Hottest team in the league with 22 straight *updated* Rockets
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MC KAos
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Mavs Man;1988571 said:Hey, there are still four minutes and change left.
The Mavs could come back... from 20 points down...
Or not.
lol, did anyone watch tnt after the game? during halftime charles kept saying "theres no way the rockets are winning this game" im wondering what he said afterward
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I watched. T-mac took a shot at him saying he prolly doesn't even watch games. Say he doesn't care, the team is confident in themselves.MC KAos;1988592 said:
Barkley basically said the Mavs don't have an identity w/Kidd yet. Kenny and Barkley agreed that the Rockets are a playoff team as of now, but w/o Yao, they're not contenders.
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When even blowing out the Mavs is another Rockets day at office
No one celebrated. No one cheered. There was not loud, raucous laughter in the locker room.
That, too, has changed about the Rockets as the winning streak has grown to 17 games, with the road winning streak moving into a tie with the home winning streak at 11-consecutive games each.
A week ago in New Orleans, the locker room was boisterous. There were shouts and jokes. Thursday in Dallas - in Dallas! - there was none of that, at least not after a few minutes to watch Charles Barkley on the post-game show.
Just a guess: there were a few comments made then, with Charles asked about his assertion that the Rockets' streak would end to the Dirk-less Mavs.
After that, when the doors were opened, the Rockets acted as if this is getting routine, which might be appropriate because it has.
"We won 17 in-a-row; I hope we have confidence," Rafer Alston said. "We're a humble group. We get up the next day, go to practice, work on the things we need to work on, continue to stay on each other to make sure we stay focused and not get caught up in the streak and prepare yourself. Preparation is everything. I think we're doing a great job the day before games and the day of games of preparing ourselves."
The mood has changed.
When the streak began, there was a sense of urgency.
When Yao Ming went out, it became defiant, with the Rockets driven by their detractors and the assumptions made about them.
Now, that has grown to determined. They are determined to keep approaching every game they way they have the ones in the streak, determined to not become caught up in it or themselves.
"We keep a pretty even keel," Shane Battier said. "We don't get too high. We don't get too low. We come to work tomorrow, prepare the way we have the entire year and feel good about who we are. That's who we are. We're not jumping around here, beating our chest. We came in here expecting to compete and give ourselves a chance to win and played well enough to win."
If they did not jump around after an eighth-consecutive win by at least 12 points, they are having more fun than ever on the court. They smile a lot these days, and maybe that's why they can keep that even keel when it is over.
They have not gotten bored with winning. They are loving it enough to happily do whatever is necessary to keep it going.
Posted by Jonathan Feigen at 12:46 AM | Comments (0)
No one celebrated. No one cheered. There was not loud, raucous laughter in the locker room.
That, too, has changed about the Rockets as the winning streak has grown to 17 games, with the road winning streak moving into a tie with the home winning streak at 11-consecutive games each.
A week ago in New Orleans, the locker room was boisterous. There were shouts and jokes. Thursday in Dallas - in Dallas! - there was none of that, at least not after a few minutes to watch Charles Barkley on the post-game show.
Just a guess: there were a few comments made then, with Charles asked about his assertion that the Rockets' streak would end to the Dirk-less Mavs.
After that, when the doors were opened, the Rockets acted as if this is getting routine, which might be appropriate because it has.
"We won 17 in-a-row; I hope we have confidence," Rafer Alston said. "We're a humble group. We get up the next day, go to practice, work on the things we need to work on, continue to stay on each other to make sure we stay focused and not get caught up in the streak and prepare yourself. Preparation is everything. I think we're doing a great job the day before games and the day of games of preparing ourselves."
The mood has changed.
When the streak began, there was a sense of urgency.
When Yao Ming went out, it became defiant, with the Rockets driven by their detractors and the assumptions made about them.
Now, that has grown to determined. They are determined to keep approaching every game they way they have the ones in the streak, determined to not become caught up in it or themselves.
"We keep a pretty even keel," Shane Battier said. "We don't get too high. We don't get too low. We come to work tomorrow, prepare the way we have the entire year and feel good about who we are. That's who we are. We're not jumping around here, beating our chest. We came in here expecting to compete and give ourselves a chance to win and played well enough to win."
If they did not jump around after an eighth-consecutive win by at least 12 points, they are having more fun than ever on the court. They smile a lot these days, and maybe that's why they can keep that even keel when it is over.
They have not gotten bored with winning. They are loving it enough to happily do whatever is necessary to keep it going.
Posted by Jonathan Feigen at 12:46 AM | Comments (0)
Danny White
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WoodysGirl;1988769 said:
He also said the only time he listens to Barkley is when it comes to eating cupcakes!
That got a good chuckle out of Kenny and Ernie back at the set.
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Oh yeah, I forgot about that.Danny White;1988888 said:He also said the only time he listens to Barkley is when it comes to eating cupcakes!
That got a good chuckle out of Kenny and Ernie back at the set.
Then when they went back to the studio, Kenny said he had to disagree about Charles not watching games. He does watch games. However, he did agree about Charles eating cupcakes. LOL
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Seventeen Story: Houston Finding The Right Mix
By Jalen Rose
ESPN.com
(Archive)
One thing stands out as we see how well the Houston Rockets have played in building this 17-game win streak.
Chemistry.
It's the major class that's in session all across the West right now and the Rockets are at the top after polishing off another exam Thursday, beating the Dallas Mavericks, 113-98.
That lesson tells us that basketball is more chess than checkers, and a team is more than just the sum of its parts. A team that gels with five playing in unison will always have more success than a more talented, but less cohesive team.
Getting the right chemistry is something crucial to the hopes of other West teams. You see it going on now with the Phoenix Suns as they're trying to incorporate Shaquille O'Neal into their style of play. And we see it with bringing Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks.
Even the Los Angeles Lakers, when they get Andrew Bynum back, will have an adjustment period, fitting him in with Pau Gasol up front.
Houston made subtle changes and has found the right combinations, enough so that it can even withstand the loss of Yao Ming.
I'm happy to see Tracy McGrady, who had 31 points in the win over the Mavs, have this kind of success. He's taken a lot of flak for not getting out of the first round of the playoffs, but when he's hot, he's as explosive a scorer as we have in the NBA.
He has had help. Rafer Alston had a season-high 24 points against the Mavs. Luis Scola brings some nice intangibles to the floor. Rookie Carl Landry has come out of nowhere and given them that live athletic body while still playing within himself. And it's good to see Dikembe Mutombo sipping from the fountain of youth. I played with him for two years in Denver. Like then, he knows how to play to his strengths.
Rockets coach Rick Adelman gets a lot of credit for keeping this team together after an early adjustment period.
So far, the team has adjusted well to the loss of Yao, winning all five without their center. The loss of Yao is a tough break, and a great loss to the game, not just the Rockets.
With a healthy McGrady, this is one team that now looks like it will be anywhere from a No. 6 to No. 8 seed. Even so, I don't see Houston coming out of the West as the representative. The West is tough. It's the Spurs, still.
The three teams generally agreed upon in the preseason as the tops in the West included San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix. It's amazing to me that we now hear some suggest two of those teams are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
Coming into this game without Dirk Nowitzki, if you're Dallas, you're probably thinking if you lose, it's a close game. For the Rockets to beat you soundly, that's something to see, and it has to give Dallas something to think about.
It's going to be interesting to see how Dallas plays in the weeks ahead with a tough stretch of games. Still, I think they'll find a way to make the playoffs, even if they are on the brink of falling out now.
Finding that good chemistry will be key to it all.
ESPN analyst Jalen Rose is a regular Daily Dime contributor. For more about Jalen, visit his Web site: JalenRose.com.
By Jalen Rose
ESPN.com
(Archive)
One thing stands out as we see how well the Houston Rockets have played in building this 17-game win streak.
Chemistry.
It's the major class that's in session all across the West right now and the Rockets are at the top after polishing off another exam Thursday, beating the Dallas Mavericks, 113-98.
That lesson tells us that basketball is more chess than checkers, and a team is more than just the sum of its parts. A team that gels with five playing in unison will always have more success than a more talented, but less cohesive team.
Getting the right chemistry is something crucial to the hopes of other West teams. You see it going on now with the Phoenix Suns as they're trying to incorporate Shaquille O'Neal into their style of play. And we see it with bringing Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks.
Even the Los Angeles Lakers, when they get Andrew Bynum back, will have an adjustment period, fitting him in with Pau Gasol up front.
Houston made subtle changes and has found the right combinations, enough so that it can even withstand the loss of Yao Ming.
I'm happy to see Tracy McGrady, who had 31 points in the win over the Mavs, have this kind of success. He's taken a lot of flak for not getting out of the first round of the playoffs, but when he's hot, he's as explosive a scorer as we have in the NBA.
He has had help. Rafer Alston had a season-high 24 points against the Mavs. Luis Scola brings some nice intangibles to the floor. Rookie Carl Landry has come out of nowhere and given them that live athletic body while still playing within himself. And it's good to see Dikembe Mutombo sipping from the fountain of youth. I played with him for two years in Denver. Like then, he knows how to play to his strengths.
Rockets coach Rick Adelman gets a lot of credit for keeping this team together after an early adjustment period.
So far, the team has adjusted well to the loss of Yao, winning all five without their center. The loss of Yao is a tough break, and a great loss to the game, not just the Rockets.
With a healthy McGrady, this is one team that now looks like it will be anywhere from a No. 6 to No. 8 seed. Even so, I don't see Houston coming out of the West as the representative. The West is tough. It's the Spurs, still.
The three teams generally agreed upon in the preseason as the tops in the West included San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix. It's amazing to me that we now hear some suggest two of those teams are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
Coming into this game without Dirk Nowitzki, if you're Dallas, you're probably thinking if you lose, it's a close game. For the Rockets to beat you soundly, that's something to see, and it has to give Dallas something to think about.
It's going to be interesting to see how Dallas plays in the weeks ahead with a tough stretch of games. Still, I think they'll find a way to make the playoffs, even if they are on the brink of falling out now.
Finding that good chemistry will be key to it all.
ESPN analyst Jalen Rose is a regular Daily Dime contributor. For more about Jalen, visit his Web site: JalenRose.com.
Rampage
Benched
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make that 18 straight wins. tracy mcgrady chips in with 6 rebounds,9 assists, and 41 points to help beat the hornets 106-96. mcgrady looks healthy and he looks like he's having fun again. carl landry is playing very good ball for a rookie and dunking in somebody's face every night. rafer alston is starting to look like a real pg and his backup bobby jackson has been giving some solid minutes. scola is one of the most underrated players in the league and mutumbo at 67 years old is still rejecting anybody who comes near the basket. the rockets are starting to look like a contender but i'll hold off judgement on that and just continue to be happy without a loss in a month.
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Games like these are why T-Mac is something special
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
He did what only the great ones can do. He took over the game. He made it his.
He did things that take your breath away, and he made them look easy. Tracy McGrady isn't the only reason the Rockets had another magical night. He's just the biggest.
If this wasn't a perfect game, it was close. McGrady was on the floor for all 48 minutes, scored 41 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds.
Years from now when someone asks you why McGrady was special, tell him to watch this game. Whenever New Orleans seemed about to get back in it, McGrady delivered.
"We also had Tracy McGrady, and it didn't matter what they did," Rafer Alston said.
When it was over, when the Rockets had beaten the Hornets 106-96 to become just the seventh NBA team to win 18 games in a row, they acted like a bunch of high school kids.
That's the perfect analogy for our little basketball team. They've constructed one of the great runs in NBA history by doing the things high school coaches teach.
Another all-out effort
They dive for loose balls, take care of the boards, play unselfishly and go at it relentlessly on the defensive end.
Maybe that's why Toyota Center feels different these days. After all these years of quiet crowds and empty seats, turns out they were just waiting for the right kind of team to get excited about.
These Rockets are a team in every sense of the word. They trust one another, count on one another, do the little things.
"We're playing with tons of energy," Alston said.
Alston was pretty good himself, scoring 20 points. And there was Shane Battier.
He was on the floor for 40 minutes, half of them spent chasing Peja Stojakovich from one side of the floor to other. To watch Battier is to appreciate Battier.
And when the Hornets got within six in the third quarter, there was Battier fighting off two players to grab his own missed shot and flip the ball to Dikembe Mutombo for a dunk.
This day began with the Rockets learning they'd lost another player. Rookie Carl Landry, who has played brilliantly at times, will miss at least two games with a bruised knee.
Rick Adelman once more shuffled his rotation and once more found a combination that worked. Steve Novak, buried at the end of the bench most of the year, scored eight points during a nine-minute stretch of the first half.
Everyone is contributing
Since the beginning of January, the Rockets have been the NBA's best team. They've played without their stars at times, but with contributions from up and down the bench and an amazing resolve, the Rockets roll on.
"Right now, we're getting everyone's 'A' game," McGrady said.
They've won because the whole is greater than the sum of their parts. Sometimes, though, it comes down to big players playing big.
That's what McGrady did Saturday night. He was the focus of everything, and he accepted the challenge. The Hornets got 37 points from their superstar, Chris Paul, on a night when two of the Western Conference's best teams put on a great show.
The Rockets opened up a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter, and when the Hornets twice cut it to eight, they went right to McGrady for baskets.
There seems to be no sense of history inside the home locker room. There's simply a growing confidence in what they're capable of doing. They're now the third-seeded team in the Western Conference, two games behind the No. 1 Lakers.
Guard against letdowns
"Now the real mental challenge is that there are no letdowns as we continue on," Adelman said.
The people who run the Rockets deserve this. They've attempted to do everything right. Les Alexander hires good people and gives them the freedom to do their job.
When Yao got hurt, it looked as if the franchise might be curse. Instead, the fun has continued.
Listen to Richard Justice weekdays from 10 a.m.-noon on 1560 AM. richard.justice@chron.com
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
He did what only the great ones can do. He took over the game. He made it his.
He did things that take your breath away, and he made them look easy. Tracy McGrady isn't the only reason the Rockets had another magical night. He's just the biggest.
If this wasn't a perfect game, it was close. McGrady was on the floor for all 48 minutes, scored 41 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds.
Years from now when someone asks you why McGrady was special, tell him to watch this game. Whenever New Orleans seemed about to get back in it, McGrady delivered.
"We also had Tracy McGrady, and it didn't matter what they did," Rafer Alston said.
When it was over, when the Rockets had beaten the Hornets 106-96 to become just the seventh NBA team to win 18 games in a row, they acted like a bunch of high school kids.
That's the perfect analogy for our little basketball team. They've constructed one of the great runs in NBA history by doing the things high school coaches teach.
Another all-out effort
They dive for loose balls, take care of the boards, play unselfishly and go at it relentlessly on the defensive end.
Maybe that's why Toyota Center feels different these days. After all these years of quiet crowds and empty seats, turns out they were just waiting for the right kind of team to get excited about.
These Rockets are a team in every sense of the word. They trust one another, count on one another, do the little things.
"We're playing with tons of energy," Alston said.
Alston was pretty good himself, scoring 20 points. And there was Shane Battier.
He was on the floor for 40 minutes, half of them spent chasing Peja Stojakovich from one side of the floor to other. To watch Battier is to appreciate Battier.
And when the Hornets got within six in the third quarter, there was Battier fighting off two players to grab his own missed shot and flip the ball to Dikembe Mutombo for a dunk.
This day began with the Rockets learning they'd lost another player. Rookie Carl Landry, who has played brilliantly at times, will miss at least two games with a bruised knee.
Rick Adelman once more shuffled his rotation and once more found a combination that worked. Steve Novak, buried at the end of the bench most of the year, scored eight points during a nine-minute stretch of the first half.
Everyone is contributing
Since the beginning of January, the Rockets have been the NBA's best team. They've played without their stars at times, but with contributions from up and down the bench and an amazing resolve, the Rockets roll on.
"Right now, we're getting everyone's 'A' game," McGrady said.
They've won because the whole is greater than the sum of their parts. Sometimes, though, it comes down to big players playing big.
That's what McGrady did Saturday night. He was the focus of everything, and he accepted the challenge. The Hornets got 37 points from their superstar, Chris Paul, on a night when two of the Western Conference's best teams put on a great show.
The Rockets opened up a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter, and when the Hornets twice cut it to eight, they went right to McGrady for baskets.
There seems to be no sense of history inside the home locker room. There's simply a growing confidence in what they're capable of doing. They're now the third-seeded team in the Western Conference, two games behind the No. 1 Lakers.
Guard against letdowns
"Now the real mental challenge is that there are no letdowns as we continue on," Adelman said.
The people who run the Rockets deserve this. They've attempted to do everything right. Les Alexander hires good people and gives them the freedom to do their job.
When Yao got hurt, it looked as if the franchise might be curse. Instead, the fun has continued.
Listen to Richard Justice weekdays from 10 a.m.-noon on 1560 AM. richard.justice@chron.com
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March 09, 2008
Fast company: At 18, the streak reaches all-time heights
Those words just jump out at you; 18 in a row, fourth-longest win streak in NBA history.
There is nothing new about the Rockets having a long winning streak. It's been impressive for weeks, now. It was impressive the previous time they beat the Hornets, six wins ago. It was remarkable when they went to Dallas and routed the Mavericks.
But 18 in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history - somehow that just seems surreal.
They are keeping company now with the 69-70 Knicks, 81-82 Celtics and 95-96 Bulls. Those would be champion Knicks and Bulls teams. The best streak of the champion Shaq-Kobe Lakers is one win away. The 20-game streak of the Kareem-Oscar Robertson Bucks is two wins away. (The 33 wins of the Wilt-West Lakers is in another stratosphere.) Those are all-time teams.
The Rockets longest winning streak this season before this was five. When this streak started, five looked pretty good. Yet after day after day of writing and talking about the win streak, about the home winning streak now at 12, the road winning streak at 11, the double-digit win streak at nine, sometimes it just hits you as if it were a new discovery.
Eighteen in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
Yao Ming goes out; Carl Landry steps up and the Rockets keep winning. Landry goes out (probably just for a game or two, the way he made it sound like nothing), and Tracy McGrady hits more field goals than anyone ever has in the building he had decried back in January.
The Hornets pushed the Rockets hard. They had not answered the Rockets' intensity in New Orleans a couple weeks ago, but came in determined and with a much tougher attitude on Saturday. Chris Paul was sensational, looking very much like worthy of a place in the MVP debate.
That, however, only drove the Rockets to one of their best games of the streak. The second quarter might have been their best stretch of all. McGrady made all four of his shots (excluding the halfcourt heave at the buzzer) and had five assists. When he was doubled, the ball moved until it found open shooters, with the Rockets knocking down nine 3s in the quarter, two shy of the NBA record.
When the Rockets completed a 14-0 run, McGrady was as giddy as you ever see him.
"That was an unbelievable quarter, that span we had," McGrady said. "When I hit that 3 in the corner, when Chuck (Hayes) outlet to Luther (Head) and Luther kicked it to me in the corner, I never heard this place so loud. It was louder than the playoffs. I thought the damn roof was going to come off the building. I was so hyped. That's what I'm talking about. If we can get our fans like that every night, and we can play that style, man, man oh man."
It was an unusually electric crowd. The Rockets staff has done a good job the past two games at responding to the game and crowd and sometimes just canning the silly preplanned activities to just crank the music and ride the wave.
I would not go as far as McGrady, but if he and the Rockets feel that way, that's all that matters.
They are loving the way they are playing. Chemistry is great. Scores are high. They are winning every night. It is easy to see how much fun they are having.
Besides all that, it's 18 in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
It's an incredible run, that somehow seems to get more than one game better with each win.
Posted by Jonathan Feigen at 12:42 AM | Comments (33)
Fast company: At 18, the streak reaches all-time heights
Those words just jump out at you; 18 in a row, fourth-longest win streak in NBA history.
There is nothing new about the Rockets having a long winning streak. It's been impressive for weeks, now. It was impressive the previous time they beat the Hornets, six wins ago. It was remarkable when they went to Dallas and routed the Mavericks.
But 18 in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history - somehow that just seems surreal.
They are keeping company now with the 69-70 Knicks, 81-82 Celtics and 95-96 Bulls. Those would be champion Knicks and Bulls teams. The best streak of the champion Shaq-Kobe Lakers is one win away. The 20-game streak of the Kareem-Oscar Robertson Bucks is two wins away. (The 33 wins of the Wilt-West Lakers is in another stratosphere.) Those are all-time teams.
The Rockets longest winning streak this season before this was five. When this streak started, five looked pretty good. Yet after day after day of writing and talking about the win streak, about the home winning streak now at 12, the road winning streak at 11, the double-digit win streak at nine, sometimes it just hits you as if it were a new discovery.
Eighteen in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
Yao Ming goes out; Carl Landry steps up and the Rockets keep winning. Landry goes out (probably just for a game or two, the way he made it sound like nothing), and Tracy McGrady hits more field goals than anyone ever has in the building he had decried back in January.
The Hornets pushed the Rockets hard. They had not answered the Rockets' intensity in New Orleans a couple weeks ago, but came in determined and with a much tougher attitude on Saturday. Chris Paul was sensational, looking very much like worthy of a place in the MVP debate.
That, however, only drove the Rockets to one of their best games of the streak. The second quarter might have been their best stretch of all. McGrady made all four of his shots (excluding the halfcourt heave at the buzzer) and had five assists. When he was doubled, the ball moved until it found open shooters, with the Rockets knocking down nine 3s in the quarter, two shy of the NBA record.
When the Rockets completed a 14-0 run, McGrady was as giddy as you ever see him.
"That was an unbelievable quarter, that span we had," McGrady said. "When I hit that 3 in the corner, when Chuck (Hayes) outlet to Luther (Head) and Luther kicked it to me in the corner, I never heard this place so loud. It was louder than the playoffs. I thought the damn roof was going to come off the building. I was so hyped. That's what I'm talking about. If we can get our fans like that every night, and we can play that style, man, man oh man."
It was an unusually electric crowd. The Rockets staff has done a good job the past two games at responding to the game and crowd and sometimes just canning the silly preplanned activities to just crank the music and ride the wave.
I would not go as far as McGrady, but if he and the Rockets feel that way, that's all that matters.
They are loving the way they are playing. Chemistry is great. Scores are high. They are winning every night. It is easy to see how much fun they are having.
Besides all that, it's 18 in a row, fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
It's an incredible run, that somehow seems to get more than one game better with each win.
Posted by Jonathan Feigen at 12:42 AM | Comments (33)
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STILL the hottest team in the league...and the team the league sleeps on
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This time, it wasn't as pretty
Ugly win takes Rockets' streak to 19
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
It's not like the Beatles were perfect every time they went in the studio. Every Seinfeld wasn't hilarious.
So ignore the ragged start and missed free throws. Pay no attention to the lack of offensive flow. Pretend those silly fouls never happened.
Winning ugly is still winning. Don't lose sight of what's important. At the end of the day, our amazing little basketball team celebrated again, and that's what counts.
The Rockets ran their unbeaten streak to 43. Days, that is. And counting.
They're the fourth team in NBA history to win 19 straight games. Think about that. Michael Jordan never won 19 in a row. Larry Bird never did it. Neither did David Robinson.
This team of Tracy McGrady and Rafer Alston and Shane Battier has. That's the history the Rockets took to the locker room Monday night after a 91-73 victory over the New Jersey Nets.
Next time you hear one of those ESPN guys tell you he's still not impressed, don't get upset. Maybe it's better this way. The Rockets are energized by that chip on their shoulder.
We've got the most interesting basketball team in the NBA. We've got a bunch of millionaires playing the game like high school kids. They do the basics as well as any team you'll ever watch.
They've been the NBA's best team in 2008 (28-4), and they've done it despite an array of injuries. Don't hold the schedule against them. They've played the games they were told to play. That's all they can do.
If you still think the Rockets are going nowhere without Yao Ming, raise your hand.
"There are not many teams that are 12-0 and then get a chance to prove something," Nets forward Richard Jefferson said. "They proved they are a very good team."
Defense has been the foundation on which 19-0 was built, and defense led the Rockets again Monday. The Nets shot 30 percent as the Rockets defended the paint and contested every shot.
Battier sets tone
Battier chased Vince Carter all over the court, made him work for every inch and held him to a 5-for-15 game. Battier's work against Carter set a tone for everything that happened.
"Defense wins ballgames, and that's what we're great at," McGrady said. "Our defense bailed us out."
Rick Adelman had to go way down his bench to find an offensive spark. Luis Scola got them going in the first quarter, Luther Head threw in some important baskets in the second and an array of players helped them take control.
"Every night you can't expect Tracy to have 40," Steve Novak said. "You just never know what the night is going to demand."
It's an indication of how high expectations are for McGrady that he puts together a 19-point, four-assist, four-rebound night, and it seems like nothing special.
He didn't have to be, in part, because Novak (11 points in 18 minutes) and Head (nine points in 14 minutes) took up some of the slack.
The Rockets led by 18 at the half, stretched it to 25 in the third quarter and coasted home. It's true that outside shooting is a huge part of their offense post-Yao, and it's true that outside shooting doesn't show up every night.
Defense and passion and sharing the ball can show up every night for a team as dedicated to doing those things as this one.
"You're going to have off nights on the offensive end," McGrady said. "One thing you can control is how you play defense. I think as a team we really understand that. We'll always win ballgames if we have a great defense."
Skeptics abound
There will be some skepticism about the Rockets until they beat the Jazz, Spurs or Lakers. Actually, there'll be some justifiable skepticism until they get out of the first round some year.
If you're scouting them, know this: You have to be willing to play hard, to fight them off on the boards and to chase them all over the floor. They don't take many plays off.
Inside their locker room, they're feeding off the fact that the outside world doesn't acknowledge they're an elite team. They are, but that's beside the point.
As Battier said: "All that matters is what the guys in here think."
The guys in the locker room think the Rockets can beat any team. Yes, any team. Do you doubt them?
Listen to Richard Justice weekdays from 10 a.m.-noon on 1560 AM. richard.justice@chron.com
Ugly win takes Rockets' streak to 19
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
It's not like the Beatles were perfect every time they went in the studio. Every Seinfeld wasn't hilarious.
So ignore the ragged start and missed free throws. Pay no attention to the lack of offensive flow. Pretend those silly fouls never happened.
Winning ugly is still winning. Don't lose sight of what's important. At the end of the day, our amazing little basketball team celebrated again, and that's what counts.
The Rockets ran their unbeaten streak to 43. Days, that is. And counting.
They're the fourth team in NBA history to win 19 straight games. Think about that. Michael Jordan never won 19 in a row. Larry Bird never did it. Neither did David Robinson.
This team of Tracy McGrady and Rafer Alston and Shane Battier has. That's the history the Rockets took to the locker room Monday night after a 91-73 victory over the New Jersey Nets.
Next time you hear one of those ESPN guys tell you he's still not impressed, don't get upset. Maybe it's better this way. The Rockets are energized by that chip on their shoulder.
We've got the most interesting basketball team in the NBA. We've got a bunch of millionaires playing the game like high school kids. They do the basics as well as any team you'll ever watch.
They've been the NBA's best team in 2008 (28-4), and they've done it despite an array of injuries. Don't hold the schedule against them. They've played the games they were told to play. That's all they can do.
If you still think the Rockets are going nowhere without Yao Ming, raise your hand.
"There are not many teams that are 12-0 and then get a chance to prove something," Nets forward Richard Jefferson said. "They proved they are a very good team."
Defense has been the foundation on which 19-0 was built, and defense led the Rockets again Monday. The Nets shot 30 percent as the Rockets defended the paint and contested every shot.
Battier sets tone
Battier chased Vince Carter all over the court, made him work for every inch and held him to a 5-for-15 game. Battier's work against Carter set a tone for everything that happened.
"Defense wins ballgames, and that's what we're great at," McGrady said. "Our defense bailed us out."
Rick Adelman had to go way down his bench to find an offensive spark. Luis Scola got them going in the first quarter, Luther Head threw in some important baskets in the second and an array of players helped them take control.
"Every night you can't expect Tracy to have 40," Steve Novak said. "You just never know what the night is going to demand."
It's an indication of how high expectations are for McGrady that he puts together a 19-point, four-assist, four-rebound night, and it seems like nothing special.
He didn't have to be, in part, because Novak (11 points in 18 minutes) and Head (nine points in 14 minutes) took up some of the slack.
The Rockets led by 18 at the half, stretched it to 25 in the third quarter and coasted home. It's true that outside shooting is a huge part of their offense post-Yao, and it's true that outside shooting doesn't show up every night.
Defense and passion and sharing the ball can show up every night for a team as dedicated to doing those things as this one.
"You're going to have off nights on the offensive end," McGrady said. "One thing you can control is how you play defense. I think as a team we really understand that. We'll always win ballgames if we have a great defense."
Skeptics abound
There will be some skepticism about the Rockets until they beat the Jazz, Spurs or Lakers. Actually, there'll be some justifiable skepticism until they get out of the first round some year.
If you're scouting them, know this: You have to be willing to play hard, to fight them off on the boards and to chase them all over the floor. They don't take many plays off.
Inside their locker room, they're feeding off the fact that the outside world doesn't acknowledge they're an elite team. They are, but that's beside the point.
As Battier said: "All that matters is what the guys in here think."
The guys in the locker room think the Rockets can beat any team. Yes, any team. Do you doubt them?
Listen to Richard Justice weekdays from 10 a.m.-noon on 1560 AM. richard.justice@chron.com
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Defensive Excellence Fuels Rockets
By Tim Legler
ESPN.com
(Archive)
The Houston Rockets' recent run has been nothing short of amazing. Nineteen straight wins with this particular roster? Even winning eight in a row is difficult in this league.
The Rockets are now sitting on the victorious 19th hole after the 91-73 win Monday over the Nets, and have a very good chance of surpassing the second-longest win streak in NBA history, the 20 compiled by the Bucks in 1970-71 season. The Rockets need a win over playoff-hungry Atlanta on Wednesday and then at home against Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. The record is 33 straight set by the 1971-72 Lakers.
Right now, the Rockets have the Western Conference's No. 1 seed in their sights, sitting one game behind the Spurs and Lakers, who are tied for first. It's been a quick rise, using a NBA-best 28-4 mark since Jan. 1 to vault from out of the race to having a chance at the No. 1 seed in the competitive West.
Of greater significance, let's jump ahead to next week, putting aside what happens in the next two games. Starting Sunday, the road ahead will bring some challenges, with five games against the Lakers, Celtics, Hornets, Warriors and Suns approaching.
They might go 2-3 in those five games, and some might write them off as a fraud. But that judgment based on wins and losses would be wrong. You're going to drop some games in this league, even if you're a team as hot as the Rockets.
What's more important to me is how they compete, and if they are able to do the same things defensively. Even if they lost some games, I want to see if they make teams miserable with their defense. Stifling half-court defense is the name of the game in the playoffs.
This streak has shown us that the Houston style would be tough for many teams to deal with in the postseason.
This Houston team is a perfect storm of role players. Outside of Tracy McGrady, Bobby Jackson and perhaps Shane Battier, this is a group of players who know they have to make a name for themselves in this league by hustling. Case in point -- in the win over the Nets, Chuck Hayes did not attempt a field goal, grabbed 10 rebounds and fouled out. As a role player in my playing days, I find this very refreshing to see.
I see fouls often as a sign a player is playing aggressively, committing himself completely to playing physical defense. You see some of the great scorers in this league play 44 minutes and commit only one foul. That's usually not a sign of a great commitment to defense.
There is also this matter of confidence. This streak shows the Rockets have a great deal of confidence in themselves and each other. Once you get to that level of belief, you're not going back. The hard part is getting there. Houston is there, with role players and coaching staff believing they can win.
So when Yao Ming went down after 12th win of the streak, the roof wasn't going to fall in because this team was already at a high level of self-belief.
With Dikembe Mutombo in there, I think the Rockets are even better defensively than with Yao in the middle. Mutombo's focus on defense and rebounding makes him an anchor back there, allowing teammates to be more confident in taking chances defensively. He set the tone against the Nets, swatting five shots.
Yao has to be concerned with saving energy for the offensive end of the floor, since he's expected to carry much of the offensive weight. That's not an issue for Mutombo, who is counted on for the occasional dunk.
Toward the end of the win over the Nets, we saw Mutombo and Jackson perched on the bench, two mounds of ice on their well-worn knees.
When you're icing the knees with more than four minutes to go, you know things are going well.
ESPN analyst Tim Legler is regular contributor to the Daily Dime
By Tim Legler
ESPN.com
(Archive)
The Houston Rockets' recent run has been nothing short of amazing. Nineteen straight wins with this particular roster? Even winning eight in a row is difficult in this league.
The Rockets are now sitting on the victorious 19th hole after the 91-73 win Monday over the Nets, and have a very good chance of surpassing the second-longest win streak in NBA history, the 20 compiled by the Bucks in 1970-71 season. The Rockets need a win over playoff-hungry Atlanta on Wednesday and then at home against Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. The record is 33 straight set by the 1971-72 Lakers.
Right now, the Rockets have the Western Conference's No. 1 seed in their sights, sitting one game behind the Spurs and Lakers, who are tied for first. It's been a quick rise, using a NBA-best 28-4 mark since Jan. 1 to vault from out of the race to having a chance at the No. 1 seed in the competitive West.
Of greater significance, let's jump ahead to next week, putting aside what happens in the next two games. Starting Sunday, the road ahead will bring some challenges, with five games against the Lakers, Celtics, Hornets, Warriors and Suns approaching.
They might go 2-3 in those five games, and some might write them off as a fraud. But that judgment based on wins and losses would be wrong. You're going to drop some games in this league, even if you're a team as hot as the Rockets.
What's more important to me is how they compete, and if they are able to do the same things defensively. Even if they lost some games, I want to see if they make teams miserable with their defense. Stifling half-court defense is the name of the game in the playoffs.
This streak has shown us that the Houston style would be tough for many teams to deal with in the postseason.
This Houston team is a perfect storm of role players. Outside of Tracy McGrady, Bobby Jackson and perhaps Shane Battier, this is a group of players who know they have to make a name for themselves in this league by hustling. Case in point -- in the win over the Nets, Chuck Hayes did not attempt a field goal, grabbed 10 rebounds and fouled out. As a role player in my playing days, I find this very refreshing to see.
I see fouls often as a sign a player is playing aggressively, committing himself completely to playing physical defense. You see some of the great scorers in this league play 44 minutes and commit only one foul. That's usually not a sign of a great commitment to defense.
There is also this matter of confidence. This streak shows the Rockets have a great deal of confidence in themselves and each other. Once you get to that level of belief, you're not going back. The hard part is getting there. Houston is there, with role players and coaching staff believing they can win.
So when Yao Ming went down after 12th win of the streak, the roof wasn't going to fall in because this team was already at a high level of self-belief.
With Dikembe Mutombo in there, I think the Rockets are even better defensively than with Yao in the middle. Mutombo's focus on defense and rebounding makes him an anchor back there, allowing teammates to be more confident in taking chances defensively. He set the tone against the Nets, swatting five shots.
Yao has to be concerned with saving energy for the offensive end of the floor, since he's expected to carry much of the offensive weight. That's not an issue for Mutombo, who is counted on for the occasional dunk.
Toward the end of the win over the Nets, we saw Mutombo and Jackson perched on the bench, two mounds of ice on their well-worn knees.
When you're icing the knees with more than four minutes to go, you know things are going well.
ESPN analyst Tim Legler is regular contributor to the Daily Dime