http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/abox/article_999734.php Clippers flame out early in loss The resurgent Rockets hand them their most one-sided loss of the season. By ART THOMPSON III The Orange County Register LOS ANGELES – To overcome the pummeling the Clippers were absorbing late in the third quarter Tuesday night would have required a defensive rebirth and a big helping of heroics from the man called Big Game. But the Houston Rockets offense continued to click, and as for Big Game, also known as Sam Cassell, well, he was of no use to any potential Clippers rally. He was fuming in the locker room, having been ejected from the game by rookie official Eli Roe. In one of their most dismal home performances this season, the Clippers were mangled by the Rockets, 128-97. It was their most lopsided loss at Staples Center and their most one-sided defeat this season. It topped the 97-75 whipping they took Dec.21 from the Indiana Pacers. Houston has won three in a row and six of its past seven games. The Rockets are in last place in the Southwest Division, but now that they have center Yao Ming and forward Tracy McGrady healthy and playing together, their overall team play has improved immensely. "Yao is a tough matchup for us," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "McGrady is a tough matchup for us. In order to combat that we had to do a terrific job from a team defensive standpoint, and we just didn't get it done tonight.'' Cassell was long gone when the locker room opened after the game. He had a team-high 25 points in 31 minutes but was ejected on two quick technical fouls called by Roe with 37.8 seconds left in the third quarter for disputing an off-the-ball foul call with the Rockets bring the ball up the floor. "I was getting ready to take him out anyway," Dunleavy said. The loss was the Clippers' second in a row since they returned home euphoric from a 4-2 East Coast trip. "I never expect to lose," said Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley, who scored 23 points. "I know you have to lose sometimes. But you let two go that you should win, you can't do that." Asked if Tuesday's debacle might be one of those clunker-type games that every NBA team experiences at some point, Mobley said: "I hope this is just a two-game drought that we're on or maybe we're just tired from our road trip. I don't know. Don't get me to lying.'' After battling Houston to a tie, 30-30, in a free-flowing first quarter, the Clippers failed to keep pace. The Rockets clobbered the league's best rebounding team on the boards, 47-26. Clippers All-Star Elton Brand scored 21 points but in 34 minutes managed just a season-low two rebounds. "They were aggressive, we missed some box-out assignments and they got to the balls," Brand said. Houston shot 58 percent from the field, the top shooting performance by an opponent this season. "It's frustrating to lose like that," Clippers center Chris Kaman said. "The defense wasn't there at all tonight.'' The Clippers were shorthanded, with just 10 players dressed because of injuries and the trade Tuesday that sent forward-center Chris Wilcox to Seattle for forward Vladimir Radmanovic. Houston took full advantage, with six Rockets scoring in double figures, led by McGrady's 28 points. MAGGETTE CLEARED The X-ray taken on forward Corey Maggette's left foot Tuesday was normal, clearing the way for him to begin court activity that includes jumpshots and straight-ahead running drills. The next progression is for Maggette to do side-to-side running and cutting. Maggette has missed the past 33 games after being injured Dec. 5 against Miami. Trainer Jasen Powell said a realistic target date for Maggette's return is early March. "Whenever he's ready to come back, it's great," Dunleavy said. "We've figured out how to play without him but we'd rather have him."
Rockets had a double-digit lead when Cassell got ejected. I believe that even if he'd have stayed in the game the Clippers would have been blown out. Rockets were just unbeatable last night. When we were up by 22 points in the fourth, we put in our scrubs who increased the lead to 32. Brutal. I hope we bring that kind of performance to Phoenix.
I hope so to Even with this win under our belts When Magette comes back and Radman worked in I would be a lil worried about meeting this team in the playoffs BTW . . I DID SAY IN THE PLAYOFFS!!1 Rocket River
Man, how many excuses were there in that article? I mean, a 30 point blowout had everything to do with ther recent road trip, lack of one player (Wilcox), and a subpar defensive and rebounding game, and nothing to do about one team just flat out dominating another. Gee Cat, this was a game you SHOULD have won? I forgot how crappy Yao, TMac & Rafer are. How about giving someone outside of LA some due for once cause I'm sure these same writers were gloating about the Lakers crushing the Rockets last week.
I live in LA. And no they didn't. The lakers had been losing so badly at that point that the win was more a sigh of relief. More of a "For one night, they put their mediocrity behind them..." kind of attitude. Of course with some Kobe getting-his-revenge spin put in there.
I'm not so sure. They seem to have virtually no offensive system whatsoever. Every time down the floor was just another iso, from either Sam, Cat, or Brand. They can advance, depending on who they play, but I don't think the team is built to go very far.
Oh don't get me wrong. During the championship years the LA media was very condescending of other teams. But the lakers sucked last year and their new offseason acquisition, Kwame Brown, has been a huge bust. They're mediocre and noone is above blame, not even Phil Jackson and Kobe.
