Rockets edge Trail Blazers 99-95 for 50th win

[KFDM COOP]

Rockets edge Trail Blazers 99-95 for 50th win

 

PORTLAND — With his former teams meeting in the arena at the end of Clyde Drexler Drive, it seemed only appropriate that the Rockets and Trail Blazers paid tribute.

Last week, the Rockets lost to the Trail Blazers without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. On Wednesday, they played Dancing with the Stars.

Beyond even the worst Glide missteps on the show, it was not pretty. But with Yao and McGrady performing a stomp just long enough, the Rockets were able to let a 25-point lead slip and still hold on for a 99-95 victory.

They even added a new concern when Portland rookie Brandon Roy, diving for a loose ball, fell into McGrady's left knee in the last minute. McGrady did not return, but trainer Keith Jones said the knee was "fine."

McGrady finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Yao scored 27 with 12 rebounds. Rafer Alston added 23 points, with the Rockets needing nearly every one.

With the Blazers' Joel Przyzbilla, Zach Randolph and LaMarcus Aldridge already out for the season, and Ime Udoka on Wednesday joining them because of a sore right knee, Portland was incredibly thin in the frontcourt, even by the shutting-it-down standards of most lottery teams.

Yet, facing all that and a 25-point deficit, the Blazers pushed the Rockets all the way to the final seconds.

After building their largest lead midway through the third quarter, the Rockets eased up and never could seem to get it going again. They still led by 15 in the fourth quarter when Yao came off the bench to knock down two free throws. But he missed his next three shots as Luke Schenscher hit a hook over him and Roy and Fred Jones each sank 3s for an 8-0 run to within seven.

With four minutes left, the Blazers were within five. But Yao, who had missed his previous two free throws, hit two, and McGrady dropped in a 3 and two more free throws to give the Rockets a 10-point lead heading into the final 3:10.

Even then, however, the Rockets could not close it out comfortably. The Blazers were still within six in the final minute, with Alston missing two free throws with 24.2 seconds left. Roy missed a 3, but still the Rockets could not grab the win, failing to pull in the rebound, so that when Travis Outlaw knocked down a 3-pointer, Portland had it at 94-91 with 12.8 seconds left.

Finally, Alston made two free throws with 11.9 seconds left to end it, giving the Rockets their seventh 50-win season in franchise history, and second in the past three years. With the Utah Jazz's loss to the Nuggets, the Rockets too have a game-and-a-half lead in their race for homecourt advantage, having left town with a three-game home losing streak to come home with a three-game sweep of the road-trip tour of lottery teams.

They knew the latest win, however, was much more difficult than it had to be.

The Rockets had begun to pull away in the last six seconds of the first half, when McGrady scored on a drive and Alston stole the inbounds pass and nailed a 3 for a 17-point Rockets lead at the half.

The Rockets missed their first three shots of the second half, and then took off. They scored 18 points in the next six minutes, with McGrady scoring nine points in that stretch and 13 in the quarter. His jumper with 5:51 left in the third quarter gave the Rockets their largest lead, 71-46.

From there, the question became whether they could make it enough of a blowout to clear the bench early.

Instead, after building their 25-point lead, they made just 1 of 8 shots to end the third quarter, launching four 3-pointers and mixing in three turnovers to help Portland reduce the lead to 78-59.

The Rockets were 48-7 when leading after three quarters. And whatever difficulties they have had closing out games, a 19-point lead seemed more than enough.

But with the Blazers pressing and scrambling and generally outworking the Rockets, they turned themselves into pests the visitors could not shoo away.

[BMTSoulja1]

Van Gundy probably gave them all a very big Ear Lashing in that locker room  ;D.  Letting a depleated lottery pick team come back and think they can win.  That want be acceptable inthe playoffs.  With that play, we looking at one and done.  Gotta step it up and play like a champion!

[KFDM COOP]

;D I'm sure he tore them up!!