Link It's no longer good to be King as Rockets roll Fourth straight win ends 11-game losing streak in Sacramento By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle SACRAMENTO, CALIF. - Tracy McGrady was amazed, almost incredulous. Those sleepy eyes popped open, his voice lifting higher each time he said, "Really?" But it was not the Rockets' 111-96 win over the Kings on Sunday, in which the Rockets treated Sacramento pretty much the way the Kings have so often handled them, that stunned McGrady. He has come to expect that. The way the Rockets think these days, the next time they lose a game they will be shocked to find such a thing possible. It was not the Rockets' winning streak, now at four games with wins over the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 teams in the Western Conference. It was not even brushing aside another momentum-swinging run that had him in disbelief. McGrady was told that before Sunday the Rockets had not won in Sacramento this century, and realized the significance of Sunday's win could be much greater than breaking a maddening 11-game road losing streak against the Kings. "Are you serious?" McGrady said. "It's a new era, baby. It's a new team. New faces. "Man, I didn't know that. You're serious? It's been what, seven years. Wow. And that's two times a year. Man. I'm glad we broke that." They shattered it, to the point they were ready to plan the chase of greater triumphs. Bold goal "We have a goal," guard Mike James said. "And our goal is to try to win an NBA championship this year, and that's what we're going to do." But if ending that skid was not indication enough of the change in the Rockets, the way they did it was. The Rockets were in many ways the way the Kings used to be. They spread the floor and passed the ball until it found open shooters, making 53.1 percent of their shots and rolling up 66 first-half points in an impressive bookend with their 67 second-half points Friday in Phoenix. James played the part of Bobby Jackson, making seven of nine shots for his 20 points off the bench. And for the seventh consecutive game, at least five players scored in double figures, with McGrady getting 22, David Wesley 21 and James 20. But the greatest — and perhaps most valuable — change in the Rockets was not specifically on the offensive or defensive end. As they did in Seattle and Phoenix, the Rockets responded when a high-scoring team, playing in a raucous sold-out arena, made its move. In Seattle and Phoenix, the Rockets came back from deficits, rallying from 16 and 14 points down. On Sunday, they led by as much as 18 in the first half. But after beginning the second half with a 14-point lead, the Rockets missed 11 of 15 shots with four turnovers, as the Kings crept back to within five. "Three, four weeks ago, not even that long ago, two weeks ago, we fold in that situation," guard Jon Barry said. "We were soft against Seattle at home. Utah. Washington. We turned it around. It seemed like all of a sudden, everything fell into place." When the Kings made their third-quarter run, Juwan Howard hit a jumper, Wesley sank a 3-pointer and McGrady scored on a drive, pushing the lead back to 12. When the Kings rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to within six with 3:45 left, Yao Ming knocked down a pair of free throws and McGrady sank an 18-footer. Keeping composure "We just keep our poise," McGrady said. "We all understand teams are going to make great runs. That (understanding) separates great teams from mediocre teams. When a team makes its run, we keep our composure and try to go on one as well. And I think we really lock in defensively." After a Bibby free throw, the Kings went to a zone, but James nailed a 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer for a 108-96 Rockets lead with 1:59 remaining. "I don't spend all the time in the gym for no reason," said James, who has scored in double figures in all seven of his games with the Rockets. "I'm just getting an opportunity. This is what I've been able to do my whole career. I've just never had a chance to showcase myself. Coach (Jeff) Van Gundy hasn't put any restrictions on me. He just wants me to play the right way." There's a lot of that going around. Offensive growth "One thing we have done is we have become a better offensive team," McGrady said. "We are putting some points up on the board. We're doing a great job of sharing the ball. We have guys that can flat out shoot the ball. And when those guys shoot the ball, it opens up Yao. "We're doing a great job of rebounding. That being said, we're also doing a great job playing great defense and getting out in transition and getting ourselves easy baskets." Amazing. Lots of good quotes. Let's make it 5 straight tomorrow!
if you don't get excited after reading this article you can't get excited about basketball or the rockets.
Here's the rest: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3083513 Rockets Summary Technical problem Yao Ming was hit with his first technical foul this season, though he did not show off his improved vocabulary to get it. Yao said he touched official Ron Garretson in the back to get his attention and demonstrate how he thought he saw the play, getting the technical with 8:23 left in the first quarter. "That was a joke," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Of all the things people say to officials and he touches a guy, and Yao gets a (technical) foul. You're not telling me that's not taking advantage of Yao. Whatever it is, there is something going on there when you're going to give Yao Ming a technical foul for touching you and trying to get your attention. I don't know what it is. But there's something wrong with how he's officiated and in particular with that technical foul. "I heard other people cursing at the referees tonight and that's fine. Yao touches a referee and gets a technical foul. There's something wrong with that." Yao, struggling with the flu that he has had the past few weeks, did not speak immediately after the game, but later said he was trying to demonstrate the foul he believed Brian Skinner committed. "Skinner, he used my arm to go by me," Yao said. "We were just fighting together and he called a foul on me. I wanted to show him how he did it. I didn't push (Garretson)." Malone still hospitalized Rockets assistant coach Andy Malone remained in a Phoenix hospital Sunday after suffering a mild stroke before Friday's game. Malone felt symptoms through the day Friday before he was taken from the arena. "He's better," Rockets trainer Keith Jones said. "He's still in the hospital. But he's doing better. His spirits are up. "He wasn't feeling well during the day. I talked to him later and his tongue and lips were numb. You could see the left side of his face drooping. So I got him with the doctor and they took him to the hospital. "He should be OK. But they haven't finished all their testing." Role reversal In a bit of role reversal, the Kings raved about the Rockets' offense. "They were passing the ball real well and knocking down shots," Kenny Thomas said. "At halftime, they didn't have a lot of shots in the paint, so they were basically killing us from the outside. You're always going to get some game like that, and the only thing you can do is get your hand in their face and hope they miss." Said Peja Stojakovic, "You have to give them credit; they made a lot of shots. Right now, they're playing really smart basketball." Former Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley said he had no extra incentive playing against his former team. It was his second game against the Rockets, both with the Kings. But he said he was frustrated with his shooting after making just eight of 24 shots. "I missed about seven easy ones right at the bucket," Mobley said. "It wasn't like they were playing good defense." Press row view Perhaps the call would not have seemed so touchy had Ron Garretson explained his thinking. He called Yao Ming for a technical foul for touching him, and then stomped around the court in a huff rather than explain his thinking, barking only that Yao touched him. When Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy tried to talk to the official in a timeout as coaches often do, Garretson, walked away and made a show of turning his back on the coach, making himself look angry, rather than judicious. Garretson is in his 18th season as an official and should know how to handle tempers. In this case, he seemed to have lost his own, and for no clear reason. Inside the numbers • 66 — Points in the first half, the most for the Rockets in a first half since March 27, 2001, against Utah. • 41 — Points off the bench for the Rockets, their most this season. Did you know The Rockets are tied with the Spurs and Nuggets for third-best record in the NBA since the midway point of the season at 15-6. Miami is 19-4. The Suns are 17-5. RESOURCES TONIGHT: ROCKETS AT GOLDEN STATE • When/where: 9:30 p.m.; the Arena in Oakland. • TV/radio: FSNSW; 610 AM and in Spanish on 920 AM. • Records: Warriors 20-43; Rockets 37-25. • Warriors update: The Warriors come home for their first game after an eight-game, 6,950-mile road trip. They went 4-4 on the trip, their first four-win trip since 1978-79. ... The Warriors are much improved, going 6-5 in their past 11 games, and since Feb. 1 have led or been within three in the last minute of 15 of 19 games. ... Baron Davis has come off the bench since his trade to the Warriors, but Jason Richardson came back well from the flu, scoring 22 against the Hawks. • The Warriors must: Defend consistently. One of the league's most porous teams, Golden State faces a Rockets team on an offensive roll. • Rockets update: The Rockets bring a four-game winning streak into the final game of a four-game road trip, the first at the Warriors this season. ... The Rockets are 6-7 on the second night of back-to-backs, with two more after this one this month. • The Rockets must: Cut off penetration. If Baron Davis or Jason Richardson get in the lane, they will have open 3-point shooters. • Check out: The Rockets' energy level. In what could be a let-down game, they face a team that will get open 3s, offensive rebounds and get to loose balls if the Rockets lack urgency. JONATHAN FEIGEN
I wonder if the NBA will rescind that technical. Maybe we can get a pool together for how long it will be for Yao to get his first 'real' T. Garretson is a jackass.
This shouldn't be a mystery - the difference is Yao (no, I'm not a YOF): JVG has said that he's not going to pull Yao out if he gets in foul trouble early. This announcement (IMHO) has contributed to Yao NOT getting in foul trouble early (either through his play or through officiating). This means that Yao can get into his groove throughout the game, and then pour it on in the 4th. The 4th quarter has become Yao time. JVG said that Yao's percentage is way up in the 4th, so they're gonna start going to Yao then. It has greatly payed off. Yao's rebounding has dramatically improved. JVG lit a fire under Yao to get his productivity up, and it worked. Yao's rebounding gives our guys a LOT more opportunities to win. Yao STILL has the flu?!?!?!? -- droxford
Mobely you missed your shots because your shots were contested, that's called defensed that your team didnt do.
I seriously love evrything about this time right now. I don't get quite as anxious at the end, because I believe that we'll pull it off. These blow-out wins have been great.
That reminds me of some of the quotes the Stevie used after a Dallas loss. The other team never wins because they play good only because you did not play as well as you could have. Cat has always been one of my favorite players but its time to stop pouting and start giving credit where credit is due.
I was pissed at the fact that he said he just missed shots, its not like houston's D had anything to do with it! he can suck an egg, we aren't resigning him.
Mobes just misses being back in Houston and w/ the Rockets. Don't worry, Mobes. We'll do you a favor and kick you out of the playoffs.
It went something like this "man we're better then them, they have to play that gimmick zone defense, they know they can't stop us one on one' I can't believe they actually said that after a loss against dallas last year.
Some things never change; Mobes always finds a way to undermine his brain and his credibility. Hey Mobley will it kill you to give your opponent credit just once for a change? :shaking head:
Cat's personality never changes. He said the exact same thing while he was with us and cant really say that he is dumb for saying it because he is with the Kings...... Oh screw it..... YOU LOST CAT, just admit that you were against a defensive team.
