<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> November 12, 2006 - 8:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game aired on ESPN</span></div><span style="color:#FF0000">Houston Rockets</span> <span style="color:#000000">(4-2)</span><span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Rafer Alston</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Tracy McGrady</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chuck Hayes</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Yao Ming</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Bonzi Wells, Luther Head, Kirk Snyder, Dikembe Mutombo, Juwan Howard</span> <span style="color:#000000">Miami Heat</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(3-2)</span><span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Gary Payton</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Dwyane Wade</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Antoine Walker</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Udonis Haslem</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Alonzo Mourning, James Posey, Dorell Wright, Jason Kapono</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FF0000">MIA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Jason Williams will not play (recovering from knee surgery)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#FF0000">Tracy McGrady</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 18.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 6.2 apg, 1.3 spg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Yao Ming</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 26.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 60% FG</span><span style="color:#000000">Dwyane Wade</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 25.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.0 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 13.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Antoine Walker</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 14.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg</span>Rookie Watch <span style="color:#000000">HOU:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Steve Novak</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 32</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">2.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Houston's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Battier needs to do what he does best: defend, play scrappy, knock down open shots. He can't let Antoine Walker get easy hoops, because when he gets going he can go on a streak of knocking down 2-3 three's in a row.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Miami's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000000">Udonis Haslem</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 14.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.2 spg</span><span style="color:#000000">Haslem has been a monster on the boards, and he had a career high in scoring the other night. But he needs to really help out on the boards. Yao has been phenominal, Hayes has been rebounding well, and Shaq is slowing down - so Haslem really needs to do as much damage on the glass as he can.</span> Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#FF0000">Yao Ming</span> <span style="color:#000099">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span><span style="color:#000000">The top 2 centers in the game, Yao looking incredible as of late. Yao is just getting started while Shaq is wrapping it up soon, but it's still going to be a great matchup. It always is with these two.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesIt's going to be a very good game. I mean you got Shaq/Yao, Wade/T-Mac, and two teams who are very hungry to get going. These teams call for some very nice and even matchups. Actually these two teams are very similar. Shaq/Yao are the top 2 centers in the NBA, Wade/T-Mac are both top 5 talents, Walker/Battier are good 3rd guys, Haslem/Hayes are bangers, Zo/Mutombo are getting old yet are still defensive forces, both have no backup PG right now. Pretty damn similar. CelticBalla's PredictionI see Miami taking this one at home. I think it's going to be a very good game, and I can't wait to see it, but I just have a gut feeling Miami will take it and Wade will go for 30+.
Gonna be awesome to see 2 of my favorite player, Wade and T-Mac, go head to head. Shaq/Yao is always fun as well. Basically I think Shaq will get Yao into foul trouble early, and if T-Mac doesn't have a 30pts+ night, the Rockets will lose. Look for a big night by Wade....as usual.
I've been looking forward to this game all week, can't wait to watch it..It's going to be a very fun game to watch, I hope T-Mac shoots lights out tonight.
NBA Previewhttp://www.nba.com/games/20061112/HOUMIA/preview.html<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>As soon as his last game ended, Houston center Yao Ming began preparing for Shaquille O'Neal.Yao looks to lead the Rockets to their fourth straight victory when they visit O'Neal and the defending champion Miami Heat on American Airlines Arena on Sunday.Injuries to his toe and foot limited Yao to a career-low 57 games in 2005-06, but he's off to a strong start this season, averaging 26.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He had 35 points, 17 rebounds and a career high-tying seven blocks to help the Rockets (4-2) beat the New York Knicks 103-94 on Friday.After the game, however, Yao went straight to the weight room.``I've got another big guy coming,'' he said. ``I want to be ready for him.''That big guy is O'Neal, who has long been considered the most dominant center in the league. However, the 34-year-old Shaq has been slowed by injuries in recent years and is averaging just 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.And with the way Yao has been playing so far this season, Houston guard Tracy McGrady isn't so sure that O'Neal is still the NBA's premier big man.``I don't care who you try to match up against him, I don't care who you say is the most dominant,'' McGrady said. ``No. 11 on my team, hands down, is the best center in the league.''Houston's Dikembe Mutombo is impressed with the way his teammate is playing.``He's playing a lot better this year than he did last year,'' Mutombo said. ``He's such a hard worker. He's working out two hours before practice and two hours after practice.``It's going to be interesting on Sunday, especially the way Yao is shooting his hook shot. It's unstoppable. I haven't seen anybody try to block it.''O'Neal returned Friday after missing two games with a bruised left knee, and had 13 points and six rebounds in just under 30 minutes of Miami's 113-106 win over the New Jersey Nets.``It felt all right, although I missed a couple of chippies, but the guys played well,'' he said.Dwyane Wade scored 34 points and Udonis Haslem added a career-high 28 for the Heat (3-2), who came back from a 17-point second-quarter deficit.``There is something very unique about this team,'' said coach Pat Riley. ``They don't play some nights with the incredible sense of urgency that I am trying to demand, and that would drive some coaches crazy. But once they get into it and realize you can't give these guys open shots, things can change.''The Rockets, meanwhile, have defeated their last three opponents by an average of 6.3 points per game, and have outrebounded their last four opponents by at least 10.Houston lost both matchups against Miami last season. However, O'Neal and Yao did not square off, as each missed a game.``I don't think Yao needs to worry about all the hype,'' McGrady said. ``He just needs to go out there and play his game. Just do what he's been doing. He doesn't need to play outside of his game or worry about what Shaq has done against him. Just play his game.''</div>
T-Mac best come to play tonight or I'll be PISSED. But since this is televised, since it's against Wade, and since it's against the champs, I think he'll be more agressive tonight than we have seen this year so far.
Tmac better bring his A game. this is teh perfect opportunity to show everyoen that he still has it, and that hes one of the best players in the league. Hopefully ill be able to watch tonit, cause people are coming over which could meant that my parents would not allow me to watch the game
I'M TELLING YOU JVG.....MAKE T-MAC FULLTIME PLAYMAKER!!!!!!!! Did you guys not see how he totally wrecked the Heat in the last quarter? In the span of around 3min he had 5 assists, and the Yao/T-Mac pick and roll left the Heat totally stunned. Rafer can't do half the job T-Mac does at the Point. With T-Mac's shot still not falling, that role is perfect to get this team points.
Well, I said I was going to be pissed if McGrady wasn't going to drive it in and crap. But today, in the 2nd half, He was agressive and the playmaker. He made up for his shooting. Nice game. I really enjoyed the 4th quarter.
Well, the rockets won.That was a horrible game though.The defending champ losing by double digits, a low scoring game...I'm not sure that's going to help the leagueOn a brighter side: Yao was awesome (with the exception of his facial experessions and constant pestering at the refs)\Chuck Hayes was a monster, especially for a dude who stands only 6'7"Whatever happened to T-Mac?
Wow, Miami. Pretty good first half, but the second half for Miami was incredibly disgusting. I had flashbacks of opening night, ugh. A couple thoughts from the game:- Yao was phenominal. At first, he had some trouble putting any moves on Shaq, but he bounced back by killing Zo. He got confidence from that, then in the second half Shaq had no chance. T-Mac was 100% correct, Yao is the best center in the NBA.- T-Mac is still ice cold, but he was distributing the ball like Jason Kidd in the second half! Wow. He made some excellent passes at the perfect time, great job by T-Mac. He really needs to get it together with his shot though, Houston isn't going anywhere without him doing what he can do best - score.- Toine played very well. He did end up missing a few three's as usual, but I loved what he did tonight. I don't think he missed at all inside the 3 point line. He posted up and converted, he drove and converted, and as usual he made some pretty passes. He limited his turnovers, he played good all-around ball, and he played very efficient ball tonight. Walker and Haslem were the only ones that played well throughout the whole game tonight. Sure, Wade played well but it was all in the first half. Shaq was alright.- Good win for Houston on the road. They move the ball well, and Yao is really beginning to establish himself as one of the best bigs in the entire league. Awesome.
Yao is officially greater than Shaq. Shaq's time has past. Miami got owned tonight on their homecourt. lol
lol Shaq can't admit that Yao played better than he did. Yao just dominated Shaq. In the post-game quotes - Yao is very humble, yet Shaq is a pompous cocky bastard.
From watching the game it diden't even seem like the Heat were into the game, I mean it just seemed like they were going through the motions.
