GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: DENVER (9-4) at HOUSTON (6-7)

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 68
HOUSTON 90 9:02 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 71
HOUSTON 95 5:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 72
HOUSTON 103 2:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA DENVER 81
HOUSTON 109 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DENVER 13 27 22 19 81
HOUSTON 34 24 26 25 109 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: DEN - ALLEN IVERSON 18, CARMELO ANTHONY 17,
J.R. SMITH 13
HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 35, YAO MING 22, STEVE
FRANCIS 10</div>

 

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Tracy McGrady scored 35 points to help theHouston Rockets snap their a season-worst six-game losing streakwith Saturday's 109-81 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Yao Ming collected 22 points and 13 rebounds and Shane Battieradded eight and a season-high 12 for Houston, which wastedlittle time taking care of business in this one.


The Rockets outscored the Nuggets, 34-13, in the opening quarterbehind 18 combined points from McGrady and Yao. Houston shotpercent (16-of-27) from the field in the period.


With 4:13 remaining in the second and a 20-point bulge alreadyin hand, the duo scored the Rockets' final eight points of thehalf for a commanding 58-40 edge at the break.


It was the second disappointing loss in three games for Denver,which had its six-game winning streak snapped, 101-90, by theLos Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.


Allen Iverson scored 18 points and Carmelo Anthony added 17 andeight boards for the Nuggets, who shot 35 percent (28-of-79) andcommitted 18 turnovers.


Denver's Kenyon Martin left in the second with a sprained rightknee and did not return. The former All-Star endured his secondmicrofracture knee surgery this past offseason.

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">DENVER (81) AT HOUSTON (109)

DENVER

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

A IVERSON G 34:59 7-18 4-6 0 3 3 0 0 2 3 18
Y DIAWARA G 20:41 2-4 2-2 3 0 3 2 2 0 0 7
K MARTIN F 15:16 2-4 3-4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 7
C ANTHONY F 34:09 8-20 0-0 5 3 8 1 3 3 3 17
M CAMBY C 31:50 1-3 3-4 0 9 9 0 4 0 3 5
J SMITH 25:38 4-10 3-4 1 2 3 2 4 0 1 13
A CARTER 24:25 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 3 2 3 5 0
E NAJERA 23:46 1-8 0-0 3 4 7 0 2 1 2 2
B JONES 15:27 1-4 5-6 0 1 1 0 5 0 1 7
M WILKS 9:40 2-4 0-0 1 2 3 0 1 2 0 5
V WAFER 4:09 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C ATKINS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S HUNTER DNP - COACH'S DECISION
NENE DNP - COACH'S DECISION
L KLEIZA DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 28-79 20-26 14 24 38 8 24 11 18 81
(.354) (.769) TEAM REBS: 5 TOTAL TO: 18 (0 PTS)

HOUSTON

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

R ALSTON G 32:47 2-5 0-0 0 1 1 5 3 1 1 5
T MCGRADY G 33:38 13-23 8-9 0 5 5 2 1 1 2 35
C HAYES F 26:59 4-5 0-3 2 4 6 1 4 4 3 8
S BATTIER F 35:11 2-7 3-4 4 8 12 2 3 0 3 8
Y MING C 35:27 9-18 4-5 4 9 13 2 2 0 3 22
M JAMES 21:34 4-12 0-0 2 2 4 2 0 2 2 8
S FRANCIS 20:01 4-9 2-2 1 3 4 3 3 2 1 10
L SCOLA 16:28 2-5 1-2 5 3 8 1 2 0 2 5
K SNYDER 9:37 2-5 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 4
L HEAD 4:09 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
C LANDRY 4:09 2-2 0-0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 4
D MUTOMBO DNP - COACH'S DECISION
B WELLS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
A BROOKS DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 44-91 18-25 19 38 57 20 19 10 17 109
(.484) (.720) TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 18 (0 PTS)

DENVER 13 27 22 19 - 81
HOUSTON 34 24 26 25 - 109

BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER - M CAMBY 2, A CARTER 2. HOUSTON - S FRANCIS.

3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 5-20 (.250), Y DIAWARA 1-3, C ANTHONY 1-
4, M CAMBY 0-1, J SMITH 2-5, A CARTER 0-1, E NAJERA 0-3, B JONES 0-
1, M WILKS 1-1, V WAFER 0-1. HOUSTON 3-18 (.167), R ALSTON 1-3, T MCGRADY 1-
4, S BATTIER 1-4, M JAMES 0-3, S FRANCIS 0-3, K SNYDER 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: DENVER - DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: DENVER 1 (M CAMBY, 2:21 3RD).
OFFICIALS: DERRICK COLLINS, GARY ZIELINSKI, RON GARRETSON.
A - 18,228. T - 2:13.</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">DENVER (81)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
A Iverson 34:59 7-18 4-6 0-3 0 0 18
Y Diawara 20:41 2-4 2-2 3-3 2 2 7
K Martin 15:16 2-4 3-4 0-0 0 1 7
C Anthony 34:09 8-20 0-0 5-8 1 3 17
M Camby 31:50 1-3 3-4 0-9 0 4 5
J Smith 25:38 4-10 3-4 1-3 2 4 13
A Carter 24:25 0-3 0-0 1-1 3 2 0
E Najera 23:46 1-8 0-0 3-7 0 2 2
B Jones 15:27 1-4 5-6 0-1 0 5 7
M Wilks 9:40 2-4 0-0 1-3 0 1 5
V Wafer 4:09 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
C Atkins DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S Hunter DNP - COACH'S DECISION
Nene DNP - COACH'S DECISION
L Kleiza DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 28-79 20-26 14-38 8 24 81
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.354, FT-.769. 3-Point Goals:
5-20, .250 (Y Diawara 1-3, C Anthony 1-4, M
Camby 0-1, J Smith 2-5, A Carter 0-1, E
Najera 0-3, B Jones 0-1, M Wilks 1-1, V Wafer
0-1). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots:4 (M
Camby 2, A Carter 2). Turnovers:18 (A Carter
5, M Camby 3, A Iverson 3, C Anthony 3, E
Najera 2, B Jones, J Smith). Steals: 11 (A
Carter 3, C Anthony 3, A Iverson 2, M Wilks
2, E Najera).


HOUSTON (109)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
R Alston 32:47 2-5 0-0 0-1 5 3 5
T McGrady 33:38 13-23 8-9 0-5 2 1 35
C Hayes 26:59 4-5 0-3 2-6 1 4 8
S Battier 35:11 2-7 3-4 4-12 2 3 8
Y Ming 35:27 9-18 4-5 4-13 2 2 22
M James 21:34 4-12 0-0 2-4 2 0 8
S Francis 20:01 4-9 2-2 1-4 3 3 10
L Scola 16:28 2-5 1-2 5-8 1 2 5
K Snyder 9:37 2-5 0-0 1-1 2 0 4
L Head 4:09 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 0 0
C Landry 4:09 2-2 0-0 0-2 0 1 4
D Mutombo DNP - COACH'S DECISION
B Wells DNP - COACH'S DECISION
A Brooks DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 44-91 18-25 19-57 20 19 109
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.484, FT-.720. 3-Point Goals:
3-18, .167 (R Alston 1-3, T McGrady 1-4, S
Battier 1-4, M James 0-3, S Francis 0-3, K
Snyder 0-1). Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked
Shots:1 (S Francis). Turnovers:17 (S Battier
3, C Hayes 3, Y Ming 3, T McGrady 2, M James
2, L Scola 2, S Francis, R Alston). Steals:
10 (C Hayes 4, S Francis 2, M James 2, T
McGrady, R Alston).

-------------------------------------------
DENVER 13 27 22 19 - 81
HOUSTON 34 24 26 25 - 109
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Denver - 1 (Defensive Three,
8:51 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: Denver 1 (M Camby, 2:21
3rd). A: 18,228. T: 2:13. Officials: Derrick
Collins, Gary Zielinski, Ron Garretson.</div>

 

NBA: DENVER at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
DENVER 81
HOUSTON 109 FINAL</div>

 

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Tracy McGrady scored 35 points to help theHouston Rockets snap their a season-worst six-game losing streakwith Saturday's 109-81 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Yao Ming collected 22 points and 13 rebounds and Shane Battieradded eight and a season-high 12 for Houston, which wastedlittle time taking care of business in this one.


The Rockets outscored the Nuggets, 34-13, in the opening quarterbehind 18 combined points from McGrady and Yao. Houston shot59 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the period.

"The way we played is the way we played the first six or sevengames," McGrady said. "This was a game that could have reallyset us back because we have a very tough road trip coming up.We knew we had to get this win to gain momentum for this roadtrip."


McGrady made 13-of-23 shots en route to reaching the 30-pointplateau for the fifth time this season.


"(Saturday) was just one of those nights where I think we cameout with great intensity and, most importantly, we executed,"McGrady said. "I played off the ball a lot, and we got Yao theball a lot."


With 4:13 remaining in the second and a 20-point bulge alreadyin hand, the duo scored the Rockets' final eight points of thehalf for a commanding 58-40 edge at the break.


"It starts with us," Yao said. "We have to clear our mind andknow what we have to do first. It starts with us and then goesto the rest of the team. When they tried to double-team Tracy,it was a very good read there, and we just moved the ball to theright people."


Battier hopes the win is the beginning of a much-needed hotstreak for the Rockets.


"We got back to playing Rockets basketball and moving the ball,"Battier said. "We were active, and when we are active we're atough team to beat.


"I know the crowd got a little anxious in the fourth quarterwhen we were up by 20, but T-Mac came in and settled thingsdown. It's a win that we need to take on the road and buildon."


It was the second disappointing loss in three games for Denver,which had its season-best six-game winning streak snapped,101-90, by the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.


Allen Iverson scored 18 points and Carmelo Anthony added 17 anda season-best 12 boards for the Nuggets, who shot 35 percent(28-of-79) and committed 18 turnovers.


"I don't like making excuses. It was their night, and I take myhat off to them," Anthony said. "We woke up in the thirdquarter, but it was too late."


Anthony expected a big game from McGrady.


"When he gets it going, the rim gets so big and everything wenthis way," He said. "I knew coming in he was looking for a bigoffensive game like that."


Denver's Kenyon Martin left in the second with a sprained rightknee and will be evaluated Sunday. The former All-Star forwardendured his second microfracture this past offseason.

"It was really tough on me," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said."I was out on the court with four smaller players. We're goingto need some help on the boards. We will have to find ananswer."


Martin's injury compounds a problem for the shorthanded Nuggets,a fact that hasn't escaped coach George Karl.


"Houston got a lot of hustle points and their rebounds werebig," Karl said. "Teams have zoned us and packed inside, and wehaven't been doing well. We all have to stick together andfigure out how teams are defending us. I have more concernswith our offense than I have with our defense."