[Chron] Rockets run wild on Spurs

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SAN ANTONIO — Trevor Ariza cut backdoor. Layup. Chase Budinger curled around a screen. Swish. Aaron Brooks flew up the floor on a break and then another, and another.

That was the first three minutes. After months of talking about it, the Rockets began their preseason doing just what they had promised.

Yet, as clearly as the Rockets demonstrated what they want to do, they showed the reasons — encouraging and troubling — why they need to do it.

Faster than Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the other presumed San Antonio starters sitting on the Spurs’ bench could call ‘Next!,’ the Rockets were dashing about the floor, scoring 15 fast break points in the first quarter, highlighting an easy 99-85 win over some of the Spurs at AT&T Center on Tuesday.

"It was a good game for us to see where we are," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We did a good job of pushing the ball in the first half. We had pretty good movement in the first half. In the second half, we really slowed down, tried to do too much one-on-one. If we’re going to be successful, we’re going to have to have ball movement and player movement the whole game. But that’s what this is all about."

When the souped-up offense worked, the Rockets built a commanding lead. When it didn’t, they struggled for stretches against burly San Antonio rookie DeJuan Blair and the star Spurs’ sparring partners.

In the second quarter, when the Rockets went to their bench, Blair dominated the boards, slowing the Rockets’ break. In the third quarter, San Antonio pounded the ball into the paint, drawing fouls, scoring inside and again keeping the Rockets in the starting blocks.

The Rockets were only briefly challenged, and pulled away again in the fourth quarter. But after that flying first-quarter start, the Rockets had seven fast-break points the rest of the way.

"It’s an attitude, it really is," Adelman said. "When you start getting a little tired or they start getting a couple baskets, you have to maintain that attitude. You may not get fast break points, but we want to get the ball up the court in a hurry so we have plenty of time on the shot clock. If you move the ball, move people, you’re going to get good shots."

The Rockets had some bursts of offense after that rapid start. With Spurs big men Duncan, Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff watching, Carl Landry and Luis Scola posted up and scored well inside, combining to make 12 of 19 shots for 32 points, with Landry’s 19 points leading both teams.

More than anything, Budinger continued the torrid shooting he showed with the summer league and in training camp, making 7 of 10 shots to score 15 points.

"He’s just a really solid player," Adelman said. "He’s really good coming off picks shooting the ball. He’s been impressive the whole training camp."

He was also a very nervous player, matched up early on either Manu Ginobili or Richard Jefferson.

"I had a lot of butterflies coming into this game," Budinger said. "My stomach was real nervous. The coaches and teammates were encouraging, telling me, ‘Be aggressive and do what you do in practice and you’ll be fine.’"

The Rockets’ other rookies had a tougher time. Guard Jermaine Taylor made 3 of 9 shots. Center Chris Andersen 3 of 12, with five rebounds.

Ariza, after a good start, was unable to generate the offense he sought off the dribble, making 3 of 8 attempts for nine points.

Still, the Rockets accomplished most of what they could against the preseason version of the Spurs.

Adelman had struggled before the game to name anything in particular he wanted to see out of the re-tooled Rockets’ first preseason game, seeking only whatever information would come. But when pressed, he offered "Movement and pushing the ball."

For a stunning stretch to start the game, the Rockets did both. They also showed why they need to.