought they had won. But to their credit, after a long flight back down the Pacific coast, they bounced back to beat the Clippers the following night. OK, so it was only the Clippers, but that's a lot of traveling and after a tough loss, they could have phoned it in - but didn't. Two days later, the Lakers showed the Rockets why they were in the finals last year by pretty much slapping the Rockets all around Staples Center. Too much R&R time in La-La land?

Following two days rest, the Phoenix Suns posed a lesser challenge, falling to the Rockets by 12 points. Unfortunately, the game was clouded by the loss of Rafer Alston for two games for fighting with Phoenix forward Matt Barnes. Alston rightly felt that Barnes had gone beyond setting a hard pick and - not rightly - retaliated with vigor. Barnes and Alston were both ejected and ultimately suspended for two games. Steve Nash was suspended for one game for joining in the skirmish and Tracy McGrady was fined $25,000. Now here's the part I like. When commenting on the event, McGrady felt that Alston should not have been suspended for as long as Barnes because Barnes started it. Ok, a legitimate argument. Then he said, "About the 25, I don’t care about that." He didn't care about losing $25,000. Let me repeat that. He didn't care about losing $25,000! Sigh.

Finally back in Texas on Friday night, the Spurs staged a last minute comeback from a 14 point fourth quarter deficit to pin another hard-to-take loss on the Rockets, ending a 2-3 trip that was mostly forgettable for their overall mediocre play.

But the bounce-back boys were not finished. They played their second back-to-back game in as many weeks against the Hornets in the Toyota Center and dominated the Hornets throughout. At first glance it seems like the Rockets are either out of shape or lack team depth, based on the fact that they lost two of their games on comebacks in the fourth quarter. But they have played three back-to-back games this year and won all three. The only word I can find for them so far is inconsistent. Let's hope they can find the team chemistry that enabled them to win 22 in a row last year.

So in a tough two weeks when they played seven games in 12 days, mostly on the road, they finished at 3-4. They beat some good teams and lost to both teams that played in the finals last year. Not exactly disheartening, but they definitely have some work to do.

3 down, 79 to go

2008-11-02T10:35:00.002-06:00

I'll take a 3-0 start, even though the Rockets have looked less than perfect in stretches. But to state the obvious, a win is a win.

Granted, the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder (that one still takes some getting used to) are far from elite, but the Rockets also beat the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on a back-to-back night. By any standards the Mavericks are formidable, especially at home. I hear the rose-colored glasses saying that the quality of the opponents don't matter. They are all professional teams that can win on any given night. That was a common refrain last year during the 22 game win streak in which the Rockets enjoyed a relatively soft schedule. The streak was a great accomplishment, but let's be honest. Should the heavyweight champion receive the same accolades for defeating a tired old club fighter as he would for beating the number one contender? A lucky punch notwithstanding, the champ should win. That's not being negative, just realistic.

Actually, I am an optimist. I think the Rockets are a contender and will only improve as Ron Artest feels his way into the chemistry of the team and Shane Battier comes back from injury. 3-0? I'll take it and love it!

It's Christmas!

2008-10-28T20:01:00.003-05:00

Finally, opening day! Not for the Rockets, but the season has begun - at least for six teams. The Rockets open tomorrow night at home against the Memphis Grizzlies. With Shane Battier and Aaron Brooks both out with bad wheels, let's hope the Rockets have enough in the tank to pull out their first victory of the season. I'm betting they do.

A friend once compared the preseason to going to school. I think it's more like Christmas Eve. Any father who loves his kid enjoys putting the bike together the night before almost as much as seeing the child's eyes when they first behold the finished product. The regular season is Christmas morning. Well, Merry Christmas everyone! I'm looking forward to unwrapping the first win of the season tomorrow night!

You decide

2008-10-26T10:27:00.004-05:00

Rafer Alston is out of criminal court and back on the basketball court. Congratulations to him for beating the rap. Did high-profile attorney Rusty Hardin put a legitimate case before the jury or was it a smoke-and-mirrors game often employed by those who can afford the best lawyers? View the arrest video and you decide.

This is a blog. It states opinion - my opinion - so here it is. If I had been on the jury and had to make a decision based on the video herein, I could not have found Alston guilty. Obviously, I couldn't smell his breath or look deeply into his eyes, but I can at least understand why the jury decided as it did. That doesn't change the fact that he had no business driving at 3:00 AM after having "a few drinks," but that is between him and his employer, both of whom have much to lose from an image problem.

So it's back to basketball and let the games begin!

Missing pieces

2008-10-21T20:30:00.003-05:00

Well, the hospital ship does not yet seem to have left port. 40% of the starting lineup is still not ready to play. Tracy McGrady's offseason knee surgery has not allowed him to effectively compete. He played a few minutes in Boston before being ejected, but hasn't played since. Is it just me, or does anyone else wonder if he got himself thrown out of that game on purpose? OK, that probably wasn't fair. At least he was showing some spunk.

Shane Battier's foot has kept him off the floor for all of training camp. He is scheduled to have an MRI tomorrow, but he says he will play in the final preseason game Thursday. Both players will take some time to get up to speed and it may cost the Rockets in the short run. The most important physical factor in playing defense is the wheels.

A couple of other Rockets have missed some time this week too because of a head cold going around. Better now than in the regular season, I say.

The good news is that the Rockets are a deep veteran team. They need another training camp like they need a hole in the head. When the bell sounds, they will show up. Frankly, I'm ready for the bell.

2008-10-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

Only 9 days, 6 hours, 34 minutes and 20 seconds till opening night!

So Far, So Good

2008-10-10T21:21:00.002-05:00

After two wins in the preseason, the Rockets are looking pretty good, especially considering that two of their top starters have yet to take the court.

Ron Artest has filled in nicely for Shane Battier, who is recovering from offseason surgery for a few more weeks. I'm certain there will be much debate in the coming months as to who is the better player and who deserves to start. That's the kind of controversy that's great to have. BTW, Artest has kept his nose clean and said all the right things about enjoying being in Houston. Good for you, Ron. Luther Head has been his usual serviceable self in Tracy McGrady's place.

Yao's foot seems to be healed. He's using the preseason to get in game shape. Good. That's what it's for. Brent Barry seems to have taken to the offense just fine, getting 8 assists in the second game. Rafer seems focused on his on-the-court life rather than his in-court issues, Joey Dorsey is showing flashes of talent, Chuck Hayes, Mike Harris, Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks all seem to be in mid-season form, at least conditioning-wise.

Like I said, so far, so good. I'm starting to get excited.

Ike Relief

2008-09-20T16:53:00.002-05:00

Kudos to Les Alexander and all the players and staff who showed up to distribute relief supplies to Hurrican Ike's victims. Les opened his heart and wallet and the players and staff spent their time and efforts to help their fellow Houstonians. Thanks to Luther Head, Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, Chuck Hayes and Mike Harris who were there with bells on.

But to be realistic, there were more photographers and reporters there than Rockets players. The event was well promoted. There's nothing wrong with that, I guess. Capitalism has many wonderful side effects. But it begs the question: Where were Tracy, Yao, Shane, Ron, Luis and the rest of the big name players? The players that were there offered platitudes of "We're all in this together" and "We don't have power either." But when you make a million dollars a year or more, it's a little different, guys. Frankly, with the exception of the Rockets staff members that were there anonymously, the whole event left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

Promotions

2008-09-08T20:01:00.003-05:00

Gersson Rosas was promoted Wednesday to Rockets director of player personnel, succeeding Dean Cooper, who left the team last month to join the coaching staff of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rosas, a University of Houston graduate and former graduate assistant coach with the Cougars, will be starting his fifth season with the Rockets.
He was elevated to director of scouting last season after three seasons as the team’s personnel video coordinator/personnel scout.

The Rockets also announced the hiring of Arturas Karnisovas as director of global scouting and international affairs. Karnisovas, a former European player of the year after his college career at Seton Hall, played professionally in Italy, Greece, Spain and France and was a two-time Olympic bronze medalist for Lithuania.

Houston Chronicle
Sept. 4, 2008

I have no idea if these guys are any good. We'll see soon enough if they can mine a gem for the backup point guard and center spots.

Famous Sons

2008-08-27T22:05:00.002-05:00

The Rockets now have two sons of famous fathers on the roster. Joining Patrick Ewing, Jr. is D. J. Strawberry, Jr., son of baseball great Darryl Strawberry. D.J. the younger is a 6-5 swingman with a proclivity for defense. In 33 games with the Phoenix Suns, he shot a lowly .315 from the field and only 24% from beyond the arc. With those numbers, he had better be a defensive stopper if he hopes to make it in the NBA.

Father Darryl Strawberry enjoyed a Hall of Fame quality career in baseball, but his off-the-field troubles overshadowed his accomplishments between the lines. His rap sheet includes arrests and/or convictions for spousal abuse, cocaine posession, alcohol abuse, income tax evasion, solicitation of prostitution, parole violation and filing a false police report in a car theft scam. He also did several stretches in drug and alcohol rehab facilities. This is for information only, as the son can certainly never be held accountable for the sins of the father. D.J. Strawberry, Jr. has never been in trouble and deserves a fair shake.

The team. Stick at 15 or take another card?

2008-08-19T19:06:00.006-05:00

OK, here's how the roster looks today:

Rafer Alston G
Aaron Brooks G
Luther Head G
Steve Francis G
Sean Singletary G
Brent Barry G-F
Tracy McGrady G-F
Shane Battier F
Joey Dorsey F
Patrick Ewing F
Ron Artest F
Mike Harris F
Chuck Hayes F
Carl Landry F
Maarty Leunen F
Luis Scola F-C
Dikembe Mutombo C
Yao Ming C

Assuming Sean Singletary and Patrick Ewing Jr. get released as expected and Maarty Leunen plays overseas this year, the Rockets don't need to release anyone else before the regular season. In fact, if Dikembe Mutombo and/or Carl Landry don't sign, the home team will need to add some people just to fill their training camp roster. So here's the big question of the week. Is this a championship team? The answer is, almost.

Even if Deke re-ups, the Rockets need a new quality backup center. As good as Mutombo has been in his career, there's just not much left in the tank. Even if he can turn in one more good season, they will need a new guy next year anyway. A year of tutoring under Mutombo would benefit any young player.

Rafer Alston is facing more legal troubles. Granted, a court of law is not likely to keep him off the basketball court, but it is a distraction at best. Aaron Brooks is still something of a question mark, despite a fair Summer League showing. Steve Francis may or may not be healthy and in the mix. After including Bobby Jackson in the Ron Artest trade, the Rockets need another point guard in camp, at least good enough to compete for the first backup spot.

That's it. Just a couple of good backups away. Keep looking, Daryl.

DUI: Dumb, Unacceptable, Idiotic

2008-08-14T17:53:00.005-05:00

The Rockets had more bad news about Rafer Alston this week. He was arrested for driving drunk at 3:00 in the morning and charged with misdemeanor DUI. Misdemeanor because he has never been convicted of it before. But this is not his first rodeo.

On August 4, 2007, Rafer was charged and later convivted of misdemeanor assault and public intoxication after a confrontation with a parking attendant in which Alston allegedly spit on the attendant. I can only assume that since Rafer was publicly intoxicated and trying to get his car back, had he not been arrested for assault he would have been driving drunk.

Later that month, he was arrested in NYC for allegedly slashing a man's throat with a knife in yet another middle of the night altercation. The charges were dropped in this case because of the conflicting testimony of witnesses, so we have to give him the benefit of the doubt on that one. Regardless, he put himself in a situation where something like that could happen. High profile athletes can't afford to do that. With the money comes the risk.

In college at Fresno State, arguably the most corrupt program in the nation under Jerry Tarkanian, Rafer was twice convicted of misdemeanor assault. In 1996, he beat up a neighbor that complained about Alston's loud music. A month later, he punched his former girlfriend, Rachel Henderson, and knocked her to the ground outside the Fresno State weight room. Prior to that, while in Junior College at Ventura, he was kicked off the team for bashing a sleeping teammate, Shannon Taylor, in the groin with a metal weight following an earlier argument.

So here's the big question. How can the Rockets trade for Ron Artest, who has more baggage than a Samsonite store, and not forgive Rafer Alston? At what point does character begin to matter?

Adios, Steve.

2008-08-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

The Rockets traded Steve Novak yesterday to the L.A. Clippers for future draft considerations. It had to happen. Novak had not been able to show enough to break into the starting lineup in his two year tenure with the Rockets. A great shooter, Steve just didn't have the D to stop opposing forwards from equalling his scoring.

That still leaves the Rockets' forward corp overcrowded. Seven players - Shane Battier, Ron Artest, Mike Harris, rookie Joey Dorsey (still unsigned), Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry (free agent) and Luis Scola - are trying to fit into no more than 5 slots. Throw unsigned second round draft pick Maarty Leunen and swingmen Tracy McGrady and Brent Barry into the mix and you've got too many forwards.

Steve Novak never had a chance after the trade for Artest.

Ron Artest

2008-08-01T21:40:00.005-05:00

On August 14, the Rockets and the Sacramento Kings will pull the trigger on a major trade. Since the Rockets' first round draft choice this year, Donte Greene, is included in the trade, it cannot be consummated until one month after he was signed. But according to league sources, the deal is done. The Rockets will get Ron Artest and maybe other minor players as needed to make the numbers match. The Kings will get Greene, backup point guard Bobby Jackson, a first round draft choice next year and a million dollars.

On paper, the trade makes perfect sense for the Rockets. Bobby Jackson is getting long in the tooth. Donte Greene spent only one year in college and would not have been a factor in the Rockets rotation in the near future anyway, if ever. With Ron Artest added to an already good team, the Rockets will be drafting at the very end of the first round next year. Good players are few and far between at that point. And the million dollars? Who cares? That's Les's money, not mine. So on paper, there is very little risk involved for the Rockets.

In the real world, There are numerous risks. Ron Artest has been a felony looking for a place to happen his whole career. He has been suspended 10 times, once for a full season. The odds of him pitching another fit and disrupting an otherwise happy locker room are better than even money. Equally important, this team has in the past given a great deal of weight to character. This is a giant step in the other direction. There will be at least some fan backlash for "selling out" morality for a championship. I've already heard, "If Hitler could play basketball, would you sign him?" I know, stupid analogy. Hitler was too short and terminally white. But when you get down to it, the concept is the same. It's just a matter of degree.

On the plus side, Ron Artest is an outstanding player. He has the talent and determination to succeed on the court. He is a lock-down defender and can score when called upon. He will make the Rockets a much better team - yes, even a championship quality team.

Was it a good trade? If asked beforehand, I would have advised against it. I believe that one should always look at the quality of the complete person, not just the talent on the court. As the old saying goes, adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it.

Now that it's a done deal and my beloved Rockets have another all-star, I am inclined to be a bit more pragmatic. After all, Artest is not a hardened criminal, just a hot-head. As a business owner, if someone with past mistakes on his record applied to me for a job, I would hope I could see beyond those mistakes and at least consider giving that person a second chance. So here it is, Ron. You start with me with a clean slate. If you show respect for the fans coaches and other players and keep your nose clean off the court, I'll root for you and give you all the credit you earn. Good luck.

Summer Leaguers

2008-07-25T19:17:00.003-05:00

The NBA Summer League is over and the Rockets contingent played to mixed reviews. To keep it simple, I'll only address the four Rockets participants that stand a good chance of making the team this year (in alphabetical order).

Aaron Brooks (B-): Since the Rockets drafted forwards this year, Brooks' development is more important than ever. He said before the Summer League began that he was going to concentrate on playmaking. In that regard, he did fairly well, averaging 7 assists in his five starts versus 2.8 turnovers. Shooting was another story. He scored 16.8 ppg, but only hit at a 37% clip, including a miserable 20% from beyond the arc. Considering the level of competition, that's not good enough.

Joey Dorsey (Incomplete): Joey only played in two games, spraining his ankle in mid-tournament. In those 2 games, he hit a gaudy 82.4% of his shots and grabbed 27 rebounds. He also had 4 turnovers and 6 fouls per game. At the end of the 3rd game, Dorsey was on the bench in street clothes and harrassed the referee until he drew a technical foul. The Rockets were ahead by three at the time with only a few seconds to play. The Nuggets hit the free throw and tied the game with a two-pointer at the buzzer. Denver went on to win the game in OT. Right now, Dorsey is a young man with a lot of potential - and a lot to learn.

Donte Greene (A-): The second-highest scorer in all of the Summer League, Donte averaged 22.6 ppg, shooting 42.5% from the field and hit 36.8% of his 3-pointers. But at 6' 9", he only grabbed 3.6 rpg and turned the ball over 3 times per game. At this point in his career though, I'll take the scoring and build from there. That is, after all, what he was drafted to do.

Mike Harris (C+): Mike is a known commodity to the Rockets. He joined the team in mid-season last year and added much-needed depth to the bench. In his five games in the Summer League, he averaged 13.4 ppg and hit 59.2% of his shots. At only 6' 6", he pulled down 7.6 rebounds per game, but his play was erratic. He averaged 2.8 TO's, seven in one game against Washington. Based on his height and talent levels, Harris is an over-achiever, but a workaholic player like him can be a real asset in the locker room and on the bench.

Like I said, mixed reviews. But this competition will only weigh a little bit on who gets the last 2 or 3 positions on the bench next season. Mostly it is just good practice for the youngsters and gives the rookies a small taste of what it will be like at the next level.

Will you take this man...?

2008-07-12T18:43:00.005-05:00

After a long engagement period, the Rockets finally landed their first choice in the free agent market. Brent Barry, a 36 year-old guard/forward from the San Antonio Spurs, agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $3.9 Million. Darryl Morey has courted Barry since he was briefly available in February when he was traded to the Sonics, then released. Barry opted to return to San Antonio to finish the season, but Morey didn't give up. On Thursday, Barry finally said "I do."

This was a smart move financially. Morey was able to get the deal done using only their "biannual exception" to sign Barry, keeping their full mid-level exception to match any offer up to that amount that restricted free agent Carl Landry receives (starting at $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season).

It was equally smart basketball-wise. Brent has been consistently productive throughout his career, playing in 84 playoff games and contributing to two world championships. He is Rick Adelman's type of player, hard-nosed and smart. I have heard negative comments that his averages have dropped off in the four years he was with the Spurs, but the truth is that he became a backup with the championship-quality Spurs and his minutes went way down. His per-minute avergages remained consistent with his early years in the league.

It seems likely that Barry will replace Steve Novak on the roster. Novak is a great 3-point shooter, but has been unable to match up defensively with NBA power forwards and is too slow to play small forward. Barry shoots over 40% from beyond the arc (even better in the playoffs) and is a good defensive player with excellent instincts. The other good news on this front is that every team in the league is looking for scoring, so Novak may be tradable, at least for a future draft choice.

The other possibility is that Barry will edge out Luther Head. You've got to love Luther's guts and determination, but he's a little short to defend the larger shooting guards and makes too many bad choices distributing the ball to play the point. Luther is in a similar position to Novak in that he also has trade value. A late first-rounder or high second for either of them would be a feather in the Rockets' cap down the road.

Of course, it is also possible that Head and Novak may both stay, but room has to be made for the two new draft choices too, assuming they can make the team. Certainly Mike Harris and Loren Woods are on the bubble. If the Rockets are not able to resign Dikembe Mutombo nor able to acquire a quality backup center, Woods may have a shot at staying around for a full season.

One last thing: There has been some discussion to the effect that Shane Battier may be on the trading block. Let's keep this simple. Dont' do it! Battier can make a good team great.

"Free" Agents?

2008-07-02T20:25:00.003-05:00

A greater misnomer never existed. Free agents are remarkably expensive. Can the Rockets afford any? The short answer is yes, within reason.

GM Daryl Morey has a mid-level exception to work with (about $6 mil), but they need to use some of that to re-sign Carl Landry. So let's face it, Gilbert Arenas, Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala are out of the question. Corey Maggette is a long-shot, but I am not a fan of signing the best man on a losing team, especially the Clippers. Case in point: Maurice Taylor. It took the Rockets years to dump his over-priced salary.

There are a few players that could contribute that might be persuaded by what the Rockets can offer. Brent Barry is on the top of their list. He is smart, he shoots a high percentage from everywhere and he plays shooting guard/small forward, a position at which the Rockets could use a good backup. Besides, it's an NBA tradition that anybody named Barry must end his career in Houston.

James Posey might fit the bill, too. In a perfect world, the backup players would match the skills of the starters at the same position. That would make Posey a perfect choice to play behind Shane Battier. But that only works in theory. It's hard to tailor a team that perfectly in real life, so a mix of skills is usually preferable. Regardless, Posey is a fine hard-nosed player that knows how to win. I was sorry to see the Rockets lose him after the 2002-03 season.

Mickael Pietrus is available, but his productivity declined significantly last year. Robert Horry might be amenable, but he's over the hill. DeSagana Diop is a young Dikembe at best, one dimensional and probably priced too high for consideration anyway. Bostjan Nachbar... forget I mentioned him.

My choice? Brent Barry. Smart players make everyone around them better.

But wait! You also get...

2008-06-28T09:02:00.003-05:00

Remember that old Ronco infomercial line? Daryl Morey played Ron Popeil and used his Pocket Fisherman to reel in three picks for one in Thursday's NBA draft.

The opening salvo was to take Nicolas Batum with the 25th pick. Batum is a 6' 8" swingman prodigy from France. He is talented and athletic, but at 19 years old, he is a few years away from being an impact player in the NBA. High risk, high reward - down the road. But the Rockets core is in their prime and the future is now. So Daryl got busy.

He traded Batum to Portland for Darrell Arthur, a 6-9 Sophmore Forward from Kansas. Arthur had dropped from a potential lottery pick to the 27th player taken, ostensibly because of rumors circulating around the league about a possible kidney problem. According to Arthur, it was a moot issue, but his people didn't adequately "get the word out." He was initially selected by New Orleans, then traded to Portland for cash, whence he was traded to Houston for Batum.

But the Rockets never wanted Arthur. Their goal was to trade him to Memphis for the rights to Donte Greene and Joey Dorsey, taken 28th and 33rd respectively, plus a second-round draft choice next year from Memphis. Since Memphis is a young rebuilding team, that choice could be like getting a late first-rounder. Three for one.

Donte Greene is an athletic freshman forward from Syracuse listed by some (including the Rockets) at 6' 11'" but most of the draft gurus say it's more like 6' 9". He has a strong upside, especially for a team that needs backup help at the small forward position. If his attitude is right and he has the mental accuity to match his physical skills, he could learn a lot from Shane Battier and blossom into a serious contributor in the next season or two. But for now, he's young and has some holes in his game. Originally slated by insiders to go anywhere from the lottery to the 20th pick, the Rockets believe they got lucky to acquire him when they did. But teams always say that, don't they?

Joey Dorsey is a banger at the power forward position. Again, listed at 6' 9", he was measured at the combine at only 6' 7". That's still a huge man, but in the NBA trenches, that 2" is a liabilty. The positives are that he is a mature senior from Memphis that could contribute right away. he is a good defender and works hard on the offensive glass. The negatives are that he gets most of his points on put-backs and can't hit a free throw for love nor money. Short, good defender, good rebounder, no offense. Can anyone say Chuck Hayes?

Later in the second round, the Rockets selected Maarty Leunen, a 6' 9" forward from Oregon. Maarty will play overseas for the forseeable future.

As I said in previous posts, I would like to have seen a backup center come our way, but the good ones were gone by the time the Rockets got to play. DeAndre Jordan was still there, but let's just assume there was a good reason for that. He is a project at best and the Rockets knew him pretty well. And, according to Les Alexander, they may not be through dealing. They could still make a trade for a backup big man.

All in all, considering they had only a 25th pick to work with in the first round, the Rockets did very well. They ended up with a 28th, 33rd, and a high second-rounder next year. I was once at a fishing camp with some very drunken anglers. When asked if they had any luck that day, one replied, "Sure! We didn't fall out of the boat or anything!" Success is relative, right Daryl? Good fishing, guys.

Draft Consensus (or lack thereof)

2008-06-19T16:58:00.002-05:00

A review of 72 mock drafts on the net shows a great diversity among "experts" as to what the Rocket's needs are, who are the best athletes and who might still be available when the 25th selection rolls around. So without editorial, here are the players that the gurus believe would best suit the team and may still be available (with number of votes):

Robin Lopez, C, Stanford (10)
Nicholas Batum, SF, France (9)
Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG/SF, Memphis (7)
Jason Thompson, PF, Rider (6)
Serge Ibaka, PF, Congo (5)
J.J. Hickson, PF, N.C. State (5)
Alexis Ajinca, C, France (4)
Ryan Anderson, F, Cal (3)
Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown (3)
Mario Chalmers, PG, Kansas (3)
Ty lawson, PG, North Carolina (3)

There were also six players that received two votes and eight more that received one vote. So altogether, 25 players were named as the Rockets' best available option by 72 prognosticators, with no one player receiving more than 10 votes. That's quite a spread. But there does seem to be a consensus on at least one point. The Rockets need a big man. 55 of the mock drafts reviewed selected either a forward or center, while 7 picked a swingman and only 10 thought a true guard was the best choice.

Here's to the D-League!

2008-06-13T21:09:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but I like the NBA Developmental League. I have long believed that the NBA needed a minor league system to develop talent. It gives the lower draft choices and free agents a place to stay active and get some seasoning and coaching while they wait for their chance to contribute to an NBA team. Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry and Steve Novak all spent time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers last year before finishing the season as important contributors to the Rockets.

Right now, most of the sixteen D-League teams are affiliated with more than one NBA team. I would like to see the D-League expand so that every NBA team has their own farm system. I think it would be good for the league for several reasons.
1. In addition to the drafted players and free agents mentioned above, there are many young players that are just not college material, but have basketball talent. These players have virtually no chance to make the NBA since the new age limits preclude signing with an NBA team until they've been out of high school for a year. The D-League could not only pay these young players a modest salary, but offer them a venue to get noticed by an NBA team - without the risk of having to play with the bigger faster players of the NBA.
2. Assuming the farm team is located near the NBA affiliate city, it would help expand the fan base both for the home team and for the NBA in general.
3. It would serve as a proving ground not only for potentially good players, but also coaches, referees, administrators and any other positions associated with professional sports.
4. If the parent team could keep the young players under contract while assigning them to the minors, there would be a lot more player development going on. Minor league coaches would be true teachers and far less concerned with baby-sitting massive egos and salaries.

Once upon a time, there was the CBA (Continental Basketball Association). They had a long and storied history, having begun in 1946 as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League. Two years later, they were renamed the Eastern Basketball Association and in 1978 became the CBA. For a couple of decades, the CBA was an unofficial version of what the D-League has become, a place to season young players and a source of replacements for when the first line players of an NBA team went down. In 1999, a grand scheme was concocted by Isaah Thomas and a group of investors to buy all of the CBA teams and run the league as a single corporation. Well, it seems as if the New York Knicks are not the only thing Isaah can screw up. The experiment was a dismal failure and the league declared bankruptcy and ceased operations just two years later. Some of the teams merged with the IBL and purchased the assets of the defunct CBA, including the name and logo. So the CBA again exists with eleven teams, some of them in cities I couldn't even find on a map - and I love geography!

So here's my plan. Let the D-League merge with the CBA to create twenty seven teams. Add three more teams and assign one D-League team to each NBA team. Voila! A true farm system.

I tried calling Commissioner Stern to explain my idea. Seems he wasn't taking calls.

Here's the deal with the draft...

2008-06-08T19:18:00.005-05:00

It's time for Rockets fans to get realistic. By the 25th pick in the draft, there will be no starters available. Not even any real starter projects. So it seems that the only holes that can be plugged via the draft are with backup players and overall depth.

Fortunately for the Rockets, the biggest hole in their lineup is at backup center and there are a number of college players that could fit that mold. Even if Mutombo can be productive for one more year, they will need one soon anyway. There are a number of "project" centers out there that could back up Yao for several years.

Among the centers that have declared for the draft, only Brook Lopez of Stanford is a consensus top 10 pick. The rest seem to be all over the board on most mock drafts. Most likely, DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M), Kevin Love (UCLA), Kosta Koufos (Ohio State), Marreese Speights (Florida) and Javale McGee (Nevada) will all be gone by the time the Rockets get to pick, but that still leaves some prospects. The downside is that prospects have holes in their game that may or may not be fixable, bit still require first-round money and guarantees.

Some of the rest of the centers likely to be selected in the draft:

Roy Hibbert (Georgetown)
Robin Lopez (Stanford)
Jason Thompson (Rider)
Devon Hardin (California)
Alexis Ajinka (International - France)
Ante Komic (International - Croatia)

I suggest the Rockets bring Dikembe back for one more year (if he's amenable), take the top center remaining and give him a year of seasoning behind the two veterans. It may pay dividends down the road or even sooner if Yao goes down again.

The Future

2008-05-26T23:51:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Luis Scola and Carl Landry, both of whom made the all-rookie team this year. Scola, who became a starter midway through the season and was an important component of the Rockets' streak and late season success, made the first team. As a starter, Scola averaged 13.0 ppg on 53% shooting, and the team enjoyed a 31-8 record. Landry became a key sub at about the same time and was named to the second team.

These awards bode well for the future of the team. It marks the first time in 25 years that two players from the same Rockets team made the squad. Ralph Sampson and Rodney McCray were named to the team in 1983. Aaron Brooks did not make the all-rookie team, but contributed some important minutes late in the season. What all coaches look for is improvement. The leap from college to the NBA is massive. Few players become stars immediately. So next year will be big for these players. Most coaches and GM's look to the second year to see if a player is really going to make it in the league.

The Hospital Ward

2008-05-13T18:38:00.002-05:00

This week's events prove the last post true. Since then, Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alsion and Shane Battier have all had surgery to repair nagging injuries. Add to that Yao Ming and Steve Francis' season-ending surgeries and the blame for the Rockets' early demise clearly lies in the medical books.

Did the coaches play them too many minutes? Did Yao Ming's year-round basketball schedule take its toll? Are they just injury prone? Honestly, all of those questions are still open to debate. My inclination is to answer no to each one, but I am not a doctor. The Rockets have the finest sports medicos in the world at their beckon call and huge investments in all of the aforementioned players, so we must assume that they would not have risked injury to them if it was foreseeable. Yao and Tracy have a history of getting dinged, but that doesn't mean it will happen again.

So let's all wrap bandages and wish the injured list a quick recovery.

Now what?

2008-05-06T20:56:00.002-05:00

Well, for the second year in a row, the Rockets were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Utah Jazz. It is painfully obvious that the Jazz was simply a better team - but only temporarily.

Is it time for the Rockets to break up the team and re-tool? The answer is a resounding no! Regardless of his past history of never winning a playoff series, Tracy McGrady performed admirably against the Jazz. The problem was that injuries depleted the roster at the worst possible time of the year. The loss of Yao Ming alone would have been devastating to a lesser team. Add to that Carl Landry, Steve Francis, Rafer Alston and Tracy's shoulder problems and that is 60% of the starting lineup and some of the best reserves either missing or below par.

The Rockets need only to add a few pieces, mostly for depth. Mutombo is too old to be effective, especially for a team that is geared to get scoring from their center. Get a new back-up center. The point guard position is under control. Rafer will be back at full speed, Bobby Jackson is a capable backup, Steve Francis should recover from surgery better than ever and Aaron Brooks will have a year's experience on which to build. Tracy will be a great shooting guard for a few more years and Francis can help out there too. The small forward position is capably manned by Shane Battier, a consumate pro. They say that defensive specialists cannot carry a team, but all great teams have one. Tracy can also slide over to small forward whenever the need arises. Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry make a fine combo at power forward and should continue to improve.

The Rockets will have a low first-round draft choice and a mid-level exemption available to sign a free agent. Beyond their core players, they have little of value to trade. Mike Harris and Loren Wood were both out of the league when the Rockets came calling. Steve Novak may bring a draft choice just because all GM's love a shooter, but nobody will give up a useful player for a defensive liability.

This part is strictly personal. I don't care if they make a single move. I love these guys. This team was more fun to watch this year than any team they've ever had, even in the championship years. A happier, more over-achieving bunch of guys never took the court. Especially after the first of the year, they never quit trying. Not once. It was a team of courage and effort, and that comes from the top. Coach Rick Adelman and his staff did a magnificent job this year of keeping the team on an even keel - loose and confident. So I say give them all another shot. They have the system down now and I look for a banner year next year. Go Rockets!

Playoff Bound!

2008-04-08T19:14:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to the Rockets for securing a playoff berth with their workmanlike dismantling of the LA Clippers. Now the real deal starts!

And speaking of the Real Deal, congratulations to Hakeem Olajuwon on his election to the Hall of Fame. Nobody deserves it more. Dream had it all - offense, defense, rebounding, blocked shots... To quote Bum phillips (referring to Earl campbell), if he ain't in a class of his own, it sure don't take long to count the roll.

East vs. west Disparity

2008-03-29T16:48:00.002-05:00

With 10 games left in the regular season, the Rockets are poised to make the playoffs, but which team they will face in the first round is anybody's guess. That's because there are so many good teams in the Western Conference that 1st place and 8th place are only separated by 5 games. It's conceivable, even probable that a 50 win team will not make the playoffs for the first time ever. Today, that would be Denver, but they are only 1/2 game back of Golden State, who is only 1/2 game back of Dallas, who is... well, you get the point. Its' tough out west.

The East, on the other hand, has the two best records in the NBA and maybe the best team, but the quality dwindles fast after that. In fact, Atlanta at 8 games under .500 will probably make the playoffs. Some would say that Boston, Detroit and Orlando only have gaudy records because they play most of their games in the pitiful Eastern Conference. There may be a grain of truth to that, but having seen Boston play, they are the real deal.

My scale has always been pretty simple. Win half your games, you're mediocre. 45 wins is a good team. 50 wins is a very good team. 55 wins is excellent. 60 wins is a great team. But this year is different. An abundance of lousy teams in the East has made a couple of very good teams look great and an overabundance of excellent teams in the West has made some great teams look mediocre.

So much for the streak

2008-03-22T22:02:00.002-05:00

22 in a row is a tremedous accomplishment, but the Rockets seem to have fallen back to earth. They are about to lose their 3rd game of the last 4. It was obvious to most of us that they were playing over their heads when the last 10 victories in the streak came after Yao Ming went down. I expect them to play well enough to make the playoffs, but unless they draw a team that just doesn't match up well with the Rockets, they won't get out of the first round. Thanks for the fun run guys and keep plugging!

Way to go guys!

2008-03-14T21:59:00.000-05:00

They just keep on keeping on! Yao goes dowm, Deke steps in. Landry gets dinged, Mike Harris steps in. Chuck Hayes doesn't fit, Scola takes over the offensive output and Hayes rules on defense. This is fun!

I'm holding my breath...

2008-03-14T21:43:00.001-05:00

I can't watch. 21 wins! Fourth quarter, up against the Bobcats, and we're --> <-- this close to taking over the absolute number one spot.

I can't watch, and yet I can't take my eyes away... it's the most awesome train wreck I've ever seen.

Longest winning streak in the NBA!

2008-02-25T15:12:00.000-06:00

Twelve straight wins? Did I hear twelve straight? Pardon me, Chicago, while we use you as a stepladder to get a bit higher.

From an Associated Press article posted yesterday:

"The Rockets have won 16 of their last 17, and their current streak is their longest since their championship season of 1993-94. It is also the longest active streak in the NBA."

Did anyone think a year ago we'd be seeing that? It's feeling like a great season for Rockets fans!

Clutch City Baby!

2007-08-03T12:26:00.000-05:00

As a Houston native, the Rockets have always held a special place in my heart. Ah, I still remember the rioting when we won the championship in 1995 like it was yesterday....sadly I have been let down every year since. The 07-08 season is looking up though, with the addition of Argentinian Luis Scola. Perhaps Scola and Ming will be the one two punch Houston needs to get back on top.

Two Rockets make All-NBA

2007-05-11T12:40:00.000-05:00

Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, having led the Rockets to their winningest season in quite a while, were honored yesterday with selection for the All-NBA second team. Two other Rockets have been honored in the same season with selection for an All-NBA team - Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1995.

2007-01-17T14:42:00.000-06:00

Rockets guard Bonzi Wells (sore lower back) was cleared to play but remained on the inactive list for Tuesday's game.

Yao Ming Bling

2006-12-20T12:28:00.000-06:00

The Houston Rockets own Yao Ming, seems to have passed another important point in progression the last month. The 7'6 center already shoots fade aways and is tall enough to see over the defense's heads to pick them apart but in the past 4 games he has put up near or over 30 shot attempts and with 49% hiting from the field has been scoring like he should when McGrady is benched. "I know I can handle it now" said Yao, and I am inclined to beleive him. His free throw shooting is second to none, he seems to be able to catch the ball lower now, and he is learning how to run the floor. If he keeps this up he could be remembered as one of the greatest Big Men in basketball.

BACK TO THE LEATHER BALLS

2006-12-20T12:13:00.000-06:00

On Monday, NBA commissioner David Stern announced that the league would no longer be using the microfiber composite ball that was introduced earlier this season. The league will be switching back to the leather ball on January 1st. The announcement couldn't have made the Houston Rockets happier. Most players say that the leather balls just feel right. Most likely it nostalgia too. Although the ball has performed well statistically, the most important thing is how the players feel. The last time the Rockets will use the new ball will be on New Year's Eve.

12 days of Christmas

2006-12-13T12:20:00.000-06:00

As a blogger I need to find and fill information for my readers. Much of it comes from tooling around the internet to my favorite various sites and many times I experience things that no human should. This morning was no exception as I went to The Houston Rockets official website to refresh myself on some of the plays that would point out why, even after such a great comeback, the Houston Rockets lost 102-94 against the L.A. Lakers last night. Instead my ears were assaulted, partially my fault for having the sound to loud, by people who should not be singing doing exactly that. The Rockets are advertising thier Holiday packs with players fans and powerdancers singing the 12 days of christmas. Now so you don't get curious and go look or listen for yourself let me just type out the non rhyming, doesn't even fit to the beat of the song, lyrics. We will skip straight to the end and mind you that Yao Ming and Motumbo are not the easiest guys to understand. On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 rowdy fans, 11 fast fed points, 10 offensive rebounds, 9 perfect passes, 8 hostile plays?, 7 baseline jumpers, 6 Three pointers, 5 POWER DANCERS!, 4 blocked shots, 3 buzzer beaters, 2 great seats, and a Houston Rockets Holiday Pack.

The Holiday pack contains one ticket to 6 games, 3 in January and 3 in February. Packs are priced to stuff stockings at as low as $60.00 per. The home games include L.A. Lakers, Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Supersonics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, and the Boston Celtics. Visit the rockets official website for more infomation but please, please skip the music video section for your own sake.

McDeGradying Golden State

2006-12-06T11:57:00.000-06:00

The Houston Rockets took the Golden State Warriors out with ease, stomping them with a lead of almost 30 points at 118-90. Six minutes into the game The Houston Rockets took a 20 point lead and ever looked back. Playing this game was the Tracy Mcgrady of old. It seems he might have found solid ground again coming out of a shooting slump that lasted all season. With 31 points and 7 assists, he outscored Yao Ming who dominated the paint with 27 points and 8 rebounds. Yao had some difficulty shooting when he got double teamed and McGrady made them pay everytime they dedicated another defender to the big Rockets center. If these guys can play together like this more often then we have some great game to come from the Houston Rockets.

FINGER WAGGERS UNITE!

2006-12-03T17:17:00.000-06:00

The Houston Rockets' Mount Mutombo is famous for trademark finger wag that dismisses would-be slam-dunkers. Now that famous wag will be featured on a bobble head (or should I say, bobble finger?)figure to be released on Wednesday night when the Rocket's take on the Washington Wizards at the Toyota Center. What a cool bobble head idea! I love wagging my finger at people who are bad drivers. I think it's far worse to get the finger wag instead of the bird.

Thirsty for points in the Desert

2006-11-30T16:47:00.000-06:00

Even with one of the biggest comebacks in Houston Rockets history, the Phoenix Suns burned the Rockets out. Overcoming a 22 point deficit in the second half and even taking the lead for a short moment in the 4th quarter could not help the Rockets stand up to the Suns 13 point run taking the final score to 102 to 91. The Phoenix Suns got off to a very quick start that I do not think the boys from Houston were prepared for. The Rockets were shooting around 40% but put up an amazing 38 separate 3 point shot attempts. The Phoenix Suns guard Raja Bell stated "We came out in the second half up 17 points and we just figured we were going to walk all over them for the rest of the game. They are a good team and good teams do not lie down." I could not have said it better myself. The Houston Rockets battle the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday, December 2nd at 7:30 PM

Houston Bags the Mavericks

2006-11-04T22:07:00.000-06:00

I'm stuck at work and missing the game, but I just clicked on to take a glance at the NBA scoreboard. With 57 seconds to go, Houston is up 104 to 76 over the Dallas Mavericks. Okay, make that a final score of Houston Rockets 107, Dallas Mavericks 76. I didn't manage to jinx my guys, although I wasn't real worried about that.

Looks like Yao Ming did his thing -- he had 36 points. The Mavs' big guy, Dirk Nowitzki, apparently was slackin' with only 24. Would have been nice to watch that one, but at least I can get back to work with a smile on my face.

Bad boy

2006-10-27T15:27:00.000-05:00

The Rockets may have left thier last preseaon game with a loss but the biggest news was Mutombo as he fired obscene gestures at a patron of the TD Waterhouse Center. Mutombo was held back from entering the stands, to confront the man yelling racial slurs at him, by Rockets trainer keith jones until the game official could get there. Mutombo is still very upset about this promising a more violent reaction if this were to happen again. I am not sure about you, but I would definitly not want a man Mutombo's size angry with me. The fan was escorted from the game. Lets hope he did not get a refund.

Rockets Enjoy the Fair

2006-10-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

Well, at least they got to go to the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, and they must have enjoyed their 107-93 preseason victory over the Atlanta Hawks Friday night. I'm guessing the folks in Little Rock were a bit disappointed not to see Houston stars Yao Ming and Bonzi Wells, but at least they got to see how the game is played in the NBA.

The Rockets themselves got to see something, too. As Rockets.com columnist Damien Pierce points out, there was a silver lining to Yao's having to sit this one out. "Despite Houston's obvious desire to have Yao back from his toe injury, the Rockets might have stumbled upon a change of pace lineup to use when the big fella needs a breather." Interestingly, that change of pace included picking up the pace. Maybe we'll be watching some extra fast running this year. And being able to spread the action around the lineup a bit can't hurt.

bonzi moves to houston

2006-10-02T18:41:00.000-05:00

The Rockets snagged Bonzi Wells today – he and the team signed a multi-year deal, taking the biggest remaining name off the free market. He is expected to provide much-needed depth to an injury-laden roster and to help make the Rockets a contender for the Western Conference title. This seems like a pretty legitimate possibility this time around, although the Rockets will most likely face pretty stiff competition from in-state rivals the Spurs and the Mavericks, not to mention from the Phoenix Suns. They will still have to bring the A-game.

Extra innings no bonus

2006-08-17T14:47:00.000-05:00

I’ve been gone for awhile, but during the summer there’s more MLB action than NBA anyway. And one cool thing about baseball – sometimes your ticket buys you extra innings. The other night Houston Astros fans got two games’ worth of play for the price of one. Too bad the final score was Chicago Cubs 8, Astros 6.
5-plus hours on the field is rare, but turns out there were two games that went 18 innings Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Over at Coors Field, the Arizona Diamondbacks held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1.

Lone star not alone

2006-07-11T12:48:00.000-05:00

I’m sure I’m not the only Houston Rockets fan that was disappointed by the turnaround in the NBA Finals which saw Dallas Mavericks crash out. I’m sure I’m not the only Texan who was behind Mark Cuban in his tirades about the appropriateness of certain calls during the series. I would like to see a process within the NBA structure which allowed fans, players and coaches to have calls, or lack thereof, officially questioned if there is reasonable doubt. I’m sure Refs in these situations would happily share some of the abuse with a computer or camera.

Mavericks Dominating the Nash and the Suns

2006-05-29T15:13:00.000-05:00

As a Houston Rockets fan I have to cheer for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Playoffs. They are doing really well and after last night’s 95-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns I am predicting we will see the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. That could also be because I hate the Detroit Pistons, but hey.

The Houston Rocket scored the number eight pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, by the way. That sounds good to me.

Rockets fan with Maverick tendencies.

2006-05-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

Well since it is the Playoffs I am switching my loyalty from the Houston Rockets to the Dallas Mavericks for the next couple of weeks. I would like to see them win this series against the San Antonio Spurs but after Sunday’s game it looks like the two teams are really evenly matched. Go Mavs!

Rockets need to reload.

2006-04-13T11:32:00.000-05:00

The Houston Rockets are going to have to work hard to rebuild this team and strengthen our defense. We can’t rely on Yao Ming alone to carry this team anymore. I am hoping that we can pick up some bright young stars in the off-season who will help us become a playoff contender and a winning team next season.

Spurs detonate Rockets in painful battle.

2006-03-19T15:17:00.000-06:00

The last four games have been wrought with frustration for the Houston Rockets. We went up against the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks and fell hard. We were able to attack the Spurs defensively last night but we were unable to maintain a good pace and the Spurs ran up the score ending with 92 points to our 77. What does this team need to do to win?

Kenyon Martin Threatens Fans

2006-02-10T17:41:00.000-06:00

Houston Rockets fans are shaken about the news of Kenyon Martins scandalous treatment of some fans at the Denver Nuggets loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Martin sent a friend into the stands to threaten the men in retaliation for comments he heard from the bench. The incident was reported to security and apparently Martin pursued the matter even further, approaching the men after the game as well.

Read the story at:
http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_3493398

Congrats to Vince Young and the Longhorns!

2006-01-18T16:31:00.000-06:00

I’m generally a basketball fan, but I have to say that this year’s Rose Bowl was about as heart-stopping of an athletic event as you ever get to see! All of us Texans have to be proud of the University of Texas Longhorns, the new national college football champs! And, of course, folks here are especially proud of a local hero, the incredible Vince Young! I sure hope the Houston Texans know what to do with their first draft pick!

Tell me the Truth

2005-06-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

Tell me the Truth guys.

How many of you Rocket fans out there are really Rocket fans?

How many of you fans jumped on the band wagon because of the play-off birth this past season?

For those of you who followed Houston all season, when did you become a Rockets Fan?

How and why did you become a Rockets fan?

Yao's Summer

2005-05-26T17:02:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

The AP is reporting that Yao Ming is going to spend this summer in Houston as opposed to playing organized ball. This is huge for the Rockets, as Yao has not had a break in over two years. The fact he'll be in Houston resting up for next season should mean big things for him, and he'll probably even get more work with the Rockets.

One-year Contract Extension

2005-05-19T19:21:00.000-05:00

Van Gundy didn’t have faith in his own talent as a coach when he joined the ranks of the Rockets. Now owner Leslie Alexander is making sure that he realizes this. Alexander recently extended the coach’s stint with the Rockets through the 2007-2008 season.

Van Gundy did a great job throughout last season coaching the Rockets. Not only did he get us a little bit further in the Playoffs, but the players are developing well in their positions. Plus, how many coaches have been willing to throw so much money into a possible referee-Dallas coach scandal for one of their players?

Good luck and make us proud!

Vin Baker

2005-05-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

Vin Baker was recently removed from the injury list. Baker had been suffering with heart palpitations, but apparently the Rockets medical team has seen improvement. Baker debuted into the NBA in 1993 when he was originally drafted to Milwaukee. After having a 5-year stint with the Seattle SuperSonics, Baker moved over to Boston, then New York, and finally to Houston.

Summer vacation: Yao to stay, relax in Houston

2005-05-15T18:17:00.000-05:00

- from ESPN.com

Yao will head into his first NBA offseason without any obligations, a big change from the previous two summers when he returned home to play with China's national team.

7 Game Outcomes: Not in our Favor

2005-05-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

Well, we have finally come to an end to our Playoff run. After a year of Van Gundy fun, the Rockets have ended the season with 51 games and a first round series that lasted 7 games; a little better than last year being taken out by the Lakers in 5 and only having forty some odd games won.

It was a vicious upset though. I was not expecting that. I even placed a bet with a good friend of mine from Dallas, but a forty point difference, not too great. T-Mac came out missing most of his first shots. Yao had a good game matching a Playoff-high of 33 points.

This only helps develop the team into filling the gaps that we felt during this last game. Van Gundy has some time to think through and get some players. Yao will most likely stay a few more years. His contract is up in 2006.

Bring on Game 7

2005-05-06T14:32:00.000-05:00

After undergoing 3 dirty losses (which I believe we should have won), the Rockets have shown why we were a Playoff team from the get go. Holding home court advantage, the Rockets destroyed the Mavericks with a score of 101-83.

Points were being put in from all corners. Jon Barry came off the bench howling in the fourth quarter scoring 10 of his 14 in under 4 minutes. T-Mac held a game-high scoring 37 points.

"We were in attack mode throughout the whole fourth quarter, and it helps when guys are making shots. It just boosts your confidence and carries over to the defensive end."
- Tracy McGrady

Bogus Calls and Van Gundy

2005-05-03T14:50:00.000-05:00

If you took time to watch Game 5 of the series between the Mavs and Rockets, you might have noticed that some people have been upset with a few calls, especially coach Jeff Van Gundy. Van Gundy has gone public with accusations that Dallas coach Mark Cuban has had his hand in getting officials to key in on Yao Ming. So far this has done nothing but get Van Gundy fined $100k, which would be the highest fine a coach has received to date.

On top of this, the officials during Game 5 made a bogus call during the last seconds of the game. A player who was clearly out of bounds knocked the ball out of a player’s hand that was inbounds and they let it play through. Where is the justice?

Other than that, we lost Game 5. This is quite upsetting since we went from being 2-0 to being 2-3. Coming home did not help us at all. Going back to Dallas didn’t help either. But, this guy still keeps hopeful. Game 6 should be unbelievable!!!

2-2

2005-05-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

Unbelievably, Dallas some how found a way to tie up their series with Houston at 2 yesterday. We thought they were done after losing the first two at home but they returned the favor to the Rockets yesterday thanks to Jason Terry. The dude dropped 32, including the biggest shot of the night (and his career) — a three-point dagger in front of the Rockets bench with 27 ticks left. He must be feeling so good, actually contributing to a playoff team after the horrid years in ATL.

Rockets go for 3

2005-04-26T16:19:00.000-05:00

Now is everyone getting a little skeptical about first presumptions? Well, we are approaching game 3 and we have a 2-game lead on Dallas. In the first win, there was a 12 point difference. Game 2 came to a close with a victory shot from none other than T-Mac with only 2.2 seconds left (113-111).

With the next game approaching soon, excitement is culminating. Where did Yao come from with that last game? With a career-high 33 points scored, Ming showed how well he can play when he just pushes with a little extra force. GO YAO!!!

The next upcoming game will be on Thursday. Will this be the last game of the first round? (Comments appreciated!)

Houston/Seattle Matchup: Not Happenin

2005-04-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

Recently, a fellow blogger wrote to me about an article of comparison he made between the Sonics and the Rockets. He took some in depth analysis into it, so I'd suggest taking a gander at it. It takes a look at why he is glad that the Sonics will not face the Rockets in the first round due to their previous games. Enjoy! (Click the link above on the title.)

Ye of Lil' Faith

2005-04-19T18:48:00.000-05:00

As it comes closer to the end, I talk to a lot of my buddies about the possibilities of crazy outcomes. One of the most frowned upon is that the Rockets will rock out a clutch victory and make a wicked comeback.

Ok. So, maybe the Rockets going all the way may not be the most probable. Fighting teams the likes of the Spurs and the Suns can be quite a feat, especially if everyone is in full force. But, over all these two teams in the Western are unbelievable and it’s easy to say the same about the Heat.

The Rockets will be going against the SuperSonics for the last game of regular season play and begin the Playoffs with a series against the Mavericks. I personally believe the Rockets can win both of these. Please add your comments!

GO ROCKETS!!!

Houston/Denver Preview

2005-04-17T18:33:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

Denver is on runs of 10-0 straight-up and 8-1-1 versus the spread following last night's 111-102 home triumph against Memphis. The Nuggets are 19-2-1 against the number in their last 22 games.

Denver has covered three of its last four versus the Rockets.

The Nuggets have gone over in four straight overall and in five of its last six in this series.

Houston has won and covered four straight with Wednesday's 100-92 home victory over the Grizzlies.

The Rockets are on a 9-4 spread run overall, but are just 1-3-1 against the number in their last five at home versus Denver.

Houston has stayed under in 24 of its last 37 home games.

Nuggets Trailing Close

2005-04-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

No race may be more important than the race for sixth in the West between the Nuggets and Rockets. The sixth seed gets the Sonics in the first round, the seventh is likely to get the Spurs. The way the Sonics are limping to the finish line, facing them in the first round would be far less of a challenge than dealing with the Spurs. The matter could be settled on the court because the Rockets play host to the Nuggets on Saturday night. With the season series tied 1-1, the game essentially is worth two games in the standings. If the teams end up with the same record at the end of the season, the winner of Saturday's game will be the higher seed.

Rockets Loss

2005-04-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

Golden State is at the bottom of the food chain, but Baron Davis is making sure to prove otherwise. In their last game the Rockets lost by the meager difference of 122-117; making this the third loss in a row. The Rockets have lightly been sucking it up recently and this is not too great of a sign right before Playoffs. The Rockets are still in the run, but will they make it past the first round? We are set, as of now, to play the Seattle SuperSonics first.

"It doesn't matter who we play although those guys are out there, don't have anything to play for, they've got pride. They don't want anybody to come in here and walk all over them. They love the game of basketball, they're going to go out and play regardless of (the fact that) they're not going to the playoffs. We're pushing for something bigger. We can't allow this."
- Tracy McGrady

Rockets/Trail Blazers Preview

2005-03-29T16:51:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

STANDINGS (through March 28): Rockets - 3rd place, 9{ GB, Southwest Division. Trail Blazers - 4th place, 24 GB, Northwest Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Rockets - F McGrady, F Clarence Weatherspoon, C Yao, G Bob Sura, G Wesley. Trail Blazers - F Darius Miles, F Abdur-Rahim, C Joel Przybilla, G Damon Stoudamire, G Telfair.

TEAM LEADERS: Rockets - McGrady, 25.4 ppg and 5.8 apg; Yao, 8.3 rpg. Trail Blazers - Randolph, 18.9 ppg and 9.6 rpg; Stoudamire, 5.5 apg.

SEASON SERIES: Rockets, 3-0.

LAST MEETING: March 16; Rockets, 108-77. At Houston, Wesley and Sura each scored 21 points as the Rockets posted their largest margin of victory this season. It was Houston's first game since starting forward Juwan Howard was lost to a knee injury.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Rockets - 21-15 on the road; Trail Blazers - 16-18 at home.

INJURIES: Rockets - G Moochie Norris (foot); G Charlie Ward (knee); F-C Howard (knee). Trail Blazers - F Randolph (knee); G Van Exel (knee); G Anderson (back); C-F Ratliff (shoulder).

Wolves Stop Rockets

2005-03-22T16:45:00.000-06:00

In the Wolves vs. Rockets game the other day, the Rockets did not show their potential. Yao Ming landed the team high with 21 points. T-Mac, on the other hand, only put in 15 points and shot 4 for 22. The Rockets collectively were shooting for 35 percent.

"I don't know what we're doing wrong. We're moving the ball well, we're getting good shots; they just aren't falling. ... When shots aren't falling, it affects everything - your defense, your rebounding. Everything falls apart."
- Tracy McGrady

This was not their game. This makes for 2 consecutive losses. That is not needed this close to Playoffs. Our position is still solidified very well, but Memphis is keeping on our tail, only being a game behind.

Rockets Road Sweep

2005-03-15T17:50:00.000-06:00

The Rockets (38-25) keep creeping up on the Mavericks. The Mavs (41-21) have kept a slight lead in the Southwest Division. But, the Rockets are not taking it lightly. We won the last four on the road; in other words we swept those fools with their foolishness!

The team high was taken by Tracy McGrady (no surprise) with 20 points. Yao Ming added 14 points and 15 rebounds. The final score came out to 97-94. The Mavericks pushed hard to regain a foothold on the game, but the Rockets stayed strong.

"It's a great road trip. Too many teams in this league can't say they went out west and won four in a row. There's some pretty top teams in this league. It's hard to win in this league and it's hard to win on the road. It wasn't pretty for us tonight but we'll take it and we'll go home and play with some confidence at home."
- Tracy McGrady

Juwan Howard added in 18 points, but he had to leave the game in the fourth quarter due to a sprained right knee.

Rockets Victory over Suns

2005-03-12T18:33:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

The Rockets certainly looked well-oiled Friday night.

Tracy McGrady scored 38 points and Yao Ming had 27 points and a career-high 22 rebounds, helping the Rockets rally from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the Phoenix Suns 127-107.

"McGrady was terrific, and that performance by Yao was dominating," Barry added.

The victory was the third straight for the Rockets over an elite Western Conference team following wins over Dallas and Seattle in their two previous games.

The loss prevented the Suns (47-15) from becoming the winningest team in the NBA and dropped them one-half game behind the idle San Antonio Spurs (47-14) in the race for home court advantage in the playoffs. Houston is 36-25 and surging.

Houston began the fourth quarter trailing by four points, but with McGrady pumping in jumpers and the 7-foot-6 Yao taking command inside, the Rockets outscored Phoenix 41-17 and finished with their highest point total of the season. Houston shot .565 (13-for-23) in the period, while the Suns, who had been at .492 percent (30-for-61) through three quarters, were only 6-for-26 (.231) in the fourth.

"This is a big win for us," McGrady said. "This is a high-powered offense. And for us to hold them to 17 points in the fourth quarter shows how good a defensive team we can be.

Houston destroys Dallas

2005-03-06T17:19:00.000-06:00

In their most recent game, Houston destroyed Dallas in a score of 90-69. Tracy McGrady had a great game scoring 32 points and picking up 10 rebounds. A lot of the game was determined by the absence of two players on the Mavericks side of the spectrum. Lead scorer Dirk Nowitzki and guard Michael Finley were both out with injuries.

"It helps when they've got 40 points sitting on the bench. They played us tough for three quarters. We got some transition points in the fourth quarter and made a little run on them."
- Tracy McGrady

McGrady had to get stitched up in the locker room after being hit, but this did not put a damper on his game. He pushed with durability and led the Rockets to a great victory.

Rockets destroy the Wizards

2005-02-20T16:03:00.000-06:00

In their 8th consecutive win, the Houston Rockets destroyed the Washington Wizards with ease. This season-high streak is boosting the Rockets record nicely (32-21), but the Mavericks, who are one spot above them in the Southwest Division, have had a four game winning streak themselves. The Memphis Grizzlies, who are in the fourth spot, are not far behind either (30-23).

Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady fought valiantly to take the Rockets to a 123-93 victory over the Wizards. Ming scored 23 points and held strong control on the inside, while opening it up for McGrady. McGrady sunk 34 points and was 14 of 22 from the floor.

"I needed this. I've been struggling a bit offensively the last few games. I put in some extra time in practice yesterday. It paid off today."
- Tracy McGrady

On the Wizards side, all-star Antawn Jamison played an exceptional game, scoring 23 points. Gilbert Arenas, on the other hand, was kept to scoring only 11 points. He has averaged at least 30 points in 10 of his last 15 games. Ming held him from gliding up to the rim.

5 Game Winning Streak!!!

2005-02-10T18:59:00.000-06:00

The Rockets are on a 5 game winning streak. Not only have the Houston bad boys gone on this streak, but also have taken the Bulls down a peg. Tracy McGrady took it with 24 raging points and 9 assists, while Yao Ming put in his two cents with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

"It's been a great run for us and we've been doing a great job of sharing the ball. 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.”
- Tracy McGrady

The Rockets have been playing hard on the offensive side of the field. Now they are looking at buffing up the defense to put a little more pressure onto the oncoming teams. Dikembe Mutombo came into the game and collected 13 rebounds in the span of about 17 minutes, so it is coming about.

Go ROCKETS!!!

Rockets Lose, No Bueno

2005-01-30T14:37:00.000-06:00

- from the Official Site of the Houston Rockets

Chris Webber and the Sacramento Kings stole a win from the Houston Rockets.

Webber sank a tying 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation, then created the clinching turnover in overtime by eavesdropping on the huddle as the Kings rallied for a 117-111 victory over the Rockets, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Webber scored 30 points, Mike Bibby added 28 and 14 assists and Cuttino Mobley had 24 in his return to Houston. The trio combined to score Sacramento's last 21 points.

The Rockets positioned themselves to win behind the hot shooting of Scott Padgett, who made his first eight shots, including six from the arc. His 3-pointer made it 101-98 with 2:02 remaining and he answered Webber's two free throws with a jumper for a 103-100 edge with 44 seconds to go.

Bibby and Tracy McGrady traded misses before the Kings took over with 4.7 seconds left. Webber took the inbounds pass, faked a handoff to Bibby and drained a 3-pointer over McGrady with 1.3 seconds to play.

Padgett opened overtime with another 3-pointer, but Mobley tied it with one of his own, then countered McGrady's jumper with a 3-pointer in front of the Houston bench and coach Jeff Van Gundy, with whom he was at odds last season.

That gave Sacramento the lead for good at 109-108 with 2:58 remaining. Webber and Bibby added jumpers before a three-point play by Yao Ming pulled Houston within 113-111 with 22 seconds remaining.

The Rockets fouled Bibby and huddled near their bench as Van Gundy drew up a play. Webber peered in, picked up the play and informed his teammates as Bibby sank both free throws for a 115-111 lead with 15 seconds to go.

With Houston's options cut off, Padgett committed a turnover and Mobley added two foul shots to close the scoring.

Brad Miller had 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings, who bounced back from Thursday's loss at San Antonio and won for the eighth time in 10 games. Both losses during that stretch have been to the Spurs.

McGrady had 30 points and 12 assists and Padgett scored 22 points for the Rockets.

H-Town Becoming a Presence

2005-01-22T13:27:00.000-06:00

After an unwelcoming homecoming in Orlando, McGrady and the Rockets have turned the season around with the points rolling in and shots falling in their way.

Houston now have won 5 of their last 7 beating teams like San Antonio and Dallas, as well as competitive teams such as Orlando and the Nuggets.

The Rockets are sitting at (22-19), after a clutch shot from Padgett to win a 92-91 contest against the Knicks. The Rockets have been playing much better ball compared to their start at the beginning of the season, a team below .500.

Game Notes
Yao Ming had 22 points, 12 rebounds
and Padgett had 12 points.
The Rockets outscored the Knicks 31-17 in the third quarter
McGrady scored 35 points

McGrady Upgrade

2005-01-11T15:45:00.000-06:00

Tracy McGrady averages 24.7 points a game now which ranks him fifth in the NBA for scoring, and on top of that in the last 10 games Houston has averaged 100.4 points, as well as a .460 shooting average.

Believe me I was looking through numbers and that is by far and improvement on both McGrady and the Houston Rockets. Houston is back up at .500, yet they still are 10 1/2 games behind the Spurs. It is hard to compete in the Southwest division or as like to call it the "Texas Division". Still plenty of basketball left to play this season.

Houston over Jazz

2005-01-04T13:14:00.000-06:00

So the Rockets were able to improve past .500 for the first time in all most two months.

Sura tied his season highs scoring 24 points, adding 10 rebounds, and five steals. While is counter-part Tracy McGrady scored 25 points as the Rockets beat the slumping Utah Jazz 99-80.

Go Rockets!

ockets Keep Clippers at Bay

2004-12-28T16:25:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming got the Los Angeles Clippers back to familiar territory.

McGrady scored 21 points, Yao added 20 and 11 rebounds, and both players blocked three shots to lift the Houston Rockets to a 96-79 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers, who fell below the .500 mark for the first time this season.

After starting the season a promising 11-7, the Clippers have been beset by injuries to the likes of Kerry Kittles and Shaun Livingston and have lost six of their last seven games.

"It's one of those things," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said. "You know what you have to do as a team, and you have to go out and do it. It's a silver lining for guys to come off the bench and to step up and help our team. Injuries are part of the game."

"We are missing players, but that just means the other guys have to step up their game," Clippers forward Elton Brand said. "We have to get improved scoring from the other guys on this team."

The Rockets defeated the Clippers for the eighth consecutive time by seizing a lead they never relinquished early in the first quarter when they went on a 12-0 run, led by Yao who scored 11 in the first quarter.

"We dictated the rhythm all night and cut down on our turnovers," said Yao, who posted his third straight double-double. "Our defense was very good, too. We limited their scorers' ability."

The Clippers rallied in the third, cutting the lead to 52-49 with 7:50 remaining on a jumper by Corey Maggette, but Jim Jackson nailed back-to-back 3-pointers en route to a season-high 21 for Houston.

"I think we played at a good energy level," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I thought Yao got us off to a good start, and I thought guys did a good job finding him. Everyone did their part. Jim made a lot of threes and we defended well."

McGrady said Wednesday's disappointing loss to the Bobcats had little effect on the Rockets' play against Los Angeles.

"I don't think the last game had anything to do with it," McGrady said. "I think everybody kind of cleared their heads just a little bit. I think some teams probably have a tendency of coming out flat that first game after the holidays. Our intensity was high and our focus was there."

Maggette scored 23 points for Los Angeles, but both he and Brand, who mustered just 11, did not play in the fourth quarter.

Maggette, who wasn't bothered by sitting out the fourth quarter, said the Clippers simply ran into a better team.

"This is a tough team, and they should have a better record," he said. "They are searching for their chemistry, and when they get it, they will be a tough team to beat."

Bobcats 101, Rockets 100, OT

2004-12-20T13:11:00.000-06:00

Jenna Fryer / Associated Press, from Foxsports.com

Okafor had 23 points and 17 rebounds, his 12th consecutive double-double, to lead the expansion Bobcats to their first winning streak with a 101-100 overtime victory against the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.

Okafor sent the game into overtime with a dunk over Dikembe Mutombo with 3 seconds left in regulation, then helped Charlotte win its second straight game by battling for a loose ball late in the extra period that sent him to the sideline with a bloody nose.

"Emeka Okafor is a definite star in the making in this league," Houston's Tracy McGrady said.

Clinging to a 98-97 lead, Okafor missed twice on a pair of putback attempts that Charlotte was certain he was fouled on. The Bobcats argued as the Rockets pushed the ball up the court, but Okafor stayed with the play.

Jim Jackson missed a 3 for the Rockets, Mutombo got the rebound and missed on a jumper and Okafor scrambled for the ball. He took an elbow to the nose as the ball bounced out of bounds, but teammate Gerald Wallace was fouled by Bob Sura to go to the line.

Wallace made one free throw for a 99-97 lead with 19 seconds to play and Okafor out getting his nose plugged. He returned as McGrady missed for Houston.

Jamal Sampson was fouled and made both free throws to put Charlotte up 101-97 with 3 seconds to play, a large enough margin to make McGrady's 3-pointer at the buzzer meaningless.

Okafor, the NBA Rookie of the Month for November, has scored in double figures in points and rebounds 16 times this season.

But afterward, he was mostly in awe of Houston's Yao Ming, who had 16 points and 19 rebounds against Okafor before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

"He is so tall," Okafor said. "You see him on TV, and you have no idea. Then I got up against him and I was like 'Dang!' I have no idea how to stop him."

But once Yao went out, Okafor only had Mutombo to deal with and did just fine.

He tied it at 92 with a turnaround jumper over Mutombo with 28 seconds left in regulation, and after McGrady hit a 20-foot jumper that put Houston up 94-92 with 7 seconds to play, Okafor didn't back down. Brevin Knight fired the ball inside, and Okafor jammed it in over Mutombo to tie it with 3 seconds left.

"He hustled," Mutombo said of Okafor. "That's been part of his game since college, trying to go after any loose ball. He did a great job ... I give him all the credit for their win."

Keith Bogans finished with 19 points for Charlotte, Wallace had 15, and Sampson had 11 rebounds for the Bobcats, who won their fifth consecutive game at the Charlotte Coliseum.

McGrady scored 29 for the Rockets, who blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. Houston had 23 turnovers - 18 were Charlotte steals - and was outrebounded 53-43.

"We lost the game on turnovers and bad fouls in the fourth quarter," Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I'm very disappointed in the way we played." Bahamas and a Mercedes. ... Wallace took it a step further, giving Christmas gifts to an underprivileged 13-year-old after the game. ... Mutombo had three blocks in the first quarter, including one on Wallace that drew a hearty laugh from fans behind the Charlotte bench. ... Charlotte's Jason Kapono made a halfcourt shot at the end of the first quarter that was waved off. ... It was clear how popular McGrady and Yao are by the 100 or so fans lined up for autographs during warmups.

Hornets-Rockets Preview

2004-12-07T13:08:00.000-06:00

by the Associated Press, from Foxsports.com

GAME: New Orleans Hornets (1-14) at Houston Rockets (7-11).

TIME: Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. EST.

Tracy McGrady is starting to take on more of a leadership role for the Houston Rockets.

McGrady looks to lead the Rockets to back-to-back wins for the first time in more than two weeks when they host the lowly New Orleans Hornets.

McGrady, acquired in a blockbuster trade with Orlando during the offseason, had a long talk with coach Jeff Van Gundy last week about his place on the team.

"I understand what he wants me to do now, which is to be aggressive, the way I was in Orlando," McGrady said. "I was (being) passive."

After that discussion, McGrady went out and scored 48 points Thursday, but the Rockets had their losing streak extended to five games with a 113-106 overtime defeat to the Dallas Mavericks.

Houston returned home to face Philadelphia on Saturday, and although McGrady had one of his worst shooting nights of the season, he found his range when it counted most.

McGrady had 17 points, including the winning basket with 25 seconds to play, as the Rockets ended their skid with a 77-76 win over the 76ers.

McGrady missed 16 of 22 shots before hitting the big one.

"I got the shots I wanted tonight, I just couldn't knock them down," said McGrady, whose worst shooting night this season was a 1-for-11 game against Denver on Nov. 27. "But it's not how many you miss. It's the ones you make, and I made the last basket of the game."

Van Gundy got his 300th career coaching victory in his 100th game with the Rockets.

"I thought the more significant baskets he made were when we were down by eight and he made some offensive rebounding plays," Van Gundy said of McGrady. "Those are will plays, and will usually beats skill.

"But obviously the last play of the game was big. He got separation and space and made it after a tough night."

Houston hasn't won consecutive games since Nov. 20-21.

New Orleans dropped its sixth straight and fell to 1-14 on the season with a 92-69 loss to the defending champion Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

All-Stars Baron Davis and Jamaal Magloire are out with injuries, along with free-agent pickup Rodney Rogers. Then, less than two minutes into Saturday's game, David West, who had become a recent starter, sprained his right knee and did not return.

"We're real thin right now with the injuries." New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. "But that was not the biggest problem. Our lack of intensity was our big problem. This is the first time all season we came out and played scared. We looked like we were afraid of that team. We were scared to compete."

The Hornets have a 3-12 record in Houston.

STANDINGS: Hornets - 5th place, 13 GB, Southwest Division. Rockets - 3rd place, 8{ GB, Southwest Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Hornets - F West or Chris Andersen, F Lee Nailon, C P.J. Brown, G David Wesley, G Junior Harrington. Rockets - F Juwan Howard, F Jim Jackson, C Yao Ming, G McGrady, G Bob Sura.

TEAM LEADERS: Hornets - Magloire, 14.1 ppg and 9.1 rpg; Wesley, 4.1 apg. Rockets - McGrady, 21.8 ppg and 5.8 apg; Yao, 8.3 rpg.

2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Rockets, 2-0.

LAST MEETING: March 11; Rockets, 97-86. At Houston, the Rockets took a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but had to quell a mild charge led by Davis, who hit 16 of his 30 points over the final 6:38 as New Orleans got the deficit down to seven with 51 seconds to play.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Hornets - 1-6 on the road; Rockets - 3-5 at home.

INJURIES: Hornets - C Magloire (finger); G Davis (back); F Rogers (knee); F Jamal Mashburn (knee). Rockets - F Bostjan Nachbar (undisclosed); G Tyronn Lue (knee); G Charlie Ward (knee).

Anthony Injured; Nuggets Win

2004-11-29T14:34:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

Back-to-back games can be beneficial when you're trying to put a bad one behind you. The Denver Nuggets did exactly that when they outran and outrebounded the Houston Rockets for an 82-76 victory.

"We played a horrible game last night (an 89-75 home loss to San Antonio) and came back with a lot of energy," said guard Andre Miller, who led the Nuggets with 20 points and seven assists.

Kenyon Martin had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Marcus Camby added 13 and 14 as they outplayed Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming, who managed just eight points and six rebounds.

"We wanted to try to run him, tire him out," Camby said. "His stamina is not the best. He's a big guy carrying a lot of weight. Once his stamina gets up to speed, he's going to be dominant."

"I think I did a bad job," Yao said. "I was waiting for the rebounds to come to me. I hope this is the most frustrating I've been in my life. I hope there's no more frustration."

The Nuggets have won five of their last six games and play their next four at home, where they recently went 4-1 in a five-game stretch.

The Nuggets used an 11-0 run in the first quarter, sparked by Miller and Carmelo Anthony, to take a 19-7 lead they never relinquished.

"We were disappointed in our effort (Friday night), our inability to play well," Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We made sure we went out early (tonight) to warm up, so we had a good sweat going. Our starts have not been good."

Camby knew the running game was the key to beating the plodding Rockets as well as wearing down Yao.

"This team doesn't like to go up and down," Camby said. "I played for Jeff (Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy in New York). I know how good his defense can be once they get set up."

The Nuggets didn't give them a chance, even though they lost Anthony to a sprained right ankle with 2:21 left in the third quarter while leading, 62-48. He was helped to the locker room, where X-rays were negative. He is listed as day-to-day.

Rockets guard Bob Sura wrapped up Anthony to prevent an easy layup and the two fell to the ground.

"It looked like the hard foul carried into Sura trying to prevent (Anthony) from getting hurt and they got tangled up," Bzdelik said. "I don't think it was a flagrant act on anyone's part."

"It should have been more than just a personal," Martin said. "Who am I to say?"

Martin said plenty with the way he played, particularly for someone who had been bothered by a chest cold. He played only six minutes and failed to score in the loss to San Antonio.

"I feel better today," he said. "I got some rest, got some medicine in me, some fluids."

"I ran into Kenyon's mom at lunch and told her to go get some chicken soup and deliver it to Kenyon," Bzdelik said with a laugh.

Martin's mother, Lydia Moore, saw the former New Jersey Net play for the first time in person as a Nugget.

"Mom brought me a little love from Dallas," Martin said. "She (has) been a little under the weather."

The Nuggets outrebounded Houston 19-5 in the first quarter, including 7-0 on the offensive board, and led 25-13 after one period.

The Rockets lost their third in a row and scored a season-low 76 points, despite getting a lift from Sura and Scott Padgett, who scored a season-high 14, half of them in the fourth quarter.

Sura, activated before the game, played his first contest of the season after being sidelined with a herniated disk that required lower back surgery September 21. He played 21 minutes and had six points and six assists.

"I haven't played in six or seven months," Sura said "But considering that, I feel like it went all right. I feel like I brought some energy, some toughness and made some plays for some other guys."