<div align="center"><font color="blue">Timberwolves (19-21)</font> at <font color="red">Rockets (15-26)</font> Friday, January 27th, 2006 Toyota Center, Houston, TX 7:30 CT; FSNSW and NBALP </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="blue"> <font size="1">(Marko Jaric, Troy Hudson Trenton Hassell, Eddie Griffin, Kevin Garnett)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Kevin Garnett - 22.2 PPG Leading Rebounder: Kevin Garnett - 11.3 RPG Assist Man: Marko Jaric - 5.3 APG The 'X' Factor: Trenton Hassell (9.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.4 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[IMGl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/marko_jaric.jpg[/IMGl]<font color="blue">Marko Jaric</font> PPG: 10.3, RPG: 3.4, APG: 5.3 Marko Jaric was acquired by Kevin McHale for Sam Cassell and a first round pick, but so far, the Yugoslavian 6-7 point guard hasn't impressed. While Sammy is lighting it up in LA, Jaric is playing worse than he did a year ago in the Clipper uniform, and has generally looked out of place on the court. Against a much quicker Rafer Alston tonight, Jaric might suffer. </font> <font size="1">[IMGl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/troy_hudson.jpg[/IMGl]<font color="blue">Trpy Hudson</font> PPG: 10.5, RPG: 1.2, APG: 3.1 With normal starter Wally Sczerbiak traded to the Celtics in a big deal for Ricky Davis, Troy Hudson looks to step into the starting position until Davis gets cleared to play. Although Hudson is pretty small at 6-3, he won't be overmatched defensively as David Wesley, his Houston counterpart, is just 6-1. Hudson has been the Wolves' sixth man for the past two years, and doesn't do much besides score. He can drop 20 tonight and take most of Sczerbiak's shots. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/trenton_hassell.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Trenton Hassell</font> PPG: 9.0, RPG: 2.3, APG: 2.4 Long regarded as one of the best defensive wing players in the league, Hassell is taking on more of an offensive role this year, averaging a career high 9 points per game. Going up against Tracy McGrady tonight, Hassell might not have the energy left on the offensive end to score more than 5; he'll need it all trying to hold the ultra hot TMac under 30. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/eddie_griffin.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Eddie Griffin</font> PPG: 5.5, RPG: 6.3, BPG: 2.4 Houston's favorite son returns. Well, not really, but Griffin is returning to Houston, a team which spent three picks to acquire him, and the team that he got into various kinds of trouble with and put in two years of disappointing unrealized potential. With Minnesota, Griffin is still not playing like what many expected him to coming out of Seton Hall, but he's good enough. Griffin's three-point range may mean less minutes for Dikembe Mutombo and more for Chuck Hayes or Lonny Baxter. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kevin_garnett.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Kevin Garnett</font> PPG: 22.2, RPG: 11.3, APG: 4.7 Kevin Garnett is a perennial MVP candidate and a guy who can get a 30/20 game every night. He can do it from the outside and inside, and is probably the best all-around big man in the league. Against Juwan Howard, Garnett's shots won't be heavily contested, but he had better make every shot he can, because he'll be without the help of the recently traded Wally Sczerbiak. </font> [/div] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="red"> <font size="1">(Rafer Alston, David Wesley Tracy McGrady, Dikembe Mutombo, Juwan Howard) </font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Tracy McGrady - 26.9 PPG Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming - 9.0 RPG Assist Man: Rafer Alston - 6.0 APG The 'X' Factor: Chuck Hayes (7.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 0.8 BPG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/rafer_alston.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Rafer Alston</font> PPG: 11.0, RPG: 4.0, APG: 6.0 Since returning from a microfracture surgery a few weeks ago, Rafer Alston has played the most consistent and productive ball of his career. He has become a stud passer, and is penetrating to the rack and drawing fouls. Skip To My Lou's shot has been off, but he'll be blowing by Marko Jaric on the regular tonight. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/david_wesley.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">David Wesley</font> PPG: 10.9, RPG: 2.8, APG: 3.2 After a dismal effort defensively against Matt Carroll on Wednesday against Charlotte, Wesley will have lots to prove. However, Troy Hudson is very quick and not shy to jack up three-pointers, and he'll have Dave working all night long. Wesley has been shooting well from the outside in the past three games, and he'll need to knock down the open threes he's bound to get every game with McGrady on the floor. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/tracy_mcgrady.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Tracy McGrady</font> PPG: 26.9, RPG: 7.0, APG: 4.9 McGrady has been averaging 37 points a game in the past four games, and he will look to have another big game tonight. With a defensive whiz on him in Trenton Hassell, TMac's shots won't come easy, but don't count him out for 30. McGrady will be going toe-to-toe with Kevin Garnett all night, and the winner of that scoring duel could likely win the game for his team. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/dikembe_mutombo.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Dikembe Mutombo</font> PPG: 2.7, RPG: 5.5, BPG: 0.97 Against Eddie Griffin tonight, Dikembe probably won't be used much except for the start of halves. He's still a good shotblocker and rebounder in limited minutes, but Deke isn't someone who could change the outcome of a big game. Expect Chuck Hayes and Lonny Baxter to get big chunks of the ancient one's minutes tonight. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/juwan_howard.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Juwan Howard</font> PPG: 11.6, RPG: 6.9, APG: 1.3 Once again, Juwan Howard will be the Rockets' number one option in the post. During the absence of Yao, Howard has proven that he can still score like an All-Star, but it'll be his defense that will be more needed tonight. Guarding Kevin Garnett is no easy task, but expect Howard to give it his all, as he goes for about 18 on the offensive end, off offensive putbacks and midrange jumpers that are so valuable to the Rockets offense. </font> <font size="3">Keys to the Game</font><ul>[*]<font color="red">T-Mac! T-Mac! T-Mac!</font> - Get T-Mac going early. The more attention T-Mac can draw to himself, the more open shots the rest of the Rockets can have.[*]<font color="red">Ride the streak</font> - The Rockets are on a modest two-game win streak, and the Timberwolves have lost four of their last five. Use the momentum heading into this game to blow open a big lead and bury Minnesota early.[*][*]<font color="blue">Stop T-Mac</font> - TMac's the only player on the Rockets who can put up 35+. Shut him down and you'll leave it to Juwan Howard to beat you, which is a lot better than having McGrady beat you.[*]<font color="blue">Take Smart Shots</font> - The Rockets thrive on forcing opponents into bad shots, and to beat Houston, the Wolves should swing the ball around quickly and get the open three-pointer.[*][/list]<font size="3">Other Notes</font><ul>[*]The Rockets are 23-1 under Van Gundy when they score over 100 in a home game.[*]The Rockets are 4-13 at home and Minnesota is 6-13 on the road.[/list]<font size="3">Prediction</font> The Rockets come up with a good team effort and beat the Timberwolves in a blowout. Chuck Hayes puts in another great hustle game off the bench. I love this dude! Rockets: W, Timberwolves: L
unless they come up with special shoes to protect his toe, i doubt Yao will be playing tonight. Tonight's game will be about Tmac vs KG. KG will go to town against Juwan Howard... if they double him aggressively, there aren't a lot of players (especially without wally) on Minnesota that can beat you. The same goes for TMac - stop TMac and the Rockets lose this one.
OMG WOWOWOWOWOOWOWOWO WOWOWOWOOWOWOW JVG finally trusts stromile to start him at pf his first game back and look at the results 6 minutes 5 pts 1ast and 1blk whers the rebounds but w/e hes been doin better and where is juwan why he not startin is he injured or traded wuts goin on? and why did hayes go in for swift and not howard wuts goin on?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drunkenbarden:</div><div class="quote_post">is Ricky Davis playing tonight?</div> No, the trade needs 48 hours to process. I can't watch the game, so could anyone who is tell me what's going on? Not having Howard in the game at all is a bit suspicious. Is it an injury? I doubt it's a trade as if it is, we'd hear about it from ESPN or something about it now. Swift isn't impressing.
he was pretty good guarding KG for awhile then he started messin up. Umm wut u talkin bout blount and davis are already on the court and davis is murdering us.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting tinyballer:</div><div class="quote_post">he was pretty good guarding KG for awhile then he started messin up. Umm wut u talkin bout blount and davis are already on the court and davis is murdering us.</div> Hmm, don't trades normally take 48 hours to process? Seeing that it was done last night, it doesn't make sense. Or they just changed the time limit under the new CBA. My bad. tinyballer, if you're watching the game, shouldn't the analysts have said something about Howard not playing?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">Hmm, don't trades normally take 48 hours to process? Seeing that it was done last night, it doesn't make sense. Or they just changed the time limit under the new CBA. My bad. tinyballer, if you're watching the game, shouldn't the analysts have said something about Howard not playing?</div> I think the deal was actually done on Wednesday night, because this local paper in Boston, broke the story Thursday. I guess all the players cleared physicals in time to play tonight. Rockets are making a run in the 2nd half and are only down by 7 despite an off night by McGrady. If he can heat up in the 4th Rockets have a great chance to win.
we just lost...Swift did pretty good for not playing alot. He went 7 for 13 and 5 of 7 from the line. Tmac had an off night with 19 points
I swear T-mac has THE WORST shot selection of anyone I've ever seen!!!He had Garnett at the top of the key and settled for a pull up, he never drives the ball anymore it's all jump shots!!!!Then he takes jumpers from about a foot in front of the three point line so it's not an NBA three but it's like a College three WTF???
McGrady continues his subpar play at home. I don't know if it was the broken nose, or just the home atmosphere, but he really struggles in Houston. If I remember correctly, he was a much better road player last season as well, so it's not a fluke. Chuck Hayes had a good game overall again, but after missing a free throw in the fourth and getting a shot blocked, he struggled finishing in close. The hustle and relentlessness was still there, however. Terrible foul called on him near the end to disqualify him. Swift was surprisingly energetic on the defensive end and also finishing in close. Van Gundy seems to be very comfortable playing Chuck Hayes, who basically only left the game when he was in serious foul trouble and to start each half. I hope Van Gundy sticks with that rotation, despite the loss. Hayes is exactly what we need.
It's ok guys, almost had it. They shot 49%, we shot 40%, but we held them to 20 turnovers. Ricky Davis was a beast! Well at least Swift is back holding down the fort...kinda suspicious how right when he comes back he gets a start, Juwan with no PT...could it be like Mo Taylor flu?
I never like Ricky Davis. That guy plays basketball with his body, not his brain. Just like Ruben Patterson. They can do nothing but runing hard into the paint and getting a call. No...I don't wanna see Rocket lose...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting johnny33:</div><div class="quote_post"> unless they come up with special shoes to protect his toe, i doubt Yao will be playing tonight. Tonight's game will be about Tmac vs KG. KG will go to town against Juwan Howard... if they double him aggressively, there aren't a lot of players (especially without wally) on Minnesota that can beat you. The same goes for TMac - stop TMac and the Rockets lose this one.</div> Here is the special shoes to protect Yao's toe. It's seemed that Rockets is rushing to have Yao back in the starting line-up.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting perrypan:</div><div class="quote_post">I never like Ricky Davis. That guy plays basketball with his body, not his brain. Just like Ruben Patterson. They can do nothing but runing hard into the paint and getting a call. No...I don't wanna see Rocket lose...</div> We could use a few players who can play basketball like Ricky Davis.
It is obvious why they are rushing his return. The fast Yao comes back, then the faster we have a chance to win more games. If we lose games then were out of playoff range but for now we have a chance.
