Postgame quotes (with Tmac injury update)

ROCKETS HEAD COACH JEFF VAN GUNDY

(on the game) "Yeah, they (the Rockets) did a better job (in the 3rd quarter). Well, the starters did a good job to start the game. The bench, inexplicably, is bereft of energy and intensity and we have all young guys who are trying to carve out a career and I don't get it."

(on the play of Yao Ming) "You know, I think, again, when I'm asked about Yao (Ming), I'm not surprised he plays well when he plays well. He is prepared every day, he works every day and more guys would have success if they were willing to put in the work that Yao (Ming) does. And he's played well during the stretch, again, his progress is slow and sure and incremental, so he's had many good stretches, it's just that sometimes we get caught up in his numbers. I look at the whole thing...I look at his pick and roll coverage, his transition defense. I think he's gotten better from his first game in the NBA through now, and he's one of the few guys who does not need any outside motivation to be a motivated player. And those are the guys that have chances to be great because they care to put in the extraordinary work that Yao (Ming) puts in. He's going to be successful.
Every athlete would maximize their potential if they did what Yao (Ming) did, but they don't, thus some guys are underachievers in this leagues."

(on the status of Tracy McGrady) "Well, it's been my history with him (Tracy
(McGrady) when he goes out of the game, he's sat out (games) in the past. I don't think he takes himself out lightly."

TRACY McGRADY

(on his injury) "It's (his back) a little tight...it's sore. It's one of those things where I won't know until Tuesday. I'm going to get some treatment tomorrow. I'm going on the trip (to Minneapolis), but the status (of playing) is unknown. I came down on my tailbone. Hopefully, I'll get better and I'll be ready to play on Tuesday."

DAVID WESLEY

(on the Rockets' play in the win) "When you go out and play well, even if it was only for 3 quarters, it feels good to come out in that 2nd half and re-establish what we had in the 1st quarter and win this one."

(on the Rockets' being able to win after surrendering the lead) "It tells us we can't have a bad 12 minutes like we did in the 2nd quarter. We really came out ready to play tonight. We came out in the 3rd quarter ready to play, which has been our weakness most of the year. It was nice the way we finished the game."

(on the ever-improving play of Yao Ming) "Every game I start the game by telling him to dominate. He's had some great numbers stat-wise in the last
7-8 games. He's a powerful force down there. He's carrying us a lot of nights and we need him to continue doing that. Heck, you take 35 games off (with an injury), you're going to be fresh right now, especially with a young fellow like him. He's doing a great job."

RAFER ALSTON

(on whether there is any center playing better than Yao Ming) "Not at all.
He's doing a fabulous job. He's just tremendous. He's putting up big numbers every night. He's playing hard and he's coming in and practicing hard. He's really leading us and carrying us."

(on the Rockets' play in the 2nd half that prevented Portland from getting back into the game) "Our main objective was to go out there and start the 2nd half the way we started the 1st. We got after it; we were able to rebound the ball and get running."

(on Coach Van Gundy's criticism of the team a few days ago) "I enjoy him being harsh. It's motivation to go out there and play better. I enjoy him challenging us."

(on the upcoming game against Minnesota) "We need to continue to do what we've done the previous 2 games and that is to get some transition buckets, continue to move the ball and find Yao (Ming) and Tracy (McGrady). The more we start getting good looks and knock down some of our outside shots, when they continue to double-team those guys, the better off we are."

YAO MING

(on if he's playing the best basketball of his career) "I feel very good right now (physically). My body feels the best it has felt since I've been with the Rockets and I'm using my skills very well, but I'm still looking forward (to the future) because this is just one victory out of the many games we need to win to make the playoffs."

(on the difference between the first and second half) "In the first half, T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) helped us get off to a very strong start. We built almost a twenty point lead, but we didn't take care of it. We were thinking the game was already over. We starting thinking about the next game, or about getting tomorrow off, or something. But Portland came back against us and we just wasted our lead. So at half-time Coach (Van Gundy) told us that we were wasting our time and if we didn't want to play hard we would sit on the bench. I guess that scared people. So in the second half, everybody played very hard and tried to finish the game as well as we could."

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS HEAD COACH NATE MCMILLAN

(on the key to the game) "Yao (Ming) was too much for us. We tried doubling him and playing him straight up in the post and he had an answer for whatever we put on him. When we double-teamed, he knocked down his shots."

(on his team's play) "In the second half we only had six assists. We turned the ball over and we didn't hit the offensive boards. Blake (Steve) had something going off the pick-and-rolls and we have to learn to milk that situation. We need to learn to stay involved when other guys get going. The other guys have to learn to stay aggressive and play defense. Viktor
(Khryapa) gave us some nice minutes."

(on Zach Randolph's foul problems) "I wanted Zach (Randolph) to cool off (after the technical foul). I felt there was a foul and that is frustrating for him. It bothers him that he is not getting any calls and we are trying to work with him on how to communicate with the referees to keep him in the game."

ZACH RANDOLPH

(on the game) "It was a tough game. Houston made a good run and Yao had a big game and we couldn't respond. Yao (Ming) is 7'6". A big guy and very tough to guard."

(on his foul problems) "It's frustrating. I'm playing hard and I know we"re not going to win the record but they need to call the game fair."

STEVE BLAKE

(on his career high game) "I was taking my shots and feeling good and knocking them down. It's disappointing because we didn't get the win but I got my (career) high."

(on the game) "The game went back and forth. Give them credit. Yao (Ming) played very well. There are things we have to work on to finish games down the stretch.

DARIUS MILES

(on the team's play) "It's hard because things have been going that way this month. We can't get down every time we get down. We need to get as much experience as we can this season and hopefully look to the playoff next year."

(on Yao Ming) "He looked real good tonight. He was patient in the post and he did what he had to. Yao (Ming) is getting better every year - you can see it."

JUAN DIXON

(on the team's play this season) "It's our job to keep coming out and playing hard every game. We have to fight through it and work hard and keep trying to get better each game. We are still trying to win games and the young guys will get the opportunity, I'm sure. We've got injuries but I see a bright future because we have a great coach."

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