GAME THREAD: NBA: SAN ANTONIO (3-0) at HOUSTON (3-1)

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA SAN ANTONIO 70
HOUSTON 79 2:59 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA SAN ANTONIO 75
HOUSTON 87 1:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA SAN ANTONIO 81
HOUSTON 89 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN ANTONIO 19 13 24 25 81
HOUSTON 18 27 19 25 89 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: SAS - MANU GINOBILI 23, TONY PARKER 21, TIM
DUNCAN 14
HOU - YAO MING 28, BONZI WELLS 14, MIKE JAMES
13</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
SAN ANTONIO 81
HOUSTON 89 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
SAN ANTONIO 81
HOUSTON 89 FINAL</div>

 

By Gene Duffey
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming outplayed Tim Duncan as the HoustonRockets beat the previously unbeaten San Antonio Spurs, 89-81,on Tuesday night at the Toyota Center.


Yao had 28 points and 13 rebounds and played solid help defenseon Duncan, who scored just 14 points on 5-of-15 from the fieldand 4-of-8 from the free-throw line.


Bonzi Wells collected 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Rockets,who lost Monday night at Dallas. San Antonio had not playedsince beating Sacramento at home last Friday.


The Rockets, who led by eight points after three quarters, heldoff the Spurs in the final period.


Manu Ginobili made two free throws to make it 79-72 with 2:55left, capping an 11-4 run by San Antonio. But the Spurs couldnot stop Yao, who then nailed back-to-back baskets to give theRockets an 11-point advantage with 2:07 remaining.

The fourth quarter was indicative of the entire contest, whichfeatured many runs.


After Chuck Hayes scored the first basket of the second half tostretch Houston's lead to 15 points,San Antonio guard TonyParker sparked a 10-2 spurt as the Spurs got back in the game at49-42.


Yao scored nine consecutive points for Houston to keep it infront as he finished the third quarter with 21 points - the onlyRocket in double figures until Tracy McGrady made a 3-pointer with33 seconds left in the period to give him 12 points.

Shane Battier hit a pair of early 3-pointers to stake Houston toan early lead midway through the opening quarter. ButGinobili helped the Spurs close the quarter with an 8-0 runto take a 19-18 lead entering the second.


Mike James came off the bench to give the Rockets a boost in thesecond. James threw in two 3-pointers and added acouple of free throws to put Houston on top by five points with6:31 left in the first half.


Wells, who seems to be rejuvenated under new coach RickAdelman, scored on a drive to widen Houston's lead to 34-27 with4:02 left in the second. Wells played the entire period andcontributed six points, seven rebounds and one assist duringthat span.


The Rockets scored the final nine points before halftime to takea 45-32 halftime lead, setting up their fine play after the break.

Ginobili had 23 points and Parker added 21 on 10-of-17 shootingfor San Antonio.

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">SAN ANTONIO (81) AT HOUSTON (89)

SAN ANTONIO

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

B BOWEN F 29:41 2-2 0-0 1 2 3 1 1 0 0 4
T DUNCAN F 36:31 5-15 4-8 1 9 10 1 4 0 5 14
F OBERTO C 12:33 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 0
T PARKER G 40:18 10-17 0-1 0 1 1 5 1 1 4 21
M FINLEY G 29:16 3-8 3-3 0 2 2 3 0 2 1 10
M BONNER 8:44 0-1 0-0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 0
E GINOBILI 29:56 8-17 7-11 0 2 2 3 2 5 1 23
F ELSON 22:37 2-4 0-0 1 5 6 0 2 0 0 4
D WASHINGTON JR 4:18 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
B BARRY 21:30 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 5
I UDOKA 4:36 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
I MAHINMI DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 32-69 14-23 4 24 28 14 17 10 12 81
(.464) (.609) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 13 (18 PTS)

HOUSTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

S BATTIER F 40:01 4-5 0-0 0 1 1 2 4 1 1 12
C HAYES F 20:26 2-7 0-0 4 3 7 0 3 0 1 4
Y MING C 42:55 12-24 4-6 8 5 13 6 3 0 6 28
R ALSTON G 27:31 1-5 0-0 0 1 1 7 1 0 2 2
T MCGRADY G 36:41 4-14 2-4 2 7 9 6 0 2 3 12
L SCOLA 8:09 0-2 0-2 0 3 3 0 3 0 1 0
D MUTOMBO 4:53 1-2 0-0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 2
M JAMES 20:29 4-12 2-2 1 2 3 1 0 1 1 13
B WELLS 26:51 6-11 2-3 7 8 15 1 2 1 2 14
L HEAD 12:04 1-4 0-0 1 0 1 2 1 0 1 2
S FRANCIS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K SNYDER DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 35-86 10-17 25 30 55 25 17 6 18 89
(.407) (.588) TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 19 (17 PTS)

SAN ANTONIO 19 13 24 25 - 81
HOUSTON 18 27 19 25 - 89

BLOCKED SHOTS: SAN ANTONIO - T DUNCAN 3, E GINOBILI 2, F ELSON 2, B BARRY,
F OBERTO. HOUSTON - Y MING 3, B WELLS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: SAN ANTONIO 3-8 (.375), T PARKER 1-1, M FINLEY 1-
2, E GINOBILI 0-2, B BARRY 1-2, I UDOKA 0-1. HOUSTON 9-21 (.429), S BATTIER 4-
5, C HAYES 0-1, R ALSTON 0-2, T MCGRADY 2-4, M JAMES 3-7, L HEAD 0-
2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - T MCGRADY.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DEREK RICHARDSON, ED MALLOY, JACK NIES.
A - 18,280. T - 2:10.</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">SAN ANTONIO (81)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
B Bowen 29:41 2-2 0-0 1-3 1 1 4
T Duncan 36:31 5-15 4-8 1-10 1 4 14
F Oberto 12:33 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 3 0
T Parker 40:18 10-17 0-1 0-1 5 1 21
M Finley 29:16 3-8 3-3 0-2 3 0 10
M Bonner 8:44 0-1 0-0 1-2 0 1 0
E Ginobili 29:56 8-17 7-11 0-2 3 2 23
F Elson 22:37 2-4 0-0 1-6 0 2 4
D Washington Jr 4:18 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
B Barry 21:30 2-3 0-0 0-1 1 2 5
I Udoka 4:36 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
I Mahinmi DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 32-69 14-23 4-28 14 17 81
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.464, FT-.609. 3-Point Goals:
3-8, .375 (T Parker 1-1, M Finley 1-2, E
Ginobili 0-2, B Barry 1-2, I Udoka 0-1). Team
Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:9 (T Duncan 3, E
Ginobili 2, F Elson 2, B Barry, F Oberto).
Turnovers:12 (T Duncan 5, T Parker 4, E
Ginobili, M Finley, D Washington Jr). Steals:
10 (E Ginobili 5, B Barry 2, M Finley 2, T
Parker).


HOUSTON (89)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
S Battier 40:01 4-5 0-0 0-1 2 4 12
C Hayes 20:26 2-7 0-0 4-7 0 3 4
Y Ming 42:55 12-24 4-6 8-13 6 3 28
R Alston 27:31 1-5 0-0 0-1 7 1 2
T McGrady 36:41 4-14 2-4 2-9 6 0 12
L Scola 8:09 0-2 0-2 0-3 0 3 0
D Mutombo 4:53 1-2 0-0 2-2 0 0 2
M James 20:29 4-12 2-2 1-3 1 0 13
B Wells 26:51 6-11 2-3 7-15 1 2 14
L Head 12:04 1-4 0-0 1-1 2 1 2
S Francis DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K Snyder DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 35-86 10-17 25-55 25 17 89
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.407, FT-.588. 3-Point Goals:
9-21, .429 (S Battier 4-5, C Hayes 0-1, R
Alston 0-2, T McGrady 2-4, M James 3-7, L
Head 0-2). Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked Shots:4
(Y Ming 3, B Wells). Turnovers:18 (Y Ming 6,
T McGrady 3, B Wells 2, R Alston 2, S
Battier, M James, C Hayes, L Head, L Scola).
Steals: 6 (T McGrady 2, D Mutombo, B Wells, S
Battier, M James).

-------------------------------------------
SAN ANTONIO 19 13 24 25 - 81
HOUSTON 18 27 19 25 - 89
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Houston - 1 (T McGrady, 0:12
3rd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,280. T: 2:10.
Officials: Derek Richardson, Ed Malloy, Jack
Nies.</div>

 

By Gene Duffey
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming outplayed Tim Duncan and the HoustonRockets beat the previously unbeaten San Antonio Spurs, 89-81, onTuesday night at the Toyota Center.


Yao had 28 points and 13 rebounds and played solid help defenseon Duncan, who scored just 14 points on 5-of-15 from the fieldand 4-of-8 from the free-throw line.


Bonzi Wells collected 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Rockets,who lost Monday night at Dallas. San Antonio had not playedsince beating Sacramento at home last Friday.


"Bonzi was terrific," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "He wason the boards all night long. You shoot 40 percent and you get25 offensive rebounds, it's pretty good. He's just a handfuland it's hard to keep him off the boards."


Wells played some of his best basketball when he played forAdelman in Sacramento in 2005-06. He averaged 23.0 points and12.0 rebounds in a six-game playoff series vs. San Antonio thatseason.


"He's one of the few coaches who understands me and lets me bemyself," Wells said of Adelman. "It felt good (tonight). Thefirst four games I wasn't playing up to my ability. I've beentelling the guys I've been pressing a little bit. I didn't domuch (Monday in Dallas), so I had a lot of energy tonight."

Wells helped the Rockets to a large 55-28 edge in rebounding.

"They beat us up badly on the boards and that was a constantproblem for us all game," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said."Bonzi seems to have a way of doing that against the Spurs nomatter what he wears. He had a wonderful game."


San Antonio, which trailed almost the entire game, closed within79-72 with 2:55 to play on a pair of free throws by ManuGinobili.


The Rockets then went right to Yao on their next threepossessions. The first two times he hit shots over Duncan andthe third Ginobili fouled him when he went to double-team - andYao made 1-of-2 free throws.


"I hope (Monday) night's situation does not happen again, whenwe had a couple of turnovers in a row (in the closing minutes),"Yao said. "I knew we were going to post me up to make a play.I kept repeating everything I do in practice in my mind."

"Yao was great down the stretch," Adelman said. "We were goingto keep going to him. They were going to have to either doublehim or he was going to score. He's going to get better atpassing out of that double-team."


Yao passed for six assists but also committed six of Houston's18 turnovers.


"I have always admired his game since he came into this league,"Ginobili said of Yao. "He's an unbelievable player and he cando everything. He was inspired tonight."


Yao admitted he got tired playing in back-to-back games.

"In the beginning, in the first quarter tonight, I felt tired,"he said. "When I started the fourth quarter, I didn't have timeto think about it."


The Spurs couldn't get going offensively, except for Ginobiliand Parker, who had 23 and 21, respectively. San Antonio shot37 percent in the first half when it scored just 32 points -falling behind by 13.


The 81 points by the Spurs was at least 15 fewer than they hadscored in any of their first three games this season.

"They played very solid, good defense and moved the ball aroundvery well on offense," Duncan said. "It was a very, very, verybad rebounding game for us. It starts and ends there."

Duncan faced a several defenders throughout the game.

"When a player like that has a tough night, it's always acombination of things," Adelman said of Duncan. "He had an offnight."


Duncan made his first shot of the game, but finished the firsthalf shooting 1-of-9. Yao, on the other hand, kept scoring forthe Rockets.


"Every year Yao is getting better," Duncan said. "The Rocketsshowed their confidence in him when they go through him at theend of the game like they did tonight. He made some big shotsand was tough to stop."


"He is a big load and has improved a lot," Spurs reserve centerFrancisco Elson said of Yao. "He is stronger and has a greattouch around the basket. He made life (tough) for us. We wereall so focused on trying to stop Yao, a lot of their otherplayers had an advantage on the boards."


Tracy McGrady, who entered the game averaging 33.0 points,scored just 12 on 4-of-14 shooting. But he contributed sixassists and nine rebounds.


"I told T-Mac (McGrady) his presence out there is enough forus," Wells said. "When he's not shooting his shots, I know he'sgoing to pass the ball, create a lot of opportunities for otherguys. He's an excellent passer. He can always find guys."

Houston forward Chuck Hayes, attempting to guard Duncan, caughtan elbow in the face from the All-Star forward on San Antonio'ssecond possession. Hayes was taken to the locker room andreplaced by Luis Scola, the rookie from Argentina.

Scola picked up three fouls in a little over six minutes,forcing Adelman to bring in 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo to playalongside of Yao. Hayes, after getting six stitches over hisright eye, returned for the final minute of the quarter.

Mutombo looked younger than his 41 years when he drove for abasket with a 3:03 to play in the first quarter, giving Houstonan 18-11 lead. He also grabbed two rebounds in the five minuteshe played in the period.