NBA: Trail Blazers hand Rockets 10th straight loss

Damian Lillard scored 20 points, Nassir Little chipped in a double-double off the bench and the Portland Trail Blazers earned their first road win with a 104-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Lillard drilled a pair of third-quarter 3-pointers that helped the Trail Blazers reclaim control after the Rockets cut what was a 14-point deficit to 65-60 on a Jae'Sean Tate basket at the 5:32 mark of the period.

Lillard capped a brief spurt that featured a Robert Covington 3 and two Jusuf Nurkic free throws. A Little dunk put Portland ahead by 17, its largest lead of the night.

Lillard added six rebounds and seven assists to pace a balanced attack for Portland. C.J. McCollum added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Little (13 points, 14 boards) led the bench brigade. The Trail Blazers received 42 points from their reserves.

The Rockets dropped their 10th consecutive game and were undone by their poor shooting. Houston finished 34 for 85 from the floor and missed 25 of 32 3-pointers. 

The Rockets went more than seven minutes without a field goal during one stretch in the second quarter and completed that period shooting 6 of 23 from the floor while missing all six of their 3-pointers.

Tate finished with 14 points and six rebounds despite picking up three quick fouls in the first quarter. Kevin Porter Jr. tallied 18 points, five rebounds and five assists while Christian Wood grabbed 15 rebounds to go along with eight points. Eric Gordon scored 11 off the bench.

Portland seized control with a 26-8 run that bridged the opening two periods, including a 13-2 push that capped the first quarter. Little had seven points and an assist during the closing surge and McCollum beat the buzzer to give the Trail Blazers a 30-27 lead entering the second.

A Lillard 3 pushed the Portland lead to 43-33 before the Trail Blazers went more than three minutes without a field goal. But the Rockets endured an even longer drought and, despite a Wood putback just prior to the first-half buzzer, Houston trailed 55-45 at the intermission.

The Trail Blazers had been 0-6 on the road this season.

-reuters 

NBA: Luka Doncic leads Mavs to comeback win over Rockets

The Dallas Mavericks scored the first 13 points of the second half to erase a deficit, and they rode Luka Doncic's 26-point, 14-rebound performance to a 116-106 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr. each chipped in with 16 for the Mavericks, who were embarrassed 133-108 in the Rockets' only visit to Dallas last season.

Houston led for most of the first half and took a 60-57 edge into the intermission, but 44 seconds later, that advantage was gone for good.

Hoops by Hardaway and Doncic on Dallas' first two possessions of the third period triggered the burst that opened a 10-point Mavericks advantage. Hardaway added a 3-pointer and Doncic a three-point play to the run, which extended more than four minutes before David Nwaba ended Houston's drought.

Looking to avoid a third loss in four games, the Rockets closed within two on a pair of occasions early in the fourth period, the last time on an Alperen Sengun 3-pointer with 11:13 to go.

Boban Marjanovic countered with a pair of baskets before Bullock hit 2- and 3-pointers in a 9-0 flurry that put the Mavericks in command the rest of the way.

Doncic shot just 10-for-25 overall and 1-for-6 on 3-point attempts, but complemented his double-double with seven assists.

Jalen Brunson also posted a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 assists, and Marjanovic finished with 11 points for the Mavericks, who were playing their home opener after splitting a pair on the road to begin the season.

The Mavericks outshot the Rockets 46.2 percent to 41.9 percent.

Hitting 3 of 5 from 3-point range, Eric Gordon paced Houston with 22 points off the bench. Starters Christian Wood (16), Daniel Theis (15), Kevin Porter Jr. (13) and Jalen Green (10) also scored in double figures.

Wood and Theis notched double-doubles, Wood with a game-high 17 rebounds, Theis with 10 boards. Porter added a team-high eight assists.

The Rockets outscored the Mavericks 48-36 on 3-pointers to keep the game competitive.

-reuters

Westbrook scores 40 as Rockets rally to defeat Clippers

LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 40 points, James Harden added 28 and the Houston Rockets rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 122-117 Thursday night.

After Houston turned a 77-61 deficit into a 101-89 lead, Los Angeles went on a spurt of its own to lead 113-107 with 4:29 left. The Rockets closed on a 15-4 run to snap the Clippers’ 10-game home winning streak.


Paul George led the Clippers with 34 points and Kawhi Leonard added 25.

It was the second straight game Houston rallied from a large deficit. They trailed by 25 on Monday night against San Antonio before winning by two, marking the largest comeback in franchise history. The Rockets are 7-6 when trailing by double digits this season.

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley had yet another tense night against Westbrook and was ejected with 2:52 remaining after receiving his second technical. Westbrook was also given a technical for taunting Beverley as he left the floor.

The Clippers led 69-54 at halftime and extended their lead to 16 three minutes into the third quarter before the Rockets went on a 14-2 run. They scored nine of the last 10 points in the period to lead 90-87 going into the fourth. Westbrook keyed the rally with 11 points in the quarter and Harden scored nine after going 2 for 7 from the field during the first half.

Houston held a 16-8 advantage midway through the first quarter before the Clippers went on a 12-0 run with four straight 3-pointers by Leonard, Beverley, Shamet and George.

The game remained close until Los Angeles went on a 21-5 run during a five-minute span in the second quarter to take a 65-48 lead with 2:14 remaining. George led the way with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

MILESTONE
George grabbed his 4,000th career rebound during the second quarter. He is one of 10 active players that has at least 12,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, 2,000 assists and 1,000 steals.

TIP-INS
Rockets: Harden recorded 10 assists and has 4,412 with Houston, passing Calvin Murphy (4,402) for the most in franchise history.

Clippers: Lou Williams was ejected with 11:05 remaining in the fourth quarter after receiving two technicals for arguing a foul. It is the second ejection of Williams’ 14-year career. … This was the 4,000th regular season game in franchise history.

UP NEXT
Rockets: Travel to Phoenix on Saturday. Houston has won 12 straight in the series.

Clippers: Travel to San Antonio on Saturday. Los Angeles won the first meeting 103-97 on Oct. 31.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Steph Curry, shorthanded Warriors knock out Rockets in Game 6

HOUSTON — Stephen Curry scored all 33 of his points in the second half and the Golden State Warriors overcame Kevin Durant’s absence to finish off Houston in six games, beating the Rockets 118-113 on Friday night to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Klay Thompson added 27 points to help the two-time defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for the fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury sustained in the second half of their Game 5 victory.


James Harden led Houston with 35 points, and Chris Paul added 27.

Harden’s layup got the Rockets within three with less than a minute to go, but Thompson made a 3-pointer with 36.1 seconds remaining to extend Golden State’s lead to 110-104.

Gerald Green then missed a 3 for Houston and the Rockets were forced to foul Curry. He made both shots before Harden’s 3 got Houston within five at 112-107 with 24 seconds left.

Playing with a dislocated finger on his left hand, Curry made two more free throws before P.J. Tucker hit a 3 for Houston. But two more free throws by Curry made it 116-110 with 12.3 seconds left and Harden dribbled it off his foot for the last of his six turnovers.

The Rockets failed to score for a big chunk of the fourth quarter and had to watch the Warriors celebrate a series victory on their home court for the second straight season after they won the conference finals in Houston last year. Harden was 11 of 25 from the field, going 6 of 15 from 3-point range, and went 7 of 12 on free throws.

Curry struggled early, failing to score in the first half for the first time in 102 career playoff games, and had just 10 points through three. But he got going in the fourth, scoring 23 points.

There were questions entering the game about how the Warriors would weather the loss of Durant — and his more than 34 points a game. But they didn’t seem to miss a beat, getting 21 from Thompson in the first half before Curry closed it in the fourth.

The Rockets had a five-point lead to start the fourth and it was tied at 95 with about 7 1/2 minutes to go after three points by Golden State’s Shaun Livingston.

Harden and Curry exchanged baskets soon after that before both teams failed to score for the next 2 1/2 minutes. Houston missed five shots in that stretch and the Warriors missed four before Kevon Looney made a layup to put Golden State on top 99-97 with just under four minutes left.

A 3-pointer by Curry gave the Warriors a five-point lead before Harden ended a scoring drought by the Rockets of almost four minutes with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 102-100 with about 2 1/2 remaining.

Harden was called for a charge after that before Curry scored all of Golden State’s points in a 5-2 run that made it 107-102 with 90 seconds left.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Durant didn’t make the trip to Houston, remaining in the Bay Area to receive treatment for his injury. The Warriors said he’ll be re-evaluated next week. … The Warriors started Andrew Bogut for Durant and he had three rebounds and zero points. … C Damian Jones, who is out with a torn pectoral muscle, has been cleared for contact drills and could be available later in the playoffs if the Warriors advance. …

Rockets: Tucker had 15 points and has scored at least 10 points in eight of Houston’s last 11 games. … Clint Capela had with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Warriors move on to face the Denver-Portland winner.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors prepare for rested James Harden, Rockets in West rematch

LOS ANGELES — After outlasting the no-name Los Angeles Clippers in six games, the Golden State Warriors have a superstar on their hands next.

James Harden and the Houston Rockets in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference finals. That’s when the Rockets let a 3-2 lead slip away and saw the Warriors go on to win their second straight NBA championship.

This time the teams meet in the West semifinals beginning Sunday in Oakland.

“We know them well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday night after his team finished off the Clippers with a 129-110 victory to win the best-of-seven series 4-2. “They’re going to come after you and pick-and-roll. We know they’re already in the Bay waiting for us, so it will be a quick turnaround.”

Anticipating a Warriors’ closeout, the Rockets flew to Northern California on Friday to be ready for the series opener. They’ve been resting since Wednesday, when they defeated the Utah Jazz 4-1.

The Warriors were stretched to six games for the first time in the opening round in Kerr’s five seasons.

“One of the things that can happen during the playoffs is you can sharpen your game against an opponent that forces you to do so,” Kerr said. “We had leads in some games that we lost. Every time we thought, all right, we’ve got this, we didn’t have it.”

Kevin Durant had a statement game for the Warriors, scoring 38 of his playoff career-high 50 points in the first half at Staples Center. He was 15 of 26 from the floor, made 14 of 15 free throws and hit six 3-pointers.

Durant was coming off a 45-point performance in a losing effort in Game 5.

“No matter what anybody does, he can get a good shot,” Kerr said.

Harden averaged 27.8 points in the first round against the Jazz, but he struggled at times to get going offensively. His worst effort came in Game 3 when Houston won despite him missing his first 15 shots to set an NBA record for most misses to start a playoff game.

Durant believes Harden’s game is much more than drawing fouls and getting to the line.

“He can score in a variety of ways, so we have to be locked in from the beginning,” Durant said. “You can’t fully stop a guy like that; you’ve got to be ready to play him tough all game.”

Stephen Curry finished with 24 points, the only other Warrior with at least 20 Friday. Klay Thompson had nine points. Both of them were banged up slightly in the game, but Kerr said he’s hopeful they’ll both be good to go Sunday.

Draymond Green had his fifth career playoff triple-double of 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists after not playing well in Game 5.

Warriors center Kevon Looney expects to see the Rockets employ some of the same defensive schemes used by the Clippers, who twice won in Oakland, including a 31-point comeback that was the biggest in NBA history.

“Defending the pick-and-roll is going to be huge,” Looney said. “The Clippers punched us in the mouth and woke us up. They showed us it’s not a cakewalk in the West. Every game is going to be hard.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

James Harden makes 8 3s as Rockets thump Kings

SACRAMENTO, California — James Harden and the Houston Rockets are finding their rhythm at the right time.

Looks as if some help is on the way, too.

Harden made eight 3-pointers and scored 36 points, helping Houston beat the Sacramento Kings 127-101 on Wednesday night.

“We played very, very well,” Harden said. “We’re kind of catching a momentum and it feels pretty good. It’s even more exciting once we get our full roster back.”

The Rockets closed out a four-game trip with their third consecutive victory, and they appeared to be on the verge of adding Iman Shumpert to their array of talented shooters. Gerald Green matched his season high with 25 points, and Eric Gordon scored 20 points.

Houston, Sacramento and Cleveland were working on a trade that most notably will move Shumpert from the Kings to the Rockets. Houston is sending Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to the Cavaliers. Alec Burks — now traded for the second time this season, after starting the year in Utah — will go from the Cavaliers to the Kings.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the NBA trade call has not yet been completed.

“Shump is a vet who can help us defensively, ball-handling, shooting,” Harden said. “He’s been playing very well this season. Once he gets here and gets a couple of practices in, let’s go.”

Houston has won seven games by 20 or more points this season, including twice on its road trip.

“That’s a good trip for us,” Chris Paul said. “To get three on this road trip, we’re playing the right way.”

Sacramento also was working on a trade for Dallas’ Harrison Barnes in another deal ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

The Kings had won three in a row and four of five. Buddy Hield had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Marvin Bagley III added 10 points and 10 boards.

“Tough night,” coach Dave Joerger said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well, they did. It’s been a tough couple of hours and an interesting couple of hours.”

Sacramento kept Harden off the line, but the reigning NBA MVP still scored almost at will.

Harden collected 25 points while helping Houston to a 76-45 halftime lead. He made four 3-pointers during a 19-3 run over the final five minutes of the second quarter.

Harden — the NBA leader in average free-throw attempts — was limited to two, matching his season low. But he went 13 for 26 from the field.

“Guys set the tone early,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Pretty impressive finish of the road trip. There’s just a lot of good things that we did solid.”

Things got chippy midway through the fourth when Harden was called for a technical foul after he exchanged words with Sacramento’s Frank Mason near midcourt.

The Kings struggled to keep up. They trailed by as many as 37 in the second half.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Paul had 15 points and 11 assists. … Gordon returned to the lineup after sitting out Monday’s win over Phoenix because of right knee soreness. … Houston is 8-4 without Clint Capela, who is sidelined with a right thumb injury. 



Kings: Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 13 points while starting in place of Shumpert, who addressed his former Sacramento teammates in the locker room before the game and then left the arena. … Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph are reportedly being sent to Dallas as part of the trade for Barnes.

FARIED’S NIGHT

Kenneth Faried had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Houston. He has settled in nicely after signing with the Rockets as a free agent on Jan. 21.

He is averaging 16.1 points since joining his third team this season.

“It’s always nice to know that, yes, he is a perfect fit,” D’Antoni said. “When Clint gets back and (Faried) comes off the bench, he can give us that spurt that we can have 48 solid minutes of high-energy centers running up and down the floor.”

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Kings: Host Miami on Friday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

James Harden’s 41 helps Rockets beat Thunder

HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden is on a roll and it’s helping the Houston Rockets get on track after their terrible start to the season.

Harden scored 41 points and the Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-109 on Tuesday for their seventh win in the last eight games.

Harden has scored 30 points or more in a career-high seven games in a row, marking the first time a player has done that since Russell Westbrook had eight consecutive 30-point games in November 2016. He has scored at least 35 in his last five, which is the longest such streak since Carmelo Anthony did it in six games in April 2013.

The Rockets won just one of their first six games this season and were 11-14 after a three-game skid in early December. Since then, powered by Harden’s dominance, Houston has lost just once to improve to 18-15 and move a season-high three games above .500.

“We’ve had that confidence all year,” Harden said. “Our record isn’t where we want it to be, but it’s getting there. And we’ve got to continue to work hard every day, continue to get better and grow. We’re preparing for a postseason. We’re not going to be at our tip top right now.”

A 3-pointer by Paul George with less than two minutes left got Oklahoma City within 4 before Harden missed a 3. Westbrook missed a shot for the Thunder, but George stole the ball from Harden and was fouled by him.

George made both free throws to get the Thunder within 2 with 43.6 seconds left. Harden then drove past George and into the lane for a layup to make it 112-108 with 20.4 seconds left.

Westbrook made 1 of 2 free throws to cut it to 3 with 15 seconds left, and Austin Rivers made a free throw with 7.4 seconds left to secure the win.

George had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Thunder, and Westbrook added 21 points with nine rebounds and nine assists.

“We had some bad bounces which got them a couple of extra possessions which got them some open 3s,” George said.

Harden became the first player to score 40 or more points on Christmas since Kevin Durant had 44 for the Thunder in 2010. Harden’s latest big game came as the Rockets played without Chris Paul, who missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring. The 9-time All-Star is out for at least the next two weeks with the injury suffered Thursday night.

“We’ve got a lot of guys playing at a high level right now,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “So many guys contributed (Tuesday).

Clint Capela had 16 points and tied a season high with 23 rebounds.

The Rockets were up by 6 with about four minutes left when Rivers, whom they signed on Monday, hit a 3-pointer to make it 107-98.

Grant scored five straight points for the Thunder, highlighted by a 3-pointer, to get Oklahoma City to within 107-103, but Rivers made another 3 to push the lead to 7 with two minutes left.

“Everybody here has welcomed me so it has been a very easy transition,” Rivers said. “So my whole focus has just been to play hard and just try to help them in any way I can.”

Houston had a 1-point lead in the fourth when Harden re-entered the game and found Capela on consecutive possessions for dunks to make it 100-95. Eric Gordon had a layup seconds later to push the lead to 7.

Harden continued the run after the timeout with a driving jump shot before the Thunder scored their first basket in more than three minutes on a layup by Grant to cut the lead to 104-97.

The Thunder were up by 8 at halftime, but Houston scored the first eight points of the second half to tie it at 60 with about nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Danuel House and P.J. Tucker made 3s in that stretch to lead the Rockets.

Oklahoma City was up by 2 later in the third when the Rockets scored five quick points with a 3 from Harden to take a 73-70 lead.

But George hit a 3 for the Thunder soon after that to tie it up again. That basket started a 10-2 run for Oklahoma City, which included another 3 from George that made it 80-75 with about three minutes left in the third.

Houston trailed by 4 after two free throws by George late in the third, but the Rockets scored the next six points, capped by a 3 from Harden, to take an 86-84 lead with less than a minute left in the quarter.

The Thunder led 88-86 entering the fourth.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Westbrook received a technical in the second quarter for yelling at an official when he thought he was fouled on a 3-point attempt. … Steven Adams had 17 points and seven rebounds. … The Thunder made nine of 30 3-pointers.

Rockets: Rivers scored 10 in his Houston debut. … James Ennis missed his seventh straight game with a strained right hamstring. … Gordon had 17 points.

THEY SAID IT

Capela on his big rebounding day: “I just told my teammates I had to make a statement that we are going to win the rebound battle.”

UP NEXT

Thunder: Visit Phoenix on Friday night.

Rockets: Host Boston on Thursday night.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Harden, Rockets trounce Bulls

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets aren’t where they want to be, but are feeling much better after following a season-high four game skid with consecutive wins, capped by Saturday night’s victory over the Chicago Bulls.

James Harden made six 3-pointers and scored 30 points to help the Rockets down the Bulls 121-105.

The victory comes a night after the Rockets ended their losing streak with a win 136-105 win at San Antonio.

Now coach Mike D’Antoni is looking for his team to maintain this momentum on its upcoming three-game road trip.

“We need to go show everybody who we need to be,” D’Antoni said. “We may not be there yet but we’re getting there … we just need to go get some wins.”

Harden said health is the biggest reason why Houston has played better recently.

“It’s just having a full roster,” he said. “Chris (Paul), Gerald (Green) and Nene coming back in these last few games. Having a full roster and guys that can help each other out is key.”

Houston was up by 12 entering the fourth quarter and used a 13-7 run to start the period and make it 100-82 with 8½ minutes left. Eric Gordon made two 3-pointers in that stretch and P.J. Tucker added a three-point play. Chicago couldn’t cut into the lead after that and the Rockets were up by 20 with about three minutes left when D’Antoni cleared the bench.

Zach LaVine had 29 points for the Bulls, who lost their sixth straight game and for the 10th time in 11 games.

Chicago’s Lauri Markkanen had 10 points and four rebounds in his season debut after missing the team’s first 23 games with a sprained right elbow he sustained in training camp. He entered the game with about 4½ minutes left in the first quarter and played 26 minutes.

“I felt good and I had no problems with my elbow,” he said. “That’s a positive. I was just glad to be out there.”


Clint Capela added 18 points and 15 rebounds for Houston and Paul had 12 points and tied a season high with 13 assists in his second game back after missing three with a sore hamstring.

Houston led by 10 at halftime before the Bulls used a 12-6 run to open the third quarter and cut the lead to four. Parker led Chicago in that stretch, scoring eight points.

The Rockets got back on track after that, scoring the next five points to push the lead to 67-58 with about seven minutes left in the third.

“Coming out of the break, I thought we had great momentum in the second half, and they throw in a couple of bombs,” Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg said. “We have to keep fighting and work on being more consistent.”

Houston led by eight later in the third when Harden made a 3-pointer just before the shot clock expired to make it 74-63 with 4½ minutes left in the quarter.

The Bulls added a layup seconds after that, but Houston scored the next six points, capped by a 3 from Harden with Jabari Parker in his face to make it 80-65 about 90 seconds later.

LaVine scored all of Chicago’s points in a 7-2 run later in the third to cut the deficit, but Green made a 3-pointer with a few seconds left in the quarter to put Houston up 87-75 entering the fourth.

TIP-INS

Bulls: Hoiberg said that he will limit Markkanen’s minutes in his first games back. … LaVine has scored at least 20 points in 20 games this season. … Justin Holiday, who had 11 points, has made at least one 3-pointer in a franchise-record 35 straight games. … Parker finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Rockets: Nene had 10 points and four rebounds in his season debut after missing Houston’s first 21 games with a strained right calf. … Harden has scored 30 points or more in six of the last eight games.

REMEMBERING BUSH

The Rockets played a video before the game and had a moment of silence for former President George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday night in Houston at 94. The video featured images of Bush sitting courtside at several games and posing for pictures with various former players and coaches.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Visit Indiana on Tuesday night.

Rockets: Visit Minnesota on Monday night.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Thompson hot hand carries Warriors into Game 7 with Rockets

OAKLAND, Calif. — Klay Thompson flashed back to a night he left the arena still in uniform, furious about his forgettable performance against Denver.

It used to be he struggled to shake off a bad night, or even a bad start to a game.

Now, he just keeps shooting. Whenever he feels like it, from wherever. No conscience. A hand or two in his face, no matter.


“I was not always like this. I used to be so hard on myself, especially early in my career,” Thompson said. “… I learned, as I get older, if you play with passion, you play hard, and you leave the game saying I gave everything I have tonight in those 48 minutes, you can live with the result.”

The Warriors’ season lives on largely thanks to Thompson’s shooting touch. Golden State is one win from a fourth straight NBA Finals, headed back to Houston for Monday night’s Game 7.

He came through with the defending champions’ season on the line in another do-or-die Game 6, just as he did two years ago at Oklahoma City. This time he scored 35 points with nine 3-pointers as the Warriors rallied with a huge second half to beat the Rockets 115-86 on Saturday night to force a deciding game in the Western Conference finals.

His defense shined, too. Oh, and the typically subdued Thompson let his emotions flow for all to see: He flexed his biceps Draymond Green style, pumped his arms like Kevin Durant and yelled out the way Stephen Curry often does at Oracle Arena.

Thompson has long been content to be the understated All-Star among the four in Golden State’s starting lineup.

“I just wanted to play with as much passion as I could tonight. Probably sounded more vocal than I usually am,” Thompson acknowledged. “When your back’s against the wall, if your shot’s not falling, you can always control your passion and how hard you play. Usually when I do that, it trickles over to other aspects of my game.”

Curry’s Splash Brother did it in 2016 when he scored 41 points against Durant’s former Thunder team with the Warriors facing elimination. They went on to win Game 7 before falling to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in a seven-game NBA Finals.

Durant had no interest in recollecting, smiling and laughing with Curry as he said, “next question.”


As for Curry?

“I think we both blocked that whole year out of our memory,” the two-time MVP quipped.

No arguing they both appreciate Thompson’s no-fear shooting approach and ability to almost single-handedly turn the tide of a game with a timely 3-pointer or two — or nine.

Once Golden State got going in transition, following clutch defensive stops, Thompson found the looks he so prefers from long range.

“I feel like we’re the best team in the world and most fun team in the world to watch when we’re pushing that ball, getting defensive stops and making plays,” he said. “We’ve got too much talent not just to hit singles like Coach always says. Trust the next man ahead of us. It will end up working in our favor most of the time.”

Thompson shot 13 for 23 and 9 of 14 from deep as the Warriors responded from an early 17-point deficit to dominate James Harden and Houston the final three quarters, outscoring the Rockets 93-47 after trailing 39-22 at the end of the first.

Thompson went a combined 20 of 32 from 3-point range in those two impressive Game 6 shows, Saturday and in 2016.

“I think Klay doesn’t worry too much about repercussions. He doesn’t worry about judgment and results. I think he just loves to play,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s so comfortable in his own skin. I just think he wants to go out there and hoop, and he doesn’t worry about much else. So the pressure doesn’t seem to bother him much. He just competes and plays. As I said, the two-way ability of this guy hounding the MVP of the league, most likely, all game, and continuing to rain down 3-pointers, he’s amazing.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Paul, Rockets roll past Spurs for 12th straight win

HOUSTON — Chris Paul had 28 points, eight assists and seven steals to lead the Houston Rockets to their 12th straight victory, a 124-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Paul became the first player in NBA history to post 28 points, eight assists and seven steals in a game against the Spurs. In the past 10 years, that stat line has been achieved just 10 times — Paul has done it six of those times. The Rockets are unbeaten when he plays this season.

Paul’s dazzling performance came on a night James Harden had one of his worst 3-point shooting nights of the season, making 6 of 18 from the field, including 2 of 11 from 3. Harden had 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists, scoring half his points on 14-of-16 shooting from the free-throw line.

The Rockets are on the fourth-longest win streak in franchise history and the longest since a franchise-best 22 straight in the 2007-08 season.

All Rockets starters and reserve Eric Gordon had scored in double figures by the end of the third quarter. Clint Capela had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Gordon scored 14 points, Ryan Anderson had 12, and Trevor Ariza added 11.

The Rockets beat the Spurs for just the third time in their last 12 meetings.

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 16 points. Joffrey Lauvergne had 14, Patty Mills had 13 and Davis Bertans scored 12, all off the bench for San Antonio.

The Rockets jumped to a 31-16 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 60-43 at the half. The Rockets entered the fourth quarter with a 92-72 lead.

Kawhi Leonard played in his second game back after making his season debut on Tuesday night in Dallas after missing the first 27 games of the season with a right quadriceps injury. Leonard, who has been recovering from a quadriceps condition that causes pain and weakness in the knee, started and had 12 points in 17 minutes, all in the first half.

Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hinted before the game that Leonard and Tony Parker were unlikely to play Saturday night in Dallas in the second half of San Antonio’s back-to-back.

TIP-INS

Spurs: SF Kyle Anderson missed his sixth straight game with a sprained left MCL, but he is progressing well and could return after San Antonio’s back-to-back in Houston and Dallas, possibly as early as Monday when the Spurs host the Clippers. … Danny Green started and played through left groin tightness, scoring two points in 19 minutes.

Rockets: Houston played its first game without Luc Mbah a Moute, who suffered a dislocated right shoulder on Wednesday night against Charlotte. Mbah a Moute could be out 2-3 weeks with the injury. … The Rockets improved to 19-1 when leading after the third quarter, winning by double digits for the 17th time in 27 games.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Host Dallas on Saturday night.

Rockets: Host Milwaukee on Saturday night.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Rockets drain record 24 3s in win over Pelicans

James Harden delivered his second straight triple double as the Houston Rockets made an NBA record 24 three pointers in a 122-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

The Rockets continued their record-setting ways this season, setting the single game mark for threes made and attempted (64).

Eric Gordon scored a season-high 29 points as the Rockets improved to 20-7 and extended their winning streak to nine games.

“I think it’ll happen again for sure,” Gordon said. “A lot of teams like to load up trying to not let us get layups and it forces us to shoot threes. It’s like, ‘Why not?’ I think we’ll have that chance again.”

Houston finished one three pointer shy of matching the old record of 23, which they shared with the Golden State Warriors, on Wednesday night in their 34-point win over the Sacramento Kings.

Houston had held the mark for three-pointers attempted (50), which they set in Sacramento on November 25.

Harden finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists to set a franchise record with his 15th triple-double.

Gordon shot 10 for 17 in 27 minutes off the bench, while forward Trevor Ariza finished with 20 points on five-for-14 three-point shooting.

Forward Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 19 points despite playing just 22 minutes. Davis left in the third quarter with a left lower-leg contusion.

Former Rockets forward Terrence Jones came off the bench to score 16 points and eight rebounds for New Orleans, which has lost six of seven games against Houston.

“He just got kicked, and the game wasn’t in a position where I thought that it was worth the risk to put him back out there,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said of Davis. “And we just weren’t going to do it.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sans Curry, Warriors rout Rockets for 2-0 lead

OAKLAND, California – As Stephen Curry emphatically waved his arms to ignite the crowd and coached from the bench when he could do little else, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors’ supporting cast picked up the slack for their absent NBA MVP to hold off the Houston Rockets 115-106 on Monday (Tuesday Manila time) and take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.

Thompson scored 34 points and dished out five assists for the defending champions, playing without Curry because of an injured right ankle. Curry cut short his pregame warmup routine after appearing to be in discomfort as he was shooting while putting little pressure on the tender ankle.

Andre Iguodala, last year’s Finals MVP, added 18 points with four 3-pointers and Draymond Green had 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Now, Curry has until Game 3 in Houston to get healthy.

James Harden had 28 points and 11 assists to lead the Rockets, losers of six straight and 14 of 15 to Golden State. He made 13 of 15 free throws after not attempting one in the opener.

Big man Marreese Speights hit a key momentum 3-pointer from the baseline with 8.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter to make it 86-79, and the deep, versatile Warriors showed they can win without Curry on the playoff stage just as everybody on the roster believed.

Golden State did it on New Year’s Eve on Houston’s home court and did it again Monday at rockin’ Oracle Arena.
Shaun Livingston, who left Sunday’s practice with an illness, had 16 points and six assists playing in Curry’s place.
After a 26-point victory in Game 1, the Warriors had to work a little harder in Game 2.

Dwight Howard’s dunk of an alley-oop pass with 6:54 left in the third pulled the Rockets within 71-67, but Golden State kept answering with big baskets.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr called for better ball movement, hard cuts and intensity on defense in Curry’s absence. For much of the game, the Warriors did those things well.

“There’s a smaller margin for error,” Kerr said of a lineup minus Curry.

Kerr looked at more film from that Dec. 31 game in Houston the past couple of days after already having watched it before Curry’s latest injury.

Harden went without a free throw attempt in Game 1 for the first time in 30 playoff games with the Rockets. Then on three occasions in the first half, Harden drew a foul beyond the 3-point line and sent the fans into fits. He missed 7 of 8 3-point tries.

But it was Thompson’s three free throws after interim Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s technical with 7:16 left that helped seal this one. Livingston scored the next time down for a 99-86 lead.

Curry didn’t take part in the morning shootaround or practice after getting hurt late in the first half of his team’s Game 1 win Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

He received treatment Sunday and Monday. He took the court some 90 minutes before tipoff and first went through his normal dribbling session before he started shooting.

At one point, Curry lined up to try a long jumper from the right wing but didn’t release the ball and hopped in apparent pain before throwing the ball in the air, clearly frustrated. He left the court moments later.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Harden leads Rockets rout of Lakers

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets are certainly not where they want to be yet

However, they feel like they’re getting close.

They reached .500 on Saturday night with an easy 126-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers behind 30 points from James Harden.

”We’ve come a long way,” interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. ”We’ve got to give guys credit for accepting responsibility of where we were and accepting responsibility and putting responsibility on themselves that they had to do something to change it.”

A 3-pointer by Nick Young with about seven minutes left got the Lakers within 11, but a 13-2 run by Houston pushed the lead to 115-93 and the Rockets cruised to the victory. Donatas Motiejunas, Harden and Patrick Beverley each made a 3-pointer to cap the key stretch.

Motiejunas had 11 points in his best game since returning from back surgery.

Kobe Bryant had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who have lost six in a row and 13 of 14.

”It’s like my rhythm is starting to come back a little and my legs are moving pretty well,” Bryant said. ”I’m feeling good. I just worked and continued to run and lift and just hoping for the best.”

Despite Houston’s blowout win, the home crowd seemed to be filled with more Bryant fans than Rockets fans. They cheered loudly every time he touched the ball and chanted ”Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” as the final seconds ticked away.

Bryant, who plans to retire after this season, stopped on his way off the court for a hug with former Rocket Steve Francis as the crowd continued to chant his name.

Harden wasn’t bothered by the outpouring for Bryant by the home crowd.

”He’s a legend,” Harden said. ”This is his last year. I was chanting his name, too. It’s a once in a lifetime chance that you’re going to see this guy play again. I haven’t had the chance to see Michael (Jordan) play in person, but he’s a modern Michael.”

The Rockets shot 52.2 percent (47 for 90) from the field and 15 for 33 from 3-point range, compared to 40 percent (35 for 88) for the Lakers and 10 for 32 from beyond the arc.

Houston led 63-46 at halftime and scored seven of the first nine points of the third quarter. Beverley’s layup made it 70-48 with 9:52 left.

Terrence Jones made a layup at the end of the third after Corey Brewer blocked a shot by Bryant, giving the Rockets a 91-76 advantage.

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HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 12: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the Los A …

Houston had a 52-29 lead in the first half when Bryant scored 11 points in a 13-0 run for Los Angeles. He made two 3-pointers in the surge and capped the run with three straight free throws after he was fouled by Harden.

Houston star Dwight Howard scored six straight points to end the first half, highlighted by a soaring, two-handed dunk after a steal.

TIP-INS

Lakers: G Jordan Clarkson missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle. … The loss closed out an eight-game road trip, the team’s longest since a nine-game trip from Jan. 31, 2007, to Feb. 13, 2008. … Young finished with 13 points.

Rockets: Trevor Ariza was back in the starting lineup after missing Houston’s last game with a bruised lower back, which snapped a streak of 172 straight games played. … Ty Lawson was feeling better after recovering from the flu. … Howard had 18 points and 12 rebounds.

HARDEN’S TRIBUTE

Harden wanted to do something to honor Bryant on Saturday night, so he donned special shoes for the occasion.

”I even wore the first Kobe’s from Adidas tonight,” he said. ”Just to show how much I respect him and how much he’s done for the game of basketball.”

IMPRESSED BY BRYANT

Los Angeles coach Byron Scott was impressed with how well the 37-year-old Bryant played on Saturday night, considering it was the last game of a grueling road trip and the Lakers also played a game on Friday night.

”I have no idea,” Scott said when asked about how he did it. ”I swear to God, I wish I knew. We talked about that earlier that this was on a back-to-back game and he seems to play better, but I don’t understand it.”

UP NEXT

Lakers: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Rockets: Visit Denver on Monday.


source: sports.inquirer.net

Spurs open title defense with win; Rockets spoil Bryant return

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tony Parker scored 23 points, including a big 3-pointer late in the game as the San Antonio Spurs opened their title defense with a thrilling 101-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

Manu Ginobili added 20 points for San Antonio, which shot 53 percent from the field. Tim Duncan had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 14th double-double in a season opener, the most by any player in NBA history, according to Elias Sports.

Monta Ellis scored 26 points for Dallas, and Dirk Nowitzki had 18. Devin Harris finished with 17 points.

Following a video recap of the 2014 season narrated by actor and Spurs fan Samuel L. Jackson, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented San Antonio’s staff and players with their championship rings. The inscription inside the ring was “Good to Great,” which was coach Gregg Popovich’s mantra last season.

After Nowitzki gave Dallas a 100-98 lead with a fadeaway jumper over Boris Diaw with 1:37 remaining, Parker drained a 3 in front of the Mavericks’ bench off a feed from Diaw. Parker was 4 for 4 from long range, matching a career high for 3s in a game.

Houston’s James Harden scored 32 points, and Dwight Howard added 13 points and 11 rebounds before getting into a shouting match with Kobe Bryant as the Rockets spoiled Bryant’s return to the Lakers with a 108-90 victory.

Bryant’s comeback game got even worse when Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle seriously injured his right leg in the fourth quarter, leaving his NBA debut on a wheeled stretcher. The seventh overall pick out of Kentucky collided with two Rockets under the basket and landed awkwardly.

Bryant scored 19 points in his first game back at Staples Center after missing most of the Lakers’ worst season in a half-century with two major injuries.

Trevor Ariza and Terrence Jones scored 16 points each for Houston.

At New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 101-84 season-opening win over the Orlando Magic.

Ryan Anderson, coming back from surgery on a herniated disk that cost him more than half of last season, scored 22 points. The Pelicans’ new 7-foot (2.13-meter) center, Omer Asik, had a double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

Tobias Harris scored 25 points for Orlando, while Nikola Vucevic added 15 points and 23 rebounds.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nets clinch playoffs spot with win over Rockets

NEW YORK, New York—The Brooklyn Nets clinched a playoff berth by beating the Houston Rockets for the first time in eight years as Joe Johnson scored 32 points in a 105-96 victory Tuesday.

Shaun Livingston added 17 points for the Nets, who extended their home winning streak to 14 games, longest in their National Basketball Association history and tops in the league this season. They also pulled within one-and-a-half games of Toronto and Chicago for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets ended a 14-game skid against Houston with their first victory in the series since March 13, 2006. The Nets hadn’t defeated the Rockets at home since March 31, 2003, when they were still playing in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

James Harden scored 26 points for Houston.    



Golden State’s Stephen Curry made a tiebreaking jump shot in the final second of overtime to help lift the Warriors to a 122-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Curry finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson led Golden State with 27 points, and Jermaine O’Neal added 20.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 33 points and 11 rebounds. He had 16 in the Mavericks’ 41-point second quarter.

Dallas dropped from seventh in the Western Conference to ninth, a half-game behind Memphis and Phoenix in the final two playoff positions.

At Los Angeles, Damian Lillard scored 34 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 31 points and 15 rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers overpowered the Lakers 124-112.

The Blazers’ fourth straight victory, coupled with Houston’s loss at Brooklyn, moved Portland within one-and-a-half games of the Rockets for fourth place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. The Rockets have three games in hand.

Nick Young, the fifth and last player off the Los Angeles bench, made his first eight shots and finished 15 for 26 with a season-high 40 points. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Lakers’ 10th defeat in 14 games. They slipped to 25-49—the most losses by the club since finishing 33-49 in 1993-94. The franchise hasn’t lost 50 games in a season since 1974-75 (30-52).

source: sports.inquirer.net

Howard powers undermanned Rockets past Pistons

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Dwight Howard had 35 points and 19 rebounds, leading the short-handed Houston Rockets to a 114-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.

In one of his best games since joining the Rockets in the offseason, Howard dominated Andre Drummond, Detroit’s promising 20-year-old big man, and helped Houston control the game despite the absence of star guard James Harden, who was out with a sprained right ankle.

The Rockets also were without Jeremy Lin, who has been bothered by back spasms, and they lost guard Patrick Beverley to a fractured right hand.

Josh Smith scored 19 points for the Pistons.

It was the most points Howard has scored as a member of the Rockets. He went 13 of 18 from the field.

GRIZZLIES 95, KNICKS 87

NEW YORK — Zach Randolph had 25 points and 15 rebounds to help Memphis break a five-game losing streak with a victory over New York.

Tony Allen added 19 points and eight rebounds. Jerryd Bayless scored 11 points, including two free throws to end a New York flurry that had trimmed a 19-point deficit to four in the final half-minute.

Mike Conley finished with nine points and eight assists after missing two games with a bruised left thigh.

Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points for the Knicks.

WIZARDS 106, CELTICS 99

BOSTON — Trevor Ariza scored 27 points and hit a 3-pointer that capped a fourth-quarter run in Washington’s comeback victory over Boston.

With Washington trailing 92-84, Ariza started a 14-1 run with a jumper from the right corner. John Wall had five of his 20 points in the surge.

Avery Bradley led Boston with 26 points.

KINGS 105, MAGIC 100

ORLANDO, Florida — Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas each scored 23 points, Marcus Thornton added 15, and Sacramento held off Orlando for the victory.

DeMarcus Cousins added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Kings connected on a season-high 12 3-pointers in the victory, helping to end a three-game losing streak.

Arron Afflalo led Orlando with 26 points in his return to the lineup after sitting out for the first time this season Wednesday with an illness. The Magic have lost four out of their last five, and four straight at home.

JAZZ 88, BOBCATS 85

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Trey Burke scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and Utah ended Charlotte’s three-game winning streak.

Burke hit a 3-pointer with 1:38 left to put the Jazz up by three and added a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining.

Gordon Hayward had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which had lost three of their past four games. Derrick Favors added 14 points.

Kemba Walker scored 20 points and Al Jefferson had 19 for the Bobcats, who were playing their fourth game in five nights.

At halftime, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveiled the team’s new primary logo for when the team changes names to the Charlotte Hornets after this season.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Gay scores 26 to lead Kings past Rockets, 106-91

SACRAMENTO, California—Rudy Gay scored 26 points in his first home game since coming over in a trade from Toronto to lead the Sacramento Kings past the Houston Rockets 106-91 Sunday (California time).

Gay added five rebounds and four assists. He finished 10-for-20 shooting in a dazzling home debut for the Kings, who had lost eight of their past 10 games.

DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Isaiah Thomas added 19 points and eight assists to help Sacramento hold on to the lead for most of the final three quarters.

James Harden twisted his left ankle early in the third quarter but finished with 25 points, and Dwight Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds while battling foul trouble in a disappointing end to Houston’s cramped three-game road trip. The Rockets lost at Portland on Thursday and won at Golden State on Friday.

Portland’s Damian Lillard hit a spinning fadeaway shot with one-tenth of a second left in overtime to lift the Trail Blazers over the Detroit Pistons 111-109.

Lillard was guarded well by Rodney Stuckey as he tried to drive to the basket, but he was able to hit a tough fadeaway from about eight feet. Detroit couldn’t get off a shot before the buzzer.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points for Portland and Lillard finished with 23 points.

At Memphis, Tennessee, Kevin Love had 30 points and nine rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in beating the Memphis Grizzlies 101-93.

The victory ended Minnesota’s 11-game losing streak to the Grizzlies and also gave the Timberwolves their third win in the last four.

The Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 106-102 for their fifth straight game after Eric Bledsoe scored seven of his 24 points in the fourth quarter.

Bledsoe added eight rebounds and eight assists, Goran Dragic scored 21 points, and Channing Frye added 20 for the Suns.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points, including 20 in the second half, and Klay Thompson added 19 for the Warriors.

In other games, the Oklahoma City Thunder downed the Orlando Magic 101-98 and the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 102-93.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Harden hurt in Rockets rout of Grizzlies

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Houston Rockets guard James Harden was listed as day-to-day after leaving Friday night’s preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a right knee bruise.

Rockets coach Kevin McHale said after Houston’s 92-73 victory that his star guard bumped knees with Memphis’ Quincy Pondexter in the first quarter. Harden did not return after the injury.

”He iced it, and stuff, and we’ll see how he feels (Saturday),” McHale said indicating that he didn’t think the injury was serious.

Harden, who entered the game as the team’s leading scorer in the preseason with a 20.8 average, connected on a 3-pointer from the right wing with 4:35 left in the first quarter and went down to the court in front of the Rockets bench when he was fouled by Pondexter.

Harden eventually got up, made the ensuing free throw and went straight to the locker room at the next stoppage of play.

Harden finished with six points and four rebounds in his 7-plus minutes before the injury.

Omri Casspi scored 11 points, Donatas Motiejunas finished with 10 for Houston.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 17 points, but connected on only 4 of 13 shots.

The game was a bit chippy at times with Gasol and the Rockets Dwight Howard earning double technicals in the first half, and Memphis forward Ed Davis drawing an ejection with a flagrant foul in the fourth.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Jeremy Lin charms Taiwan fans in preseason game

TAIPEI — Asian-American NBA star Jeremy Lin and teammate James Harden joined hands Sunday to help the Houston Rockets beat the Indiana Pacers 107-98 in an NBA preseason game held in Taipei, Lin’s ancestral home.

As a point guard, Lin scored 17 points in his 34-minute play while center Harden contributed 21 points in a game that drew a sell-out crowd of more than 13,000 fans at the Taipei Arena stadium.

When Lin had to quit just a few minutes before the close of the game, local fans gave him a thundering applause.

“I’m happy with the result. After all, we won. Playing (basketball) here is crazy. Fans are noisy and passionate,” Lin said in Mandarin Chinese at a press conference.

Houston coach Kevin McHale added: “The atmosphere was unbelievable. Yes, it was definitely Jeremy Lin’s home court. He played very well.”

“The last week to 10 days he’s been very, very good in our games and our practices. I think he’s really comfortable with who he is. He’s in a good state of mind”, McHale said.

The 25-year-old, whose parents are Taiwanese, has become a sporting hero on the island since he shot to stardom in the NBA with the New York Knicks early last year, sparking a global following known as “Linsanity.”

Lin, who was later traded to Houston, had a mixed performance in his first full NBA season that saw the Rockets eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

McHale said he could understand the tremendous pressure on Lin after he swiftly rose to his fame and emerged as the basketball icon in Asia and elsewhere in the world.

“He is a great young man, he worked out very hard this summer,” McHale said, in his reference to Lin’s step-up training, including in shooting where he has sometimes struggled, after his first full-year with NBA.

NBA commissioner David Stern on Saturday hailed Lin’s success as a “true milestone,” saying Lin had been “adopted by all countries in Asia as their very own” after the two NBA team’s successful exhibition game in Manila last week.

At Sunday’s game, Paul George led the Pacers with 19 points followed by 17 points of George Hill.

Among those watching Sunday’s game in Taipei were Terry Gou, founder of Taiwan’s tech giant Hon Hai Precision and Chinese basketball icon Yao Ming, a former Rockets center.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Houston Rockets trounce Pacers

Midway through the fourth period, Omri Casspi rescued a miss with a wild tap that turned into an extra possession for the Houston Rockets. There was a drive by Jeremy Lin, there was an extra pass after an extra pass and then Casspi capped the fun sequence with a three-point play that got a lot of love from his bench.

If that was any indication at all, this could be how the Rockets will look once the season rolls along: Deeper than last season, fast and quite enjoyable to watch.

Houston started hot and stumped the Indiana Pacers with a lot of pace en route to a 116-96 victory last night in the NBA Global Games preseason match at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Rockets scored the first 12 points of the game—within the first three minutes of the opening period—and never allowed the Pacers to get any rally going to notch the victory.

“We wanted to get out to a good start,” said Rockets coach Kevin McHale. “We set some defensive goals and the first unit gave us a strong start defensively.”

The game had preseason written all over it. Both teams were far from the forms their coaches want them to be once the regular season rolls around. But there was still enough action to excite the crowd.

Fans cheered a dunk by Dwight Howard, the newly acquired Rockets center, and strong scoring finishes by Houston star James Harden. They roared when Jeremy Lin did anything at all and reserved a lot of cheers for forward Chandler Parsons, who became a crowd favorite after rumors that he went out with a popular Filipino actress.

Indiana had its share of supporters also. Paul George worked up the crowd with back-to-back treys to fuel a strong Indiana reply late in the first quarter. Danny Granger, who spent last season on the injury list, got a lot of cheers when he checked in as a sub.

But as the Rockets started to pull away, there was little reason for Pacers fans to applaud.

“Tough loss,” said Indiana coach Frank Vogel. “Houston had a lot of speed. It’s early in the season and our guys are still struggling in transition.”

Mostly, that Indiana transition defense struggled because the offense allowed Houston to run a lot.

“Our defense was phenomenal,” said Harden “We got stops, [forced] turnovers and that allowed us to get easy points.”

Vogel, though, did see something he liked: With a little more time, George and Granger could wreak havoc this season.

source: sports.inquirer.net