Houston Rockets Blog – Page 90 – NBA Blog

Tracy McGrady out 2 weeks

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that guard Tracy McGrady is expected to miss the next two weeks for physical conditioning.

“Tracy was not able to execute his standard pre-season training regimen due to his offseason procedure. He has been fighting through this in order to help the team get past a difficult early season schedule. Coach Adelman and I felt that it was in his best interest to take these two weeks to get himself physically prepared for the second-half of the season.”

Scola, Alston lead Rockets past Knicks 96-76

The AP reports: Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest were out, the Houston Rockets were just back from a five-game trip and facing a team that was going to force a fast pace. Perfect. Luis Scola had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Rafer Alston added 17 points and six assists and the undermanned Rockets didn’t miss their two stars at all, taking advantage of New York’s poor shooting to beat the Knicks 96-76 on Saturday night. Aaron Brooks scored 16 points, Von Wafer had 15 and Yao Ming 14 for the Rockets, who’ve won nine of their last 10 home games… Tim Thomas scored 18 points, Nate Robinson had 17 and Lee added 14 points and 11 rebounds for his eighth consecutive double-double for New York.

McGrady’s 28 lifts Rockets past Thunder 98-96

The AP reports: After losing three straight games to start a long road trip, the Houston Rockets are grateful for any road win—even a narrow one over the team with the NBA’s worst record. The Rockets blew a 15-point second-half lead, but Tracy McGrady capped a 26-point outing with two critical free throws with 8.2 seconds left as they edged the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-96 on Friday night… Houston’s Yao Ming struggled much of the game, not making his first basket until early in the third quarter, missing a dunk later in that quarter and committing two offensive fouls in the fourth quarter. The 7-foot-6 center finished 3-of-10 from the field and scored 14 points—well below his 19.8-point average—but nine of those came in the final 4:22… Russell Westbrook scored 15 points for Oklahoma City.

Celtics fall at home, 89-85 to Rockets

The AP reports: The defending NBA champions dropped their sixth game in eight tries Wednesday night, falling to the Houston Rockets 89-85 on Von Wafer’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 44 seconds left. It was the Celtics’ first loss in Boston since a Nov. 14 defeat to Denver sent them on a 19-game winning streak… Yao Ming had 26 points and eight rebounds, clinching it on a putback with 12.9 seconds left to help the Rockets snap a three-game losing streak and a five-game road skid. “Yao is unstoppable,” said Rockets forward Ron Artest, who scored 17 points playing most of the game in foul trouble… Paul Pierce scored 26 points, and Kevin Garnett had 18 and eight rebounds for the Celtics, who opened the defense of their 17th NBA title with victories in 27 of their first 29 games… Glen Davis scored a season-high 12 for the Celtics.

Celtics-Rockets connections

Houston General Manager Daryl Morey joined the Rockets after serving three years as SVP Operations for the Celtics.

Boston Associate Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and Assistant Basketball Coach/Advance Scout Coordinator Mike Longabardi each served in similar positions with the Rockets before joining the Celtics.

Celtics guard Sam Cassell played for the Rockets from 1993-96, averaging 10.1 points per game and helping Houston win back-to-back NBA Championships in 1993-94 and 1994-95.

Boston center Kendrick Perkins was a standout player at Beaumont’s Clifton J. Ozen High School.

Back home, 76ers top Rockets, stop losing streak

The AP reports: Andre Iguodala tied his season high with 28 points and the reeling 76ers returned home from a dreadful road trip to beat the Houston Rockets 104-96 on Tuesday night… Iguodala nailed a 3-pointer in front of the Rockets bench late in the fourth to halt Houston’s 11-2 run that had sliced the gap to six. He sank a runner in the lane for a 98-92 lead that dashed Houston’s last-gasp at a comeback win. He shot 12-of-19 from the floor… Luis Scola led six Rockets in double figures with 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds… Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Von Wafer and Carl Landry all scored 14 points for the Rockets.

Bibby hits winner as Hawks beat Rockets 103-100

The AP reports: Mike Bibby made a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining, and Josh Smith scored a season-high 29 points in the Hawks’ 103-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. Joe Johnson had a season-high 14 assists, the last when he drove from the perimeter and into the left side of the lane before passing to Bibby for the winner… Flip Murray finished with 17 points for Atlanta, which snapped a three-game losing streak to Houston. The Hawks won their sixth straight at home, improving to 15-2 this season at Philips Arena. Overall, Atlanta has won six of seven… Reserve Carl Landry scored 18 points, and Yao Ming had 16 points and 15 rebounds to lead Houston, which has dropped two straight and five of seven. Aaron Brooks missed a 3 from the left corner at the buzzer that would’ve forced overtime. Von Wafer had 17 points for Houston, and Brent Barry added 16.

Yao, Scola lead Rockets to win over Bucks 85-81

The AP reports: The Houston Rockets hardly sounded like the victorious team after struggling past the Milwaukee Bucks 85-81 on Wednesday night. Yao Ming had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Luis Scola added 11 points and 10 boards, but the Rockets sputtered on offense during long stretches for the third straight home game. Ron Artest had 15 points and reserve Carl Landry added 14 as the Rockets beat the Bucks for the eighth straight time, bouncing back from an embarrassing loss to Washington on Monday… Michael Redd scored 20, Richard Jefferson had 16 and Luke Ridnour dished out 11 assists for the Bucks, who’ve lost nine consecutive games in Houston. Milwaukee was outrebounded 40-34 and committed 17 turnovers—six in the second quarter, when Houston stretched its early lead to 15.

Rockets re-sign Dikembe Mutombo

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the Rockets have re-signed unrestricted free agent center Dikembe Mutombo. Per team policy, financial terms were not released.

Mutombo (7-2, 260, Georgetown) has averaged 9.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.76 blocked shots in 1,187 career games (995 starts) with Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Houston. The NBA’s first four-time recipient of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), Mutombo has averaged 3.3 points, 5.5 boards and 1.09 blocks in 258 games (83 starts) over four seasons with the Rockets. The second all-time leading shot blocker in NBA history (3,278) also stands 10th in blocked shots in Rockets annals (282). In NBA history, Mutombo ranks 17th in total rebounds (12,326), 10th in offensive boards (3,796) and eighth in defensive rebounds (8,530).

Last season with Houston, Mutombo averaged 3.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.23 blocks in 39 games (25 starts). He was also honored by Owner Leslie Alexander and the Rockets with “Dikembe Mutombo Tribute Night” on Mar. 26, 2008. Overall, Mutombo totaled 44 blocked shots (1.76 bpg) over his 25 starts. In 2006-07, Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history to post 20 or more rebounds in a game with 22 boards at Denver (3/2/07). Mutombo also posted double-digit rebounding totals in 11 consecutive games (12/27/06-1/16/07), which was the fourth longest such streak of his career (16 games: 3/22/93-4/21/93; 15 games: 3/24/99-4/16/99; 14 games: 12/9/92-1/8/93).

Rockets re-sign Dikembe Mutombo

Aside from center Yao Ming and power forward Luis Scola, the Houston Rockets are pretty short up front. Carl Landry is strong but a modest 6’9″, and Chuck Hayes is listed at just 6’6″. But now Houston has brought back the Cookie Monster. The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports:

The Rockets reached an agreement with veteran center Dikembe Mutombo on Tuesday, Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. Mutombo was signed for the remainder of the season at a pro-rated veteran’s minimum contract… “I almost haven’t touched a ball in six months. I shoot the ball in the park with my kid. I am not a shooter anyway,” said Mutombo, a career 52 percent shooter. “As long as I can rebound and block shots, that’s what’s important.”

Mutombo played 39 games for Houston last season, averaging 3.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on good shooting in 16 minutes per game.

It’s a good move for the Rockets. Mutombo can come in, take up space, rebound, wave his arms around, defend, and talk funny.