[Chron] Rockets step up on Western swing

McGrady burns Sonics for 34 to keep road trip perfect at 4-0
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

SEATTLE - Things were tough. Tracy McGrady loved that. The Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics were running evenly. McGrady and Ray Allen were in a duel worthy of two of the NBA's finest offensive players. McGrady loved it.

His back had tightened in the first half, but like the Rockets' season, had come around nicely. So whether pushed and challenged by Allen's simultaneous excellence, or simply doing what he has done since coming back from his strained back — whatever it takes — McGrady would not let the Rockets lose.

Finally, McGrady nailed his shot, a dagger of a 3-pointer, and Allen missed his, sending the Rockets to a 104-98 victory over the SuperSonics on Thursday night that extended the Rockets' winning streak to five games.

"When I see the game is close and it's the end of the game, that's when my eyes light up," said McGrady, who had 24 of his 34 points in the second half. "It's time to make plays. It's time to knock down shots and bring it home. I live for these games."

The Rockets' fourth consecutive win on the six-game Western road trip was their first in five tries in the second half of a back-to-back this season. But in many ways, a night after going overtime at Golden State, they were at their best in the closing minutes.

That was when they finally secured the boards, with Yao Ming coming up with consecutive rebounds the Rockets could not consistently grab before.

In addition to his scoring, McGrady finished with eight assists and six rebounds. Yao added 26 points and 10 rebounds, as the Rockets overcame Allen's 30 points and the Sonics' 22 second-chance points by winning the last three minutes.

But by then, McGrady was rolling.

"He's a great player and he did some remarkable things," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "They didn't do anything wrong. He's great and he made some great plays.

"(Allen) had a great impact on the game because we were sending so many players at him. He, too, is a great player. It's hard to get 27 shots. They both got 27 shots. Probably the difference was McGrady made one more than he did."


Key steal by Wesley

The Rockets led by three points when McGrady passed to a cutting Yao for a layup with 2:47 left. The Sonics were within a point when they appeared to have made the stop they needed, Rashard Lewis slapping away a McGrady jumper from 20 feet, sending Luke Ridnour flying the other way.

But McGrady and David Wesley caught up to Ridnour and rather that try to get up a shot, he hung in the air passing blindly. Wesley stole the pass and with 1:13 remaining, McGrady nailed a 3-pointer, giving the Rockets a four-point lead.

"It's all about being more aggressive," McGrady said. "The first half I wasn't too aggressive. I was looking more to get my teammates involved because those guys were double-teaming me every time I touched the ball. ... In the second half, in order for us to win, I knew I was going to have to step up."


Timely rebounds by Yao

Allen, who had spent the night matching McGrady, missed a jumper. But in a game in which the Rockets could not rebound, Yao twice got the rebounds that sealed the win.

Yao was fouled while rebounding a McGrady miss, making both free throws with 34.7 seconds left. And after he came out defensively on Allen, he grabbed the missed shot, was fouled and made two more free throws with 26.7 seconds left.

For good measure, Yao was fouled going for another rebound and made both free throws with 18.4 seconds left, giving the Rockets an eight-point lead, the largest either team had all night.

"The thing is, for the leader of your team, when you play the night before and come in like this, the fourth game of a six-game road trip you're mentally and physically tired," McGrady said. "As the leader of the team, you have to set the tone right away. The two leaders of the team did that."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com


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Rockets Summary

Moochie to the rescue
Moochie Norris watched the first 41 minutes of Wednesday's game from the Rockets' bench, which was not unexpected since he played all of 1:15 in the previous three Rockets games.

With the Rockets down by 10, however, he played most of the remaining seven minutes of regulation, helping the Rockets rally to force overtime where they stunned the Warriors.

That did not necessarily signal an addition to the Rockets' rotation. But Norris was not playing just to mop up a game already lost, either.

"Right now, it's just going game-to-game depending on how the team plays and matchups," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said.


Anderson back to Houston
Rockets guard/forward Derek Anderson flew back to Houston on Thursday to have an MRI on his sore right knee. He is expected to miss the remainder of the Rockets' trip.

Anderson suffered what is thought to be a deep bruise on the outside of the knee in the final minutes of Sunday's game in Portland. He played 18 1/2 minutes in Wednesday's game against the Warriors.


Peterson ailing
Rockets radio broadcaster Gene Peterson left the road trip to treat a case of bronchitis, with studio host Craig Ackerman filling in.

"I throw in some Gene-isms," Ackerman said. "It's still Gene's show."


Last word
"The ability to count on somebody to go get a shot, create shots for other people ... that's what were missing, a guy who can go get it and is used to that kind of pressure. And then we fill in the blanks."
—Rockets guard
David Wesley

By the numbers
• 20 — SuperSonics offensive rebounds Thursday.
• 7 — Warriors offensive rebounds Wednesday.
• 12 — Yao Ming's free throws, matching his season high, on a season-high 15 attempts.
• 8 — Free throws made (out of eight) by Yao in the fourth quarter.
• 26 — Ties or lead changes on Thursday.

JONATHAN FEIGEN

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3528982.html