GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: MEMPHIS (6-11) at HOUSTON (9-9)

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA MEMPHIS 84
HOUSTON 101 2:49 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA MEMPHIS 88
HOUSTON 103 1:06 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA MEMPHIS 92
HOUSTON 105 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MEMPHIS 20 22 29 21 92
HOUSTON 24 31 30 20 105 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: MEM - DAMON STOUDAMIRE 19, PAU GASOL 17
HOU - BONZI WELLS 24, YAO MING 24, TRACY
MCGRADY 17</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">MEMPHIS (92) AT HOUSTON (105)

MEMPHIS

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

J NAVARRO G 35:29 4-14 0-0 0 2 2 6 3 1 2 10
D STOUDAMIRE G 29:22 6-8 3-3 1 2 3 5 2 0 2 19
R GAY F 42:21 8-20 0-0 6 4 10 1 5 1 1 17
M MILLER F 40:42 6-11 1-2 1 8 9 4 1 0 3 14
P GASOL C 38:24 8-16 7-10 3 9 12 2 4 2 1 23
K LOWRY 18:38 0-3 2-2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 2
C JACOBSEN 14:30 1-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 3
H WARRICK 10:58 1-3 1-2 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 3
A BROWN 9:36 0-1 1-4 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

TOTALS 240:00 34-79 15-23 13 28 41 20 19 4 11 92
(.430) (.652) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 11 (0 PTS)

HOUSTON

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

R ALSTON G 38:20 3-9 0-0 2 6 8 7 2 2 1 7
T MCGRADY G 42:24 7-22 2-4 0 10 10 12 1 2 0 17
C HAYES F 15:41 1-3 0-0 3 4 7 0 1 0 3 2
S BATTIER F 37:05 5-9 0-0 2 1 3 1 4 1 1 13
Y MING C 44:13 10-17 4-5 5 8 13 1 3 1 2 24
B WELLS 29:59 11-14 2-5 4 3 7 2 5 1 1 24
L SCOLA 17:02 6-8 4-5 1 1 2 0 3 0 1 16
S FRANCIS 9:40 1-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2
M JAMES 5:06 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
L HEAD 0:30 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 240:00 44-87 12-19 17 33 50 25 22 8 9 105
(.506) (.632) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 10 (0 PTS)

MEMPHIS 20 22 29 21 - 92
HOUSTON 24 31 30 20 - 105

BLOCKED SHOTS: MEMPHIS - P GASOL 2, R GAY. HOUSTON - Y MING 4, S BATTIER 3,
T MCGRADY 2, R ALSTON, C HAYES.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MEMPHIS 9-24 (.375), J NAVARRO 2-5, D STOUDAMIRE 4-
5, R GAY 1-4, M MILLER 1-5, P GASOL 0-1, K LOWRY 0-1, C JACOBSEN 1-
3. HOUSTON 5-16 (.313), R ALSTON 1-4, T MCGRADY 1-6, S BATTIER 3-5,
M JAMES 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: MEMPHIS - R GAY. HOUSTON - S BATTIER.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MARK AYOTTE, SEAN CORBIN, TOM WASHINGTON.
A - 17,723. T - 2:05.</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">MEMPHIS (92)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
J Navarro 35:29 4-14 0-0 0-2 6 3 10
D Stoudamire 29:22 6-8 3-3 1-3 5 2 19
R Gay 42:21 8-20 0-0 6-10 1 5 17
M Miller 40:42 6-11 1-2 1-9 4 1 14
P Gasol 38:24 8-16 7-10 3-12 2 4 23
K Lowry 18:38 0-3 2-2 0-0 1 1 2
C Jacobsen 14:30 1-3 0-0 0-2 0 0 3
H Warrick 10:58 1-3 1-2 1-2 0 2 3
A Brown 9:36 0-1 1-4 1-1 1 1 1

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 34-79 15-23 13-41 20 19 92
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.430, FT-.652. 3-Point Goals:
9-24, .375 (J Navarro 2-5, D Stoudamire 4-5,
R Gay 1-4, M Miller 1-5, P Gasol 0-1, K Lowry
0-1, C Jacobsen 1-3). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots:3 (P Gasol 2, R Gay).
Turnovers:11 (M Miller 3, D Stoudamire 2, J
Navarro 2, P Gasol, A Brown, R Gay, K Lowry).
Steals: 4 (P Gasol 2, R Gay, J Navarro).


HOUSTON (105)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
R Alston 38:20 3-9 0-0 2-8 7 2 7
T McGrady 42:24 7-22 2-4 0-10 12 1 17
C Hayes 15:41 1-3 0-0 3-7 0 1 2
S Battier 37:05 5-9 0-0 2-3 1 4 13
Y Ming 44:13 10-17 4-5 5-13 1 3 24
B Wells 29:59 11-14 2-5 4-7 2 5 24
L Scola 17:02 6-8 4-5 1-2 0 3 16
S Francis 9:40 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2
M James 5:06 0-2 0-0 0-0 2 1 0
L Head 0:30 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 44-87 12-19 17-50 25 22 105
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.506, FT-.632. 3-Point Goals:
5-16, .313 (R Alston 1-4, T McGrady 1-6, S
Battier 3-5, M James 0-1). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots:11 (Y Ming 4, S Battier 3, T
McGrady 2, R Alston, C Hayes). Turnovers:9 (C
Hayes 3, Y Ming 2, B Wells, R Alston, L
Scola, S Battier). Steals: 8 (T McGrady 2, R
Alston 2, B Wells, Y Ming, S Battier, S
Francis).

-------------------------------------------
MEMPHIS 20 22 29 21 - 92
HOUSTON 24 31 30 20 - 105
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Memphis - 1 (R Gay, 1:07
3rd). Houston - 1 (S Battier, 7:22 3rd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,723. T: 2:05.
Officials: Mark Ayotte, Sean Corbin, Tom
Washington.</div>

 

NBA: MEMPHIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
MEMPHIS 92
HOUSTON 105 FINAL</div>

 

By Gene Duffey
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- A few days of rest did the Houston Rocketssome good.


Tracy McGrady had 17 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds - histhird career triple-double - and Bonzi Wells added a season-high24 points for the Rockets en route to a 105-92 victory over theMemphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.


Playing its first game in four days, Houston rebounded fromSaturday's loss in Sacramento by taking out its frustration onMemphis.


McGrady did his best to facilitate the offense in the first halfwith seven assists and seven rebounds at the break even thoughhe was unable to find his stroke. The Grizzlies were able toget within 66-59 at 5:26 of the third quarter, but McGrady, whohit only three of his first 15 shots, warmed up in the third byscoring seven points.


McGrady completed the final leg of his first triple-double sinceFebruary 23, 2003, at 5:18 of the final quarter when he grabbeda rebound off a missed 3-pointer from Memphis' Rudy Gay.

However, the ability to get his teammates involved early helpedWells spark the Rockets with 16 first-half points to giveHouston a 55-42 advantage at intermission.


Wells and rookie Luis Scola allowed Houston take charge in thesecond quarter when the Rockets outscored Memphis, 31-22. Theduo scored 12 points apiece in the period while Memphis receivedvirtually no offense from its bench.


The Grizzlies could get no closer than seven points the rest ofthe way as Rockets center Yao Ming scored 15 of his 24 points inthe second half, including a pair of emphatic power dunks.

Gasol had 23 points and 12 boards for the Grizzlies, who fell to2-7 on the road this season.

 

By Gene Duffey
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- A few days of rest did the Houston Rocketssome good.


Tracy McGrady had 17 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds - histhird career triple-double - and Bonzi Wells added a season-high24 points for the Rockets en route to a 105-92 victory over theMemphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.


Playing its first game in four days, Houston rebounded fromSaturday's loss in Sacramento by taking out its frustration onMemphis.


McGrady did his best to facilitate the offense in the first halfwith seven assists and seven rebounds at the break even thoughhe was unable to find his stroke.


"I've been flirting with them and it's good to finally get one,"McGrady said of his first triple-double for the Rockets. "Itdoesn't really mean anything. I mean it's definitely anaccomplishment. Those things are hard to come by. I definitelyhave to credit my teammates for knocking down the shots.Finally, we made shots tonight. I have to credit myself forrebounding."


McGrady and Yao Ming have been doing their part lately, but therest of the Rockets have been shooting poorly while Houston lost8 of 11.


From the beginning Wednesday night, McGrady set out to get morethan just Yao involved in the game. McGrady dished out fourassists in the first quarter, when the Rockets took a 24-20 leadand never trailed again.


"Coming into the game, I was passing the ball, just trying toget these guys open," he said. "I wasn't trying to be as asaggressive on the offensive end. I was trying to do whatever ittakes to build confidence for my teammates. When it was timefor me to take shots, I didn't really have rhythm. I tried todo other things to be effective."


The Grizzlies were able to get within 66-59 at 5:26 of the thirdquarter, but McGrady, who hit only three of his first 15 shots,warmed up in the third by scoring seven points.


McGrady completed the final leg of his first triple-double sinceFebruary 23, 2003, at 5:18 of the final quarter when he grabbeda rebound off a missed 3-pointer from Memphis' Rudy Gay.

The last Rocket to record a triple double was Steve Francis inMarch 2003 against Golden State.


"He is so hard to stop because he does so much," Memphisswingman Mike Miller said of McGrady. "Triple-doubles are toughto come by. Tracy is one of the toughest guys to guard in thisleague, but it's also what he does for his team to makeeverybody else better."


However, the ability to get his teammates involved early helpedWells spark the Rockets with 16 first-half points to giveHouston a 55-42 advantage at intermission.


Wells and rookie Luis Scola allowed Houston take charge in thesecond quarter when the Rockets outscored Memphis, 31-22. Theduo scored 12 points apiece in the period while Memphis receivedvirtually no offense from its bench.


"We took advantage that they had a smaller guy on him," Houstoncoach Rick Adelman said of Wells. "He was very active on theboards. When he gets around the basket like that and has anadvantage, he's going to be successful."


"That's my stuff," Wells said. "They were going kind of smallat the (off guard). It's so easy to make layups, and I've beenmissing them. Tracy said they found me on the milk carton.

"A lot of times (teams) are trying to get the ball out of Yaoand McGrady's hands. We talked among ourselves, we have to helpthese guys. It takes a lot of pressure off them (if we canscore)."


Houston's bench outscored Memphis' reserves, 42-9, in thecontest.


"Both those guys gave us a huge lift, when you get that kind ofproduction off the bench," Adelman said of Wells and Scola.

Adelman was pleased with his offense, at least for this night,in part because it was not limited to McGrady and Yao.

"We have to be able to do it consistently," he said. "That'sbeen the problem. You need somebody to give you scoring off thebench. We need more balance."


"We had balance tonight," Houston forward Shane Battier said."A balanced basketball team will have longer and more consistentsuccess."


The Grizzlies could get no closer than seven points the rest ofthe way as Yao scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half,including a pair of emphatic power dunks.


Gasol had 23 points and 12 boards for the Grizzlies, who fell to2-7 on the road this season.