duncan228
05-09-2009, 08:26 PM
Los Angeles at Houston Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009051010&prov=ap)
Game info: 3:30 pm EDT Sun May 10, 2009
TV: ABC
By Chris Duncan
The Houston Rockets are down 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal series with the Los Angeles Lakers and may be down their best player for Game 4.
Yao Ming underwent treatment on his sprained left ankle on Saturday and did not practice. The Rockets said he’ll be re-evaluated by team doctor Tom Clanton before Sunday’s game.
“We’re going to have to see how he is,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “What we try to do is just concentrate on, if this is the group we’re going to have, this is what we’re going to do.”
The Rockets at least know that they’ll have Ron Artest, who was ejected for a flagrant foul penalty two on Pau Gasol in the final minute of Game 3, a 108-94 Lakers victory. The NBA downgraded Artest’s foul on Saturday and said it did not merit a one-game suspension.
Artest said the reprieve won’t change the way he plays in Game 4. He was also tossed from Game 2 for a verbal confrontation with Kobe Bryant that followed Bryant’s sharp elbow to Artest’s upper chest. The blow went uncalled in the game, but was later ruled a flagrant foul.
“Both teams are just pretty much ready for war,” Artest said. “You’ve always got to be ready to hit, in case somebody hits you. I think both teams realize that.”
Yao was not available to the media on Saturday, leaving his teammates to speak for him. For what it’s worth, Artest said Yao told him that he was playing in Game 4.
“He won’t be limited, he’s just got a little sprain,” Artest said. “He’s going to play, so that’s a good thing.”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Saturday that he hadn’t even considered the possibility of Yao missing Game 4. The Rockets are 3-2 without Yao this season and overcame injuries to other key players.
Yao has been the focal point of the Rockets’ offense since Tracy McGrady had season-ending knee surgery in February, and Houston finished 21-8 without McGrady. The 7-foot-6 Yao has been plagued by serious leg and foot injuries in each of the previous three seasons, but played in 77 games in 2008-09.
“This is a team that’s really survived a lot of adversity, and that’s what you have to admire about them,” Jackson said. “They’ve had difficult challenges all year and they’ve always come back. We’ve got to be totally ready for another good fight.”
Point guard Derek Fisher will return for the Lakers after serving a one-game suspension for a hard foul on Luis Scola in Game 2. Jordan Farmar played well in Fisher’s place on Friday night, scoring 12 points with seven assists in 33 minutes.
Bryant said Fisher’s absence benefited Farmar’s confidence, thus improving the Lakers’ backcourt depth.
“That game did a lot for Jordan, getting him back on track,” Bryant said. “It adds a dimension to our team. It gives us more speed.”
The Lakers took control in Game 3 with their defense, forcing 17 turnovers and holding Houston to 24 percent shooting in the third quarter, when they built a double-digit lead. And that was with Yao playing more than 39 minutes.
Adelman stressed the importance of protecting and moving the ball at practice on Saturday.
“It’s a matter of we have to raise our level of play, no matter who is playing,” Adelman said. “We have to play to our strengths, everybody has to play to their strengths and understand what they have to do to help us win. You do it collectively. There’s strength in numbers, and that’s what we have to understand.”
The Lakers say the Rockets can become a more versatile offense with Yao out.
Artest, not Yao, is Houston’s leading scorer in the playoffs, and Aaron Brooks and Scola are both averaging more than 14 points per game. The absence of Yao would also mean more minutes for forward Carl Landry, who’s averaging seven points in the playoffs.
“We would anticipate Artest getting a lot more touches and looks, Brooks being more aggressive and Landry and Scola being more in the post and doing damage there,” Gasol said. “They’re a quality team, no matter what. We’ve got to go out there with the same mentality and mind-set that we had (in Game 3).”
The Lakers have won 14 of their last 15 playoff series in which they’ve built a 2-1 lead, and Bryant vowed they’ll leave nothing to chance in Game 4.
“We talk about the significance of every game,” said Bryant, averaging 30.3 points in the playoffs. “We have a great opportunity. I’m excited about it, excited about coming out and taking care of business. I look forward to games like this.”
Notes
Lakers:
Lakers coach Phil Jackson is breaking with his playoff tradition of wearing the most recent championship ring from his collection of nine NBA titles. "I'm tired of wearing that ring," he said about his 2002 bauble. "I've been wearing it for seven years now." ... G Jordan Farmar played despite tendinitis in his right pinky toe.
Rockets:
C Yao Ming scored 23 points on Wednesday, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. ... The Rockets were outscored, 30-14, in the final frame. ... G Kyle Lowry chipped in 15 points off the bench.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Kobe Bryant LAL 26.8
Yao Ming Hou 19.7
Rebounds
Pau Gasol LAL 9.6
Yao Ming Hou 9.9
Assists
Kobe Bryant LAL 4.9
Tracy McGrady Hou 5.0
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Los Angeles 65-17 1st Pacific / 1st West 106.9 99.3 Road 29-12 Won 2 7-3
Houston 53-29 2nd Southwest / 5th West 98.4 94.4 Home 33-8 Lost 1 6-4
Game info: 3:30 pm EDT Sun May 10, 2009
TV: ABC
By Chris Duncan
The Houston Rockets are down 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal series with the Los Angeles Lakers and may be down their best player for Game 4.
Yao Ming underwent treatment on his sprained left ankle on Saturday and did not practice. The Rockets said he’ll be re-evaluated by team doctor Tom Clanton before Sunday’s game.
“We’re going to have to see how he is,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “What we try to do is just concentrate on, if this is the group we’re going to have, this is what we’re going to do.”
The Rockets at least know that they’ll have Ron Artest, who was ejected for a flagrant foul penalty two on Pau Gasol in the final minute of Game 3, a 108-94 Lakers victory. The NBA downgraded Artest’s foul on Saturday and said it did not merit a one-game suspension.
Artest said the reprieve won’t change the way he plays in Game 4. He was also tossed from Game 2 for a verbal confrontation with Kobe Bryant that followed Bryant’s sharp elbow to Artest’s upper chest. The blow went uncalled in the game, but was later ruled a flagrant foul.
“Both teams are just pretty much ready for war,” Artest said. “You’ve always got to be ready to hit, in case somebody hits you. I think both teams realize that.”
Yao was not available to the media on Saturday, leaving his teammates to speak for him. For what it’s worth, Artest said Yao told him that he was playing in Game 4.
“He won’t be limited, he’s just got a little sprain,” Artest said. “He’s going to play, so that’s a good thing.”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Saturday that he hadn’t even considered the possibility of Yao missing Game 4. The Rockets are 3-2 without Yao this season and overcame injuries to other key players.
Yao has been the focal point of the Rockets’ offense since Tracy McGrady had season-ending knee surgery in February, and Houston finished 21-8 without McGrady. The 7-foot-6 Yao has been plagued by serious leg and foot injuries in each of the previous three seasons, but played in 77 games in 2008-09.
“This is a team that’s really survived a lot of adversity, and that’s what you have to admire about them,” Jackson said. “They’ve had difficult challenges all year and they’ve always come back. We’ve got to be totally ready for another good fight.”
Point guard Derek Fisher will return for the Lakers after serving a one-game suspension for a hard foul on Luis Scola in Game 2. Jordan Farmar played well in Fisher’s place on Friday night, scoring 12 points with seven assists in 33 minutes.
Bryant said Fisher’s absence benefited Farmar’s confidence, thus improving the Lakers’ backcourt depth.
“That game did a lot for Jordan, getting him back on track,” Bryant said. “It adds a dimension to our team. It gives us more speed.”
The Lakers took control in Game 3 with their defense, forcing 17 turnovers and holding Houston to 24 percent shooting in the third quarter, when they built a double-digit lead. And that was with Yao playing more than 39 minutes.
Adelman stressed the importance of protecting and moving the ball at practice on Saturday.
“It’s a matter of we have to raise our level of play, no matter who is playing,” Adelman said. “We have to play to our strengths, everybody has to play to their strengths and understand what they have to do to help us win. You do it collectively. There’s strength in numbers, and that’s what we have to understand.”
The Lakers say the Rockets can become a more versatile offense with Yao out.
Artest, not Yao, is Houston’s leading scorer in the playoffs, and Aaron Brooks and Scola are both averaging more than 14 points per game. The absence of Yao would also mean more minutes for forward Carl Landry, who’s averaging seven points in the playoffs.
“We would anticipate Artest getting a lot more touches and looks, Brooks being more aggressive and Landry and Scola being more in the post and doing damage there,” Gasol said. “They’re a quality team, no matter what. We’ve got to go out there with the same mentality and mind-set that we had (in Game 3).”
The Lakers have won 14 of their last 15 playoff series in which they’ve built a 2-1 lead, and Bryant vowed they’ll leave nothing to chance in Game 4.
“We talk about the significance of every game,” said Bryant, averaging 30.3 points in the playoffs. “We have a great opportunity. I’m excited about it, excited about coming out and taking care of business. I look forward to games like this.”
Notes
Lakers:
Lakers coach Phil Jackson is breaking with his playoff tradition of wearing the most recent championship ring from his collection of nine NBA titles. "I'm tired of wearing that ring," he said about his 2002 bauble. "I've been wearing it for seven years now." ... G Jordan Farmar played despite tendinitis in his right pinky toe.
Rockets:
C Yao Ming scored 23 points on Wednesday, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. ... The Rockets were outscored, 30-14, in the final frame. ... G Kyle Lowry chipped in 15 points off the bench.
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Kobe Bryant LAL 26.8
Yao Ming Hou 19.7
Rebounds
Pau Gasol LAL 9.6
Yao Ming Hou 9.9
Assists
Kobe Bryant LAL 4.9
Tracy McGrady Hou 5.0
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Los Angeles 65-17 1st Pacific / 1st West 106.9 99.3 Road 29-12 Won 2 7-3
Houston 53-29 2nd Southwest / 5th West 98.4 94.4 Home 33-8 Lost 1 6-4