[Chron]Rockets give James, Cavs no shot at all

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4375430.html

Dec. 3, 2006, 1:44AM
Rockets give James, Cavs no shot at all
63 points tie record for fewest by opponent; McGrady suffers concussion


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

If the Rockets had learned anything last season, it was that when Tracy McGrady goes out, someone is not scoring. Shots will clang. Passes will ricochet around the building. Futility records will be threatened.

That did not change when McGrady left the floor with a mild concussion after taking a Dikembe Mutombo elbow in the first quarter Saturday.

But when McGrady left, the Rockets applied the defensive clamps, and apparently something sturdy on the Cleveland Cavaliers' rim, taking an 81-63 win that matches the fewest points they have allowed in the 40 years of the franchise.

The Cavaliers made just 22 of 78 shots (28.2) percent, with a late flurry pushing them past the 26.6 percent shooting that had been the worst ever against the Rockets.

It was the fifth time this season the Rockets have held a team to less than 40 percent shooting, with a league-best 92 times in coach Jeff Van Gundy's three-plus seasons. It was the 12th time the Rockets have held an opponent to fewer than 70 points, the 10th time under Van Gundy.

"We're striving to be that team," said Rockets forward Shane Battier, who spent most of the night defending LeBron James. "That has to be our calling card. We're not a fast team. We're not an athletic team. We're a small team. We're a young team. But I think we can be a gritty team and a team that has great energy on the defensive team every night."

James had a nine-point, one-minute run in the fourth quarter to finish with 21 points. But he made just seven of 22 shots.

"(Battier) always plays well defensively because he's very disciplined," Van Gundy said. "They missed some shots they could easily make, too."

Battier said that was the key to defending James, "hoping he misses.

"He's arguably the best player in the game today, at worst a top-three player in the game," Battier said. "You just try to make him work. We tried to make him take tough shots with great help on the defensive side, and he missed some shots. Believe me, I've been on the other end against him."

Yao Ming led the Rockets with 24 points, but he had just four in the second half. The Rockets scored fewer points than they have in any game this season and still won by 18 without McGrady. And on a night about defense, his four blocked shots moved him to third place in Rockets history behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Moses Malone.

McGrady, who will be re-evaluated today, had been off to a strong start, getting seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, with three rebounds and three assists in 11 minutes.

With McGrady out, a Rockets lead that was 10 when he went left in the first quarter evaporated. Then Yao returned to the game to drive the Rockets' offense and the defense stiffened. The Cavaliers missed their last 14 shots of the first half as the Rockets took their lead to 43-29 at halftime and to as much as 26.

With 6½ minutes left, the Cavaliers were still stuck on 48.

James then gave Cleveland a brief surge, nailing a pair of 3-pointers and driving to a 3-point play. With less than four minutes remaining, the Cavaliers had cut the 26-point deficit in half.

But then Yao threw down a dunk on James and passed to Juwan Howard for another slam. Rafer Alston hit a 3 to take the lead back to 81-61 and finally beyond reach — even if some of their records were not.

"That's the way we're going to have to win when we got a guy like Tracy or Yao out," Alston said. "We've got to defend."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com