HOUSTON (AP) -- Dikembe Mutombo swatted the shot by the kid half his age, then wagged his index finger to the crowd's delight. Mutombo stuffed another shot by Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum 3 minutes later to move past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and into second place on the all-time blocks list. The 40-year-old Mutombo had five blocks in all and matched a season high with 19 rebounds in the Houston Rockets' 102-77 win over the Lakers on Wednesday night. He now has 3,191 blocks, two more than Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time list. "When I came into the league 16 years ago, I told myself that I just want to be remembered for one thing," Mutombo said, "just to be one of the great defensive players to ever play this game." The Rockets have won seven of nine games since Yao Ming broke a bone in his right leg and much of it is due to the suddenly spry Mutombo, who's had double-digit rebound totals in eight consecutive games. "It's amazing, just the way I'm playing," said the 7-foot-2 Mutombo. "Even to myself, I'm sitting down like, 'Whoa, is Mutombo really playing like that?' I haven't seen myself jumping for a rebound like that for a while." Mutombo's three children -- ages 9, 5 and 3 -- have nagged him lately about when he was going to pass Abdul-Jabbar. He had only one block in each of Houston's last four games. "Now, they're going to leave me alone," he said. "No more asking, 'Daddy! When are you going to block all the shots and break the record?"' Mutombo is still 639 blocks from all-time leader, former Rocket and fellow African Hakeem Olajuwon. Mutombo hasn't said when he'll retire, but promises he won't stick around long enough to threaten Olajuwon's mark. "I will leave that to my brother," he said. "He can keep that torch for the next generation." While Mutombo led the Rockets' stifling defense, Juwan Howard scored a season-high 23 points and Rafer Alston added 20. Houston also snapped a four-game losing streak to the Lakers with little scoring help from Tracy McGrady, who'd topped 30 points in each of his last six games. McGrady had only eight points and appeared to aggravate his troublesome back late in the first half. He also had 12 assists. Kobe Bryant scored 20 points, but went 6-for-18 from the field, for the Lakers, who were held to a season-low point total. Bryant suffered a minor groin strain in the second quarter and left the game with 3:33 left after playing 34 minutes. Bryant said after the game the injury was "tight," but said he would be ready to play on Friday against Orlando. "I will let it chill and I should be fine," he said. The Lakers shot 34 percent (26 of 76) and mustered a season-low 31 points in the second half. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Mutombo was only part of his team's offensive struggles. "The Rockets played good defense and Mutombo had some big blocks and we couldn't shoot the ball in the second half," Jackson said. "Our passing failed us and we didn't shoot the ball well." The Rockets built an early seven-point lead despite McGrady's 2-for-6 start. Bryant scored 10 points in the second quarter during an 11-4 spurt to pull to a 41-41 tie. McGrady, who missed seven games last month with back spasms, was fouled on a drive by Brian Cook in the final minute of the half and winced in pain as he walked to the free-throw line. He missed both shots and had only six points at the break, though he also had six assists. Alston, coming off a 2-for-14 shooting night against Chicago on Monday, sank a 3-pointer, then drove for a layup early in the third quarter as the Rockets rebuilt their seven-point lead. McGrady badly missed his first three shots of the second half, but Shane Battier swished 3-pointers to keep Houston in front. After Mutombo's blocks on the 19-year-old Bynum, Alston scored on two drives as the Rockets finished the third quarter with an 8-0 run and led 72-58. In the closing seconds of the quarter, Jackson got ejected by referee Tony Brothers for protesting a no-call. McGrady went to the bench with 10:14 left, but the Rockets still pulled away. Howard scored twice inside, then hit a 20-footer to boost the lead to 80-60. Luther Head drove for an unlikely dunk over Ronny Turiaf with 4:44 left, putting the Rockets up 88-66 and finishing off the Lakers. Notes The Lakers lost for only the third time in their last 12 games with the Rockets in Houston. ... The Rockets improved to 8-0 this season when they score 100 points at home. ... Houston Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans and Tennessee quarterback and Houston native Vince Young, the NFL's Defensive and Offensive Rookies of the Year, sat at courtside, about 30 seats apart. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2007011010
I know it was mentioned on some reports but he played late and looked fine, if it was anything serious I think wouldn't have been on the floor in the 4th
This is very disconcerting because T-mac just visited his special "healer" Patterson the day before. He shouldn't be having back problems a day after the treatment.
according to IC2000 this report is erroneous. So far, IC has been money on everything he's said in relation to Rox.
Ernest P. (Bill) Worrell reported last night T-Mac was bent over in discomfort as he left the floor at the half and got treatment during halftime.
Interesting... so you're saying that the whole Chronicle blurb about T-mac taking Bonzi to see Patterson on Tuesday wasn't correct?
if you look closely the rockets had a 4 on 2 fast break....i think it was luther head who had the ball at the three point line. he passed it to mac. mac went strong to the hole and i think it was ronnie turiaf who fouled him hard. he came down holding his back and made 1 out of 2 freethrows it was when the rockets were going right to left...so the first half
I didn't see him contradict that report. In fact, he continually stated that bonzi's back was hurt and that it wasn't the rockets posturing for a trade.
No, I think IC2000 was saying that was that the reported re-aggervated injury isn't true (maybe slightly injured, but not bad, and not the regular back thing).
this is very discomforting since he just visited the back specialist. im almost postive he injured his back on the reverse dunk because he landed so awkwardly. when he took our only free throws in the end of the first half, he didnt bend his legs at all. it was pure arm strength because he didnt want to further tweak his back.
I doubt he'd be on the floor in garbage-time, as he was, if he had re-injured himself late in the first half.
he was moving around fine yesterday in the 2nd half, taking the ball to the basket...i think he was just off...first day back from treatment maybe that had something to do with it im not sure...but hey every1 has their off days....but regardless his movements seemed fine especially against kobe so i think hes fine
Not too worried since IC2000 said it wasnt serious. He's been right about Tmacs back ever since it first got injured. Besides, Tmac didn't look as sharp his first game back from the Waco treatment in Indiana either. We'll just see how he comes out on Friday...
Well, i didn't hear anything about it on sportscenter, but they were all over DWade's jock, so it's not surprising... Hope he gets to feeling better...
t-mac was laughing and joking with mutombo after he had already come out LATE in the 4th. all these reports say the supposed injury was in the first half. imo, nothing happened to him or nothing significant enough to get your panties up in a bunch about.
