Houston Roundball Review Archive: February 2007 Rockets Blow Lead and Lose to Boston

Monday, February 26, 2007

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets runined "Ladies Night" tonight.

The Rockets (35-21) blew an eight point fourth-quarter lead (68-60) with 4:20 left in the ball game.

Boston (14-42) outscored the Rockets 17 to 4 during the final four minutes to defeat the Rockets 77 to 72.

Despite star player Tracy McGrady's missing the game due to flu-like symptoms, the Rockets, on paper, seemed to have enough to defeat the awful Celtics.

Boston scored 29 points in the first half; however, the Cs only trailed Houston by six points 35 to 29 at halftime.

To say the first half was filled with ugly basketball is gross understatement.

Boston shot 23.3% (10 for 43) from the field including a woe-be-gone 11.1% (1 for9) from the three point range.

Houston shot 27.0% (10 for 37) from the field including a frozen 0 for 8 from the three.

Houston also committed 10 turnovers in the first half.

The third quarter featured more bad basketball; and, the Rockets took a 53 to 44 lead into the fourth quarter.

Boston's offense heated up in the fourth period while the Rockets' transition defense and rebounding took a siesta.

The Celtics shot 57.9% (11 for 19) from the field and outrebounded the Rockets 13 to 8 in the final period.

With 2:22 left, Boston's Paul Pierce scored four points during Boston's successful run to tie the game at 68.

The Rockets' Shane Battier missed a three pointer; Houston's Bonzi Wells rebounded the miss; and Juwan Howard missed a lay-up.

Celtics shooting guard Delonte West put Boston ahead 70 to 68 with 1:23 left in the game.

After a bad pass by Rockets' guard Rafer Alston, Pierce swished a turnaround three-point shot to give Boston a 73 to 68 lead with just 25.9 seconds remaining in the game.

Luther Head, Rockets shooting guard, converted a 9-foot running shot to pull Houston within 3; however, West hit two foul shots to push Houston's deficit to five points (75 to 70) with 17.4 seconds remaining.

Howard scored a lay-up and the Rockets fouled West once again.

West made both free throws for the final score: Boston 77, Houston 72.

Pierce was the game's leading scorer with 28 points -- nine points in the fourth period.

Boston forward Al Jefferson scored 16 points and pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds.

West scored 16 points and pulled down six rebounds.

Bonzi Wells led the Rockets with 27 points.

Center Jake Tszkalidis scored seven points and grabbed a Rockets team-high 10 boards.

Houston's Shane Battier (1 for 12) and Rafer Alston (1 for 11) made just 2 of 23 field goal attempts in the ball game.

Houston finished the game 25 for 78 (32.1%) from the field including an Antarctica-like 1 for 22 (4.5%) from three point range.

Listen to Jeff Van Gundy's post game press conference: "...we got weaker..."

Listen to more archived MP3s.