Jumpers hit the spot for Rockets Head, McGrady sink two big shots in grind-it-out win By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle ORLANDO, Fla. -For nearly five fourth-quarter minutes, the Rockets could not find a shot they could make. Some of that was because for most of that time, they could not take one without getting fouled and were busy similarly mugging the Orlando Magic. Eventually, it seemed certain they would have to make a shot, maybe two. Then Luther Head nailed a 3 from the corner. Tracy McGrady stepped around a screen to drop in a jumper. And with a smattering of free throws in the final seconds, the Rockets held off the Magic 97-93 on Sunday before 17,451 at Amway Arena. "We're trying to grind out wins," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We found a way to execute enough. Chuck (Hayes) set a great screen for Mac, and Mac nailed it. Luther made a corner 3." Those shots were the Rockets' only field goals in the final six minutes, but in a game in which the Rockets could not stop the Magic without fouling, they were the difference. By the time Head sank his 3-pointer with 1:39 left, the Magic had closed within two and were living at the line. But McGrady made a move to the lane, drawing the defense, and sent Head the pass, stopping a scoring slump in which the Rockets had just three points in nearly five minutes. "That's who we are," said McGrady, who had 34 points and six assists. "When teams double up on me, my job is to make the right play for the team. My teammates do a great job getting spaced, getting to the right spots. I know where they're going to be. What makes it sweeter is they're knocking down shots. Once they're knocking down the shots, and I'm playing the way I'm playing, it's tough to beat us. Not that easy "I saw Grant (Hill) collapsing on me. I knew he was going to help. He wasn't going to let me get to the hole. Luther Head is shooting the ball extremely well, especially in the corner. That's the easiest shot in basketball. He knocked down the shot and that gave us the momentum to push through this victory." Head did not entirely agree. He said it was the easiest 3-pointer in basketball. "That's our game," Head said. "We give Tracy the ball, let him go to work, and when people go to help, it gives us free looks. We just have to knock them down. It's the easiest 3. I wouldn't say it was the easiest shot." But the Magic got back within two when Hedo Turkoglu stole McGrady's next pass, as he again looked for a 3-pointer in the corner. Hill took off on a break, flipping in a tough drive through a Shane Battier foul, and making his free throw to cut the lead to 93-91 with 47.2 seconds left. But the Rockets had one more jumper in them, with McGrady sinking his 20-footer with 33.3 seconds left. Still, they needed one stop. The Magic went back to Trevor Ariza. The Rockets dusted off Kirk Snyder, who did what everyone else had, fouling Ariza, who made both free throws to reduce the lead to two. The Magic stopped the clock by quickly fouling Rafer Alston. Alston had made six of 11 shots when he was called for a mysterious fifth foul early in the fourth quarter when Head seemed to have smacked Keyon Dooling. Back in the game with 2:32 left, Alston missed his first attempt, but made his second free throw, leaving the Magic within one possession. The Magic went back to Ariza, who had made eight of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter to score the bulk of his 14 points. But this time, he could not get a step on Snyder, who forced him to a tough runner that missed. Dikembe Mutombo batted it toward the other end where Snyder ran it down just ahead of Jameer Nelson, who fouled him as Snyder reached for his left leg. Van Gundy asked Snyder if he was up to finishing. Snyder steps in "I just want to play," Snyder said. "Hopefully I earned myself a few more seconds out there. I went from one second last game to 32 seconds this game. I was sitting on the bench the whole game. Sitting there, sitting there, sitting there. Chasing that ball down is a little different." When he made his second free throw with 10.8 seconds left, he iced the win. But that might have been fitting. It took every bit of 10 players and 2 1/2 hours to be in a position to win — and then it took two jumpers more. jonathan.feigen@chron.com http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4581188.html
snyder needs to play. he's so much hungrier than everyone else, i'm fine with cutting into bonzi's minutes when he's not producing, similarly with head. you can still throw head in there for the 4th quarter crunch time, its not like he warms up or gets cold, he's really a shot by shot player. as for bonzi, he doesn't really do better with more minutes thus far this season, so if he's clearly off for the night, try snyder. PLEASE.
Sounds like Snyder is a little miffed.....whatever happened to a player can't lose his spot due to injury? DD
You still believe in this? Without injury, we don't have Tom Brady, Tiki Barber, Larry Johnson. Yes, thats in the NFL. But it happens in EVERY sport. Thats just off the top of my head since I love football so much. No guarantees in life. You should know this, my man.
hill has nothing to complain about. orlando was getting to the line at will in the first half, over and over and over. that one play where bonzi is absolutely clobbered by howard and there's no call followed by dwight barely getting touched and going to the line, had me furious.
I read this earlier. Methinks Brian Hill may be gone after the season. The Magic collapse has been ugly. After their strong start, I thought the only thing that would completely derail them was losing Grant Hill for the season again. It's hard to get down on that team because they have so much promise going forward, but they are findings ways to lose 15/20.
well snyder's orginal playing time was probably because bonzi was hurt/fat. when snyder went out bonzi came back and regained what was going to be his playing time anyway. i don't read him as being miffed, i've really liked the comments i've heard from in the past, i think he's just anxious. that said, i don't agree with the whole can't lose your spot to injury nonsense. i just want the best players out there. snyder may be one of them though.
Wells needs to pick it up (he was horrible against the Magic) or Synder should get some of his minutes. He is tall, young, and athletic. What's not to like? Not a great outside game, but is strong inside. Obviously, he is frustrated by his lack of playing time.
rox are not playing to wells' strengths. give him the ball in the low block and let him feast on the smaller guards. i hate seeing him jack up 20ft jumpers.
lol. poor kirk. 33 seconds in 2 games. He is talking about earning "seconds" that's pretty sad. hehe I guess jvg is still ticked about snyders anti-semetic remarks a couple years ago.
