<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>HOUSTON -- Tracy McGrady wasn't inside Toyota Center for the first meeting against the Los Angeles Lakers and watched the second matchup unfold on the sideline next to Jack Nicholson.He won?t miss his latest chance to square off against Kobe Bryant.McGrady will finally renew his ongoing scoring duel with Bryant when the Rockets host the Lakers Wednesday night at Toyota Center. Tip time is slated for 7:30 p.m. The Rockets' six-time All-Star will be facing off against Bryant for the first time this season -- and the final time in a 2006-07 regular season game in Houston -- after missing the two previous meetings against the Lakers because of back spasms.Since McGrady's days in Orlando, the matchup between the two household names has been nothing short of a scoring showcase. McGrady and Bryant have battled one another for league scoring titles and have registered 40-point-plus performances against each other on more than one occasion. Bryant is the NBA's reigning scoring champ and McGrady has led the league twice. The duo could fill up the stat sheet again on Wednesday night."When you face any of the top-caliber players, you're going to bring your A-game," McGrady said.Bryant certainly qualifies as that for McGrady. The Lakers' eight-time All-Star is arguably the league's premiere player in clutch situations. Bryant, who is fourth in the NBA in scoring this season, has made countless buzzer beaters to sink his opponents and has carried his team back from significant deficits with his scoring antics.Just ask the Rockets.During Houston's visit to Los Angeles on Dec. 15, Bryant brought the Lakers back from a 21-point deficit in the second half and ultimately helped his team seize an overtime victory. He scored 53 points for his 13th career 50-point-plus performance.Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said after the game that it was just a typical performance from Bryant."I don't know if he imposed his will," Van Gundy said. "He imposed his skill, I know that."McGrady has been imposing his own skill of late.After missing seven straight games with back spasms in the middle of December, McGrady has recovered ? and gone on a scoring spree.The Rockets star, regaining his position as Houston?s primary scoring option with Yao Ming out of the lineup, has broken the 30-point barrier in six straight performances. He is averaging an impressive 35 points per game over that stretch. Besides driving to the basket with more quickness than recent weeks, McGrady has found his shooting touch from beyond the three-point line and has had success posting up smaller guards.McGrady's teammates have been so impressed with his recent play that one has even volunteered to wear a T-shirt honoring him."When old No. 1 starts firing that thing like he did (against the Jazz for 44 points), it's a fun thing to watch," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "I don?t know if it?s a trademark, but I want a good T-Mac shirt that says, 'Tracy is MacTacular.'"McGrady said after he is just playing with more confidence since returning from injury."When I get rolling like that, any defense is at my mercy," McGrady said. "It really doesn't matter. I'm playing with a ton of confidence."He's found it in just time for another scoring duel against Kobe.</div>http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/McGrady_Ko...-203944-34.html<u>Projected Starting Lineups</u><span style="color:#FF0000"><u>Houston Rockets</u></span>PG: <span style="color:#FF0000">Rafer Alston</span>SG: <span style="color:#FF0000">Tracy McGrady</span>SF: <span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span>PF: <span style="color:#FF0000">Juwan Howard</span>C: <span style="color:#FF0000">Dikembe Mutombo</span><u>Injury Update</u>Yao Ming (fractured tibia), Bonzi Wells (sore back), and Bob Sura (knee/back) are out for the Rockets.<u><span style="color:#9932CC">L.A Lakers</span></u>PG: <span style="color:#9932CC">Smush Parker</span>SG: <span style="color:#9932CC">Kobe Bryant</span>SF: <span style="color:#9932CC">Luke Walton</span>PF: <span style="color:#9932CC">Brian Cook</span>C: <span style="color:#9932CC">Andrew Bynum</span><u>Injury Update</u>Lamar Odom (knee), Kwame Brown (ankle) and Christ Mihm (ankle) are out for the Lakers.
I wouldn't be worried if LA didn't have so many injuries... should be a good game though, hope Bynum really steps up.
Bynum is playing decent but not perfect..there are some plays where he gets too far under the basket to get a shot in. Kobe didn't get a full amount of minutes because he got 2 fouls with 4 minutes into the 1st quarter. The second foul looked suspicious because it was a flop but in the end it doesn't matter and it was a good defensive move by Battier. The reason we are not winning right now is because we are giving up WAY too many wide open shots...to Alston, Battier etc. There was a nice highlight dunk by Tmac by Luke Walton came right back and dunked with Mcgrady guarding him and got an and 1. Anyway, look for the Lakers to come out with some fire, especially in the 4th quarter and hopefully Tmac's back is bothering him that much because it looked like it was heading into halftime. Decent game so far, but the Lakers are better than this. We are down by 1 at the half.
:wtf1: Walton clearly got fouled by Mutumbo and there was no call. Mutumbo didn't get ANY ball and all arm and no call. Phil Jackson just got tossed from the game and we are down by 12.
Hey man, We got as much bullsh** calls as you guys did. Anyways, McGrady is having a bad shooting night. It was bound to happen, But he's still playing great. When his offensive abilities aren't there, his playmaking makes up for it.Btw...WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO?????!!!!!!
It's safe to say that we are going to lose this game. Kobe is not even in the game anymore with his bad groin and he went to the locker room. The Rockets are up by 20 and Tmac is still in the game for some reason.
IT'S OVAAA LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!LUTHER WITH THE THREEEEEEE! John LUCAS is fcking fast btw. Once again.... WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO!!!!!!!I'll write a recap tomorrow. I gotta sleep. Ball practice at 6:30 in the morning. WOOPIE!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dsounG @ Jan 11 2007, 06:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivsZrbQZmQ&eurl=</div>I like these better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V19UF35bt_chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMh2uiDvy4ghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPqWfogEDgMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvJxUlPIVHcMaybe this is why Houston Rocket fans boo him?
SHUDDUP! Post those somewhere else...Those belong in the Lakers section. Plus, those never happened in this game!!Plus, That's Kobe...We're talking about Luther Head, No one expects him to run it up and dunk it anymore like he used to in Illinois.
