No Yao Ming, No T-Mac, No win over Blazers
The Houston Rockets' record fell to 1 and 11 overall when both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady do not play in the same game. Houston (47 - 29) lost 85 to 78 Friday night to the Portland Trail Blazers (31 - 44) at Toyota Center in front of the 23rd announced sellout crowd. Yao Ming missed the game due to a sore lower back while McGrady sat out the game with a stiff lower back.
Blazers' rookie guard Brandon Roy led all scorers with 24 points (10 for 20 from the field, including 2 for 3 from the three point line). Roy's backcourt mate, Jarrett Jack, added 23 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field.
Luther Head led the Rockets with 19 points (7 for 16 shooting, 3 for 8 on threes).
Houston shot an ice cold 30% (6 for 20) in the first quarter and trailed the Blazers 23 to 14 at the end of the first quarter. The 14 first quarter points set a new season low for the Rockets. The Rockets managed just two assists on those six made baskets.
In the second quarter, the Rockets picked up just two more assists (8 for 20 from the field); but, the team managed to outscore the Blazers 19 to 17 to trail just 20 to 33 at the half.
Portland increased the lead to 11 (56 to 45) with 3:58 left in the quarter after a 17-foot jump shot by Brandon Roy. Luther Head trimmed the lead to eight with a three-point shot. Rafer Alston followed that shot with a lay-up to pull Houston with six (56 to 50) points. Portland finished the third quarter with a 17 foot jump shot by forward Travis Outlaw to lead the Rockets 61 to 54.
The Blazers' offense bogged done during the fourth quarter due to improved Rockets' defense and poor Blazers' ball movement. The Rockets reduced the Blazers' nine point lead (68 to 59) to one (68 to 67) with an eight to zero scoring run. Roy hit two free throws to give Portland a 70 to 67 lead with just 4:47 left in the game.
Houston's Shane Battier tied the game at 70 with a 25-foot three-point jump shot. After Jarrett Jack split two free throws, Battier followed his own missed shot with a tip-in to put the Rockets ahead 72 to 71 with 3:20 left. The lead was the first for the Rockets since leading 4 to 2 early in the first quarter.
Roy scored a driving lay-up to give the Blazers the lead once again; but, Battier scored a lay-up to give the Rockets a 74 to 73 lead. Jarret Jack scored a lay-up of his own to put Portland ahead 75 to 74; and, after a missed three-point shot by Luther Head, Jack swished a wide open three-point shot in front of the Rockets fans seated in the front row to give the Blazers a 78 to 74 lead with 1:31 left in the ball game.
Alston hit two free throws; however, Roy passed to a wide open Travis Outlaw and Outlaw swished a 16-foot jumper to give Portland an 80 to 76 lead with sixty-six seconds left. Outlaw blocked a tough lay-up attempt by Luther Head; then, Jack split two more free throws to give the Blazers a five point lead (81 to 76) with 34.4 seconds remaining in the game. Kirk Snyder hit a 23-foot jump shot (not quite a three-pointer) to make the score 81 to 78 Blazers; and, after a full-timeout called by Portland, the Rockets deflected and bobbled the inbound pass from Brandon Roy out of bounds to allow Portland to keep possession.
Houston's best chance ended with that opportunity.
Outlaw split two free throws to give Portland a four point lead (82 to 78) with 21.2 seconds left. Battier missed a contested three-point attempt which Portland's Fred Jones rebounded. Jones split the free throws; and, after a missed three by Kirk Snyder; Jarrett Jack ended the scoring with two more free throws to give Portland the 85 to 78 victory.
Blazers' rookie guard Brandon Roy led all scorers with 24 points (10 for 20 from the field, including 2 for 3 from the three point line). Roy's backcourt mate, Jarrett Jack, added 23 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field.
Luther Head led the Rockets with 19 points (7 for 16 shooting, 3 for 8 on threes).
Houston shot an ice cold 30% (6 for 20) in the first quarter and trailed the Blazers 23 to 14 at the end of the first quarter. The 14 first quarter points set a new season low for the Rockets. The Rockets managed just two assists on those six made baskets.
In the second quarter, the Rockets picked up just two more assists (8 for 20 from the field); but, the team managed to outscore the Blazers 19 to 17 to trail just 20 to 33 at the half.
Portland increased the lead to 11 (56 to 45) with 3:58 left in the quarter after a 17-foot jump shot by Brandon Roy. Luther Head trimmed the lead to eight with a three-point shot. Rafer Alston followed that shot with a lay-up to pull Houston with six (56 to 50) points. Portland finished the third quarter with a 17 foot jump shot by forward Travis Outlaw to lead the Rockets 61 to 54.
The Blazers' offense bogged done during the fourth quarter due to improved Rockets' defense and poor Blazers' ball movement. The Rockets reduced the Blazers' nine point lead (68 to 59) to one (68 to 67) with an eight to zero scoring run. Roy hit two free throws to give Portland a 70 to 67 lead with just 4:47 left in the game.
Houston's Shane Battier tied the game at 70 with a 25-foot three-point jump shot. After Jarrett Jack split two free throws, Battier followed his own missed shot with a tip-in to put the Rockets ahead 72 to 71 with 3:20 left. The lead was the first for the Rockets since leading 4 to 2 early in the first quarter.
Roy scored a driving lay-up to give the Blazers the lead once again; but, Battier scored a lay-up to give the Rockets a 74 to 73 lead. Jarret Jack scored a lay-up of his own to put Portland ahead 75 to 74; and, after a missed three-point shot by Luther Head, Jack swished a wide open three-point shot in front of the Rockets fans seated in the front row to give the Blazers a 78 to 74 lead with 1:31 left in the ball game.
Alston hit two free throws; however, Roy passed to a wide open Travis Outlaw and Outlaw swished a 16-foot jumper to give Portland an 80 to 76 lead with sixty-six seconds left. Outlaw blocked a tough lay-up attempt by Luther Head; then, Jack split two more free throws to give the Blazers a five point lead (81 to 76) with 34.4 seconds remaining in the game. Kirk Snyder hit a 23-foot jump shot (not quite a three-pointer) to make the score 81 to 78 Blazers; and, after a full-timeout called by Portland, the Rockets deflected and bobbled the inbound pass from Brandon Roy out of bounds to allow Portland to keep possession.
Houston's best chance ended with that opportunity.
Outlaw split two free throws to give Portland a four point lead (82 to 78) with 21.2 seconds left. Battier missed a contested three-point attempt which Portland's Fred Jones rebounded. Jones split the free throws; and, after a missed three by Kirk Snyder; Jarrett Jack ended the scoring with two more free throws to give Portland the 85 to 78 victory.
posted by Kris G @ 11:20 PM
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