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Thursday November 13, 2008 3:36 AM

Rockets Make Statement Against Suns


Total team effort delivers 94-82 win over Phoenix

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Phoenix - As far as bounce back games go, they don’t come much better than this.

The Rockets (5-3) arrived in Phoenix eager and anxious to make a statement following Sunday’s embarrassing 29-point loss to the Lakers and they delivered an emphatic one, thumping the Suns 94-82.

“It’s a terrific win for us,” said coach Rick Adelman after the game. “After the other night in L.A. We stormed back and really controlled the tempo well the whole game… I think after getting embarrassed this team usually responds. I don’t remember ever getting blown out like that, so I expected a good effort because we had two days where they played really hard in practice.”

Leading the way was a rejuvenated Tracy McGrady who said a trip to the doctor earlier in the day helped him feel “pretty dog-gone good.” The results certainly confirmed that self-diagnosis as T-Mac lit up the Suns for 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

But this was hardly a one-man show. McGrady received help from a variety of sources, both inside – Yao Ming scored 17 points to go along with 15 rebounds – and out – point guards Rafer Alston and Aaron Brooks combined for 34 points on 15-of-24 shooting, four assists, four rebounds and only one turnover.

“Two day break helped before this game,” said Yao. “We had two good practices where we really tried to get in and figure out the problem we were having in the last couple of games. I think we figured out we need to play together and play organized – not just one-on-one, pick-and-roll and stuff. We’re doing better. We’re still not the best, but day by day we’re getting better. That’ very important to us.”

The Rockets also put forth a very strong effort defensively, limiting the high-powered Suns to an anemic .376 field goal percentage and a measly four fast break points. But perhaps most impressive was the way Houston stood up to the Suns’ attempt to bully the Rockets around.

Late in the third quarter with Houston up 19, Phoenix’s Matt Barnes threw Alston out of the way while attempting to set a screen for McGrady. A shoving match between the two ensued and moments later both sides were going at it as several bodies got flung to the floor.

“[Barnes] just took a cheap shot at me,” said Alston. “If you look at the replay, the ref is standing there watching it. It was a dirty play, he raised his arm. Good thing he didn’t connect with my face and knock my teeth out. I was setting a screen for Mac so he could come off and get a good shot and I don’t know if [Barnes] was frustrated by his game or their game or whatever was going on, but there was no call for that. There was no call for my reaction really but sometimes when someone goes at you like that, you just react.”

The fracas earned Alston and Barnes ejections, while McGrady, Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal picked up one technical each. Not surprisingly, the skirmish dominated the Rockets’ locker room conversation afterward.

“When that happens, no matter what, you have to protect your teammate,” said Yao. “I saw Matt Barnes really lean into Rafer and I thought I had to separate them and don’t let Rafer get hurt. That really can help us because we [stood] together face-to-face against Phoenix as a team.”

Houston’s “team-building exercise” also prompted more than a few light-hearted moments, the best of which came courtesy of Chuck Hayes. After watching the replay several times on TV, Chuck called out to Rockets’ strength and conditioning coach Dave Macha, imploring him to “review the tape” so that everyone who got pushed to the floor would have to hit the weight room the next day.

Quotes:

Rick Adelman:

(How did they contain Phoenix) We shot better earlier and the two days of practice helped us as far as what we wanted to accomplish. We moved the ball better, but we got back, we got back defensively, and the guys followed the game plan defensively with what we wanted to do. We wanted to keep them out of the paint and keep Stoudemire from getting to the rim or the free throw line. We did a decent job on trying to cover Shaq. It was a combination. I thought our guys did a good job and Phoenix had a tough night shooting.”

(on point guard play)

Rafer was really good and Aaron picked up it up the same way he’s been playing [all season]. If we can get them in the open court a little bit and going to the basket instead of just shooting jumpers, we’re better off.

(on defensive strategy)

We changed out coverage tonight. T.R. [Dunn] had a good suggestion and we kept them going down the sideline more instead of letting them get to the middle. When you let Steve [Nash] get to the middle he’s just going to pick you apart. We’re trying to find ways to be successful and tonight worked.

Aaron Brooks

(on bouncing back from loss to Lakers): It just shows this team’s makeup. The vets came in and brought the intensity and the second unit came in and followed it.

Suns Head Coach Terry Porter:

(Opening statement)

“It was a disappointing game for us. In the first half, both teams struggled offensively, and they got a couple of breaks. Both teams shot under 40 percent, so offensively it wasn’t a pretty game. Second half, they got hot and their guys made some big shots. We just couldn’t get the ball, a couple of lose balls and things just didn’t go our way in the second half, and they kept rolling. We just couldn’t come up with answers, as far as making shots and making plays at the basket. We really struggled offensively when we needed something offensive to happen for us to get us back in the game, get some energy for us, and get the crowd back behind, we just couldn’t get it. Give them a lot of credit, we knew their guys were going to come in here and play much better than they did when they got embarrassed against the Lakers the other night. We just didn’t have it.”

(On the third quarter)

“They just got hot. We had touches in the paint, we had good looks and they didn’t fall for us. They got hot, they started making shots. We went through a stretch when we couldn’t make anything. We couldn’t make anything happen offensively to really get us back into the game and to get us into a rhythm, and get some momentum going for us offensively.”

(On going small)

“Early on we were still having good touches with Shaq. Shaq early on and throughout the game did a good job when we went into him. We got good attempts and when they did double we kicked it out and got good opportunities. Then towards the other part I tried to speed it up and took him out. They put Yao back in and then we went with the angle and tried to attack them. We were getting what we needed to get out of Shaq, he was getting deep post up positions. We were getting in situations when the ball was getting kicked out or he was making good moves right at the basket.”

Suns Guard Steve Nash (10 points, 3 assists):

(On the frustration)

“We’re struggling and we believe in one another and we just have to keep working together, keep communicating and stay having a positive attitude even when it’s difficult. Sometimes we don’t have the answers, but I think that optimism and that commitment to one another will pay off one day.”

(On the shoving match during the game):

“(Rafer Alston) ran at Matt (Barnes) and so I tried to get in there and help Matt and make sure he wasn’t getting hammered over there and try to defuse the situation and I got pushed to the ground. It happened really quickly.”

Suns Center Shaquille O’Neal (18 points, 13 rebounds):

(On the offensive frustration)

“We just have to stay with it and take the high-percentage shot and not rely on the jump shot all the time. When we do that I think we’ll be fine.”

(On the shoving match)

“It was just a shoving match. I saw somebody push my brother Steve (Nash) and so I came to his aid. It wasn’t anything good.”

(On moving the pile of players during the incident)

“That’s what I do. Move piles.”

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