Gee wizz, Havn't done this in awhile .http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Rockets_ma...-202919-34.html<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>HOUSTON -- Rockets guard Tracy McGrady suspects that most people figured his team would slide down the Western Conference standings after enduring a month filled with injuries.He and his teammates are so far proving everyone wrong.Despite being hampered by injuries for the second straight season, the Rockets have maintained a winning pace and have gained confidence that the wins will keep piling up heading into Wednesday's game against Seattle at Toyota Center.The Rockets (19-12) have picked up three straight wins since losing leading scorer Yao Ming to a fractured right tibia and three others to various injuries. The result: Houston has remained sixth in the West and is still hovering just five games behind Dallas in the Southwest Division. McGrady believes that his team clearly isn't the same bunch that fell apart last season because of injuries."Last year when things happened, I don't think we believed we could win," said McGrady, referring to last season's 34-48 finish. "But we think we can win right now even though Yao is out. With me playing the way that I'm playing and other guys around me stepping up their games, we feel we can hold it down before Yao gets back." The Rockets don't exactly have a short injury list with the Sonics coming to town.Yao is expected to miss two months. Bonzi Wells is sidelined with a sore back. Bob Sura hasn't completed his comeback from knee and back injuries. Kirk Snyder is still at least another week away from returning from a broken hand. And even McGrady recently missed seven games with back spasms.The Rockets have managed to overcome those issues by playing smart on the offensive end and relying on the league's best defense."With all the injuries that we've had, we have to play smart and we can't afford to come out lacking energy on defense," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "When we play smart and don't turn the ball over, we're a very good team."McGrady has been a big reason why the Rockets have played so well of late.Since returning from back spasms, McGrady is averaging 26.3 points over the past four games and has spread the floor for Houston by penetrating defenses.However, he isn't the only one coming up big of late. The Rockets' veterans -- Juwan Howard and Dikembe Mutombo -- are suddenly playing vital roles. Howard has been averaging a double-double since Yao's injury and Mutombo has replaced the center in the starting lineup with surprising energy.Houston is getting a lift, in other words, from several unlikely sources. "We've all got to do more," Mutombo said. "Even myself, the old man on the bench." The Rockets realize that things aren't going to be easy until they're healhty again.Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy acknowledged that his team will struggle at times to find scoring without Yao and will have nights where their best effort isn't enough. The coach said his team will have to rely on McGrady to carry the scoring load and to set up teammates on the perimeter with his penetrations. "The good part is I know our guys pretty well and I like what I know about them," Van Gundy said. "We do have some non-strengths like other teams. But the main thing is that success can still be accomplished for this team (without Yao). I'm not saying we'll win at the same rate as we would if both Tracy and Yao were healthy. But we can continue playing well if we play with passion and we play smart." McGrady is, of course, convinced that his team can do it."We're a better team," McGrady said. "We were under-sized last season with all the injuries and didn't have enough shooters on perimeter. We're better now."</div>Records: Houston (19-12), Seattle (13-19) Day/Time: Wednesday, 7:30 PM <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), Kirk Snyder (broken hand) and Bob Sura (knee/back) are out for the Rockets.<span style="color:#2E8B57"><u>Seattle SuperSonics</u></span>PG: <span style="color:#2E8B57">Luke Ridnour</span>SG: <span style="color:#2E8B57">Ray Allen</span>SF: <span style="color:#2E8B57">Damien Wilkins</span>PF: <span style="color:#2E8B57">Chris Wilcox</span>C: <span style="color:#2E8B57">Danny Fortson</span><u>Injury Update</u>Rashard Lewis (hand) and Robert Swift (knee) are out for the Sonics. <u>My Predicition</u>105-85 <span style="color:#FF0000"><u>Rockets</u></span>.LETS GO ROCKETS!
ROCKETS WIN! ROCKETS WIN! ROCKETS WIN!I only watched the 2nd and a bit of the 1st quarter today. I couldn't watch the rest doing to my Sopcast not fucken working. <_<Anyways, McGrady....31 Points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 turnovers. Any sign of old McGrady? Yessir! He was on fire in the 1st quarter. Shot after Shot, Layup after Layup. I loved it.Head had a pretty average game, I know he can do much better. John Lucas was a big spark off the bench. I liked that. Rafer still continues to suck, Novak didn't contribute at all, And Juwan played another great game, Battier and Mutombo played pretty good. Overall nice game by the Rockets.Next up...The Utah J'ass.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>HOUSTON, Jan. 3 (AP) -- So far, the Houston Rockets are finding ways to win without Yao Ming.Tracy McGrady scored 31 points, topping 30 for the third straight game, and Juwan Howard added 18 as the Rockets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 103-96 on Wednesday night.McGrady also had seven assists and Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 14 rebounds as the Rockets won their fourth straight game. Houston is 4-1 since Yao broke a bone in his right leg."We don't really know when Yao is coming back,'' said the 7-foot-2 Mutombo, Yao's backup. "So, you don't want to wait to use all the tools you've got in the box. That's what (Coach) Jeff (Van Gundy) is doing, trying to challenge each one of us to play to the best of our abilities.''Ray Allen scored 32 on 13-of-22 shooting for the Sonics, who've lost four of their last five and 10 in a row on the road. Damien Wilkins added 19.The Sonics shot 50 percent (36-of-72) from the field against Houston's league-leading scoring defense. But the Rockets outrebounded Seattle 41-32, the 24th time this season that Houston has had the edge on the boards. The Rockets also had a season-low eight turnovers."With Yao out, we really try to get our turnovers down to below 14 a game,'' McGrady said. "We did a great job of taking care of the ball.''The Rockets improved to 6-0 at home this season when they reach 100 points. They're 36-3 at home under Van Gundy when they reach the mark.Both teams shot well in the high-scoring opening quarter.McGrady had the prettiest basket of the night in the first, driving around Johan Petro, wrapping the ball behind his back on the way up, and banking it in. McGrady had 16 in the opening quarter and the Rockets led 32-30."I'm just going in the attack mode,'' McGrady said. "I'm going back to what I used to do and that's score the ball. With Yao in the lineup, I don't have to do as much as I have to do right now. He is a big piece that is missing out of our lineup.''The Rockets hit 11 of their first 15 shots, then missed 10 of their next 12.Shane Battier sank two 3-pointers and backup guard John Lucas scored eight points in the second quarter as the Rockets went to the break with a 53-48 lead.Rafer Alston and McGrady hit 3-pointers as Houston built a 10-point lead in the first three minutes of the third quarter. McGrady hit another 3-pointer midway through the quarter as the lead bulged to 12.Seattle closed the quarter with a 7-2 burst and trailed only 80-73.Battier and Alston scored in the first minute of the fourth to push the lead back to double-digits. Alston missed his first six shots, then hit six of his next eight. Alston shot worse than 30 percent in Houston's previous two games."Rafer has really been struggling,'' Van Gundy said. "I'm really proud of him because many times, bad first halves usually compound with bad second halves. He showed great mental strength bouncing back and playing a very good second half.''The Rockets led 84-77 with 10:09 left when McGrady returned from a short rest. Allen promptly hit a turnaround over Luther Head and added a free throw to cut Houston's lead to four."Ray was awfully special,'' Seattle coach Bob Hill said. "He was on a mission and he put us on his back and almost carried us.''Head answered with a driving layup and McGrady hit two mid-range jumpers, the second one over Allen.Allen hit back-to-back 3-pointers over Head, but McGrady found Mutombo underneath for a layup that put the Rockets up 100-92.The Sonics cut the lead to five and McGrady missed a pull-up in the lane in the final minute. But Mutombo rebounded and got the ball to Alston and the Sonics couldn't score again."We were right there in the fourth quarter and gave ourselves a chance, but didn't make our stops at the end,'' Allen said. "We make small mistakes at crucial times of the game.''Van Gundy told Mutombo he was going to play more minutes in Yao's absence. Mutombo played 28 minutes on Wednesday night."When it comes to rebounding, I still have a lot left,'' Mutombo said. "Right now, I have to do whatever I can to help the team win.''Notes: Mutombo has had a double-digit rebound total in four consecutive games. ... Sonics guard Luke Ridnour jammed his right thumb in the first quarter, sat out briefly, then returned with tape around the finger. He finished with seven points and had eight assists. ... Houston native Vince Young, named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year on Wednesday, threw autographed footballs into the stands during a timeout. The former Texas star was wearing a Tracy McGrady jersey and a Rockets baseball cap.</div>http://www.nba.com/games/20070103/SEAHOU/recap.html
my sopcast stopped working in the first few minutes. It kept replaying this one part over and over again.
It's a Free Internet P2P TV. It's mostly Chinese though but it allows you to watch Rockets games. You gotta watch it Chinese though.
BTW, T-Mac is averaging 33.3 points on 56.5% shooting and 60% from the 3-Point line in the last three games. All of them were Rocket victories.
TMac is a beast. This team, when, and if Yao gets back could win an NBA championship with him playing at this level, Yao was playing good too.Go Rocks...
