NUGGETS PROBABLE STARTERS NO. PLAYER PPG RPG APG NOTABLE F 43 Linas Kleiza 6-8, 245 4.8 2.7 0.5 Had two points and three rebounds in 18 minutes vs. San Antonio on 1/10. F 21 Eduardo Najera 6-8, 235 7.3 4.5 0.9 Is the only Nugget to have played in all 33 games so far this season. C 23 Marcus Camby 6-11, 235 11.9 11.6 3.1 Has collected 15 or more rebounds in 10 games this season, including 16 against the Spurs on 1/10. G 3 Allen Iverson 6-0, 165 26.7 2.4 7.5 His 33 points vs. San Antonio on 1/10 marked his third 30-point performance since joining Denver (11th overall). G 1 J.R. Smith 6-6, 220 16.5 2.7 1.7 Returned to action and totaled 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals off of the bench ROCKETS PROBABLE STARTERS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Col./Country/H.S. PPG RPG APG 31 Shane Battier F/G 6-8 220 Duke 10.5 4.2 2.5 5 Juwan Howard F 6-9 253 Michigan 8.4 6.2 1.2 55 Dikembe Mutombo C 7-2 260 Georgetown 2.6 5.8 0.1 1 Tracy McGrady G/F 6-8 223 Mt. Zion Christian 21.9 5.5 6.0 12 Rafer Alston G 6-2 175 Fresno State 13.3 3.5 5.0 NUGGETS RED CROSS REPORT OUT: Kenyon Martin underwent successful surgery on his right knee on 11/15 and will miss the remainder of the season. DAY-TO-DAY: Eduardo Najera played vs. San Antonio on 1/10 despite suffering a left shoulder contusion vs. Milwaukee on 1/8. He will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis ? Nen? has appeared in each of the last four games after missing four games due to right knee inflammation. He is considered day-to-day ? Marcus Camby has played in twostraight games after missing one game due to a right hand/wrist sprain. His status is currently day-to-day ? Allen Iverson had x-rays taken on his right foot big toe on 1/8, which came up negative. He will continue to be evaluated on a day to day basis. ROCKETS RED CROSS REPORT Bob Sura (knee/back), Bonzi Wells (sore lower back) and Yao Ming (small fracture on right anterior medial tibial plateau). TONIGHT'S MATCHUP BY THE NUMBERS KEY FOR TEAM STATISTICS: PPG Points Per Game (measures offense) OPG Opponents Points Per Game (measures defense) FG% % of All Shots Made (2's and 3's) 3PT% % of 3-Point Shots Made FT% % of Free Throws Made RPG Rebounds Per Game APG Assists Per Game SPG Steals Per Game BPG Blocks Per Game TO Turnovers Per Game ...............PPG ...OPG .FG%.3PT%.FT%.RPG APG .SPG .BPG .TO NUGGETS 105.2. 103.8 .454 .309. .746. 44.6 23.3 8.76 4.73 17.0 ROCKETS.. 95.4.. 89.8. .440 .364 .760. 44.7 20.2 7.14 4.94 15.7
Oh my I been waiting to see this one. My 2 fav. players, my 2 fav. teams. If only Melo was playing as well. Dont care who wins, as long as its a good one.
Prediction for tonight's game: Rockets 98, Nuggets 93 The loss of Boykins will probably change this from a win to a loss, unless the Nuggets get some real performance from Camby and at least two forwards. I don't think this happens, especially with the team deflated from losing Boykins, who helped carry the Nuggets during the suspensions. Boykins was crucial in at least 2 of the suspension wins. Boykins is already playing for the Bucks right now! Things have changed very quickly and for the worse for the Nuggets.
nooo, the Nuggets lose again a winnable game which was well within reach until the final minutes down the stretch The game was tied, close in the fourth quarter, but there was a period of time, with about between 2 and 4 minutes to play, where they got two questionable calls against them, allowed Battier an open three, fouled Battier on a three pointer, gave up an easy basket in the lane, where Iverson forced a shot... where just everything imaginable went wrong! Then the three by Iverson which tied the game, off a nice hand-off from Blake, gave some hope again, but then again, it was Battier from the corner with a three. <u>Very nice game from Blake!!!</u>
