Lakers Beat Rox in OT
HOUSTON, TX -- The Houston Rockets lost a hard fought, tightly contested ball game 103 to 102, in overtime, Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Lakers in front of a raucous 18,291 fans.
Aaron Brooks came off a high pick-and-roll and swished a three-point basket to give the Rockets an 89 to 85 lead with just 93 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Rockets' fans went beserk believing their team was going to improve to 4 and 1 on the young 2009-201 season; however, Kobe Bryant had other ideas.
"I thought we should have won," said Rick Adelman after the game. "I thought we had a great chance of winning. You've got to learn from what happened tonight and do a little bit better down the stretch the next time we play."
Bryant attacked the basket and drew the fourth foul on Rockets' forward Luis Scola. Bryant sank both free throws to cut the Rockets lead to two points with 1:22 in the game.
After Brooks committed a turnover, Bryant tied the game at 89 with two more made free throws.
The Rockets (3 - 2) continued their struggles on the offense in the final 93 seconds with a turnover by Chuck Hayes. Bryant posted up in the low post; drew a double team; passed out to new Lakers' teammate Ron Artest and Artest launched a three-point shot which swished threw the nets to cap of a 7 to 0 Lakers run for 92 to 89 Lakers lead.
The Rockets called timeout and Artest posed for the crowd.
After the timeout, the offense struggled once again and Lakers' guard Derek Fisher tied up Trevor Ariza for a jump ball with just 19.6 remaining. Ariza won the tip; Carl Landry picked up the loose ball; and passed back to Ariza. Ariza calmly and quickly attempted a three point shot which splashed threw the net to tie the game at 92 with just 14.2 seconds on the game clock.
After the bucket, Ariza held up three fingers and walked toward the Lakers' bench as if to say, "I'm a Houston Rocket now."
Ariza said, "I didn't even think about it. I really didn't. I just know I hit the three to tie the game and take it into overtime."
The Lakers failed to score in the final seconds and the game went to overtime.
The game stayed close through the overtime. Brooks tied the game at 100 on a driving lay-up with 1:06 on the game clock. Lakers' center Andrew Bynum sank two free throws for a two point Lakers' lead before Carl Landry capped of his team-high 20 points by scoring with a 9-foot hook shot.
Bynum split two free throws to put the Lakers ahead 103 to 102 with 24.7 seconds remaining; and, the Rockets failed to score in the waning seconds. Ariza was stripped of the ball with less than two seconds on the clock. The turnover was the 20th of the game for the Rockets.
"It was tough loss," said Rockets forward Shane Battier. "Guys played their heart out. We gave them all they could handle. We just didn't make enough plays down the stretch in overtime.
Bryant led all scorers with 41 points (15 for 30 from the field, 11 for 15 from the foul line).
Ariza was one of six Rockets to score in double figures. Ariza scored 15 points; but, he was just 5 for 21 from the field.
Aaron Brooks committed seven turnovers in the game.
Chuck Hayes scored 14 points and pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds. Hayes took advantage of the Lakers' strategy to leave him alone on offense and rolled to the basket for seven lay-ups in the game.
"We played hard, as hard as any game you can play; and to come up short, hurts," Hayes said after the game. You've got to move on. It comes with this job and it comes with this league."
The Rockets host Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, November 6.
Aaron Brooks came off a high pick-and-roll and swished a three-point basket to give the Rockets an 89 to 85 lead with just 93 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Rockets' fans went beserk believing their team was going to improve to 4 and 1 on the young 2009-201 season; however, Kobe Bryant had other ideas.
"I thought we should have won," said Rick Adelman after the game. "I thought we had a great chance of winning. You've got to learn from what happened tonight and do a little bit better down the stretch the next time we play."
Bryant attacked the basket and drew the fourth foul on Rockets' forward Luis Scola. Bryant sank both free throws to cut the Rockets lead to two points with 1:22 in the game.
After Brooks committed a turnover, Bryant tied the game at 89 with two more made free throws.
The Rockets (3 - 2) continued their struggles on the offense in the final 93 seconds with a turnover by Chuck Hayes. Bryant posted up in the low post; drew a double team; passed out to new Lakers' teammate Ron Artest and Artest launched a three-point shot which swished threw the nets to cap of a 7 to 0 Lakers run for 92 to 89 Lakers lead.
The Rockets called timeout and Artest posed for the crowd.
After the timeout, the offense struggled once again and Lakers' guard Derek Fisher tied up Trevor Ariza for a jump ball with just 19.6 remaining. Ariza won the tip; Carl Landry picked up the loose ball; and passed back to Ariza. Ariza calmly and quickly attempted a three point shot which splashed threw the net to tie the game at 92 with just 14.2 seconds on the game clock.
After the bucket, Ariza held up three fingers and walked toward the Lakers' bench as if to say, "I'm a Houston Rocket now."
Ariza said, "I didn't even think about it. I really didn't. I just know I hit the three to tie the game and take it into overtime."
The Lakers failed to score in the final seconds and the game went to overtime.
The game stayed close through the overtime. Brooks tied the game at 100 on a driving lay-up with 1:06 on the game clock. Lakers' center Andrew Bynum sank two free throws for a two point Lakers' lead before Carl Landry capped of his team-high 20 points by scoring with a 9-foot hook shot.
Bynum split two free throws to put the Lakers ahead 103 to 102 with 24.7 seconds remaining; and, the Rockets failed to score in the waning seconds. Ariza was stripped of the ball with less than two seconds on the clock. The turnover was the 20th of the game for the Rockets.
"It was tough loss," said Rockets forward Shane Battier. "Guys played their heart out. We gave them all they could handle. We just didn't make enough plays down the stretch in overtime.
Bryant led all scorers with 41 points (15 for 30 from the field, 11 for 15 from the foul line).
Ariza was one of six Rockets to score in double figures. Ariza scored 15 points; but, he was just 5 for 21 from the field.
Aaron Brooks committed seven turnovers in the game.
Chuck Hayes scored 14 points and pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds. Hayes took advantage of the Lakers' strategy to leave him alone on offense and rolled to the basket for seven lay-ups in the game.
"We played hard, as hard as any game you can play; and to come up short, hurts," Hayes said after the game. You've got to move on. It comes with this job and it comes with this league."
The Rockets host Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, November 6.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 11:43 PM
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