Solid D
12-22-2006, 02:13 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA122206.01C.BKNspurs.rockets.2e10c4e.html
Web Posted: 12/21/2006 10:13 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Houston Rockets arrived in town Thursday afternoon with the misfortune of having spent the past week on the West Coast without the services of Tracy McGrady.
After falling just short of completing a 27-point fourth-quarter comeback at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets flew to Oakland, Calif., where they lost to Golden State on Baron Davis' late 3-pointer. The following night in Los Angeles, Houston gave up 53 points to Kobe Bryant — and a 21-point lead — to lose to the Lakers in double overtime.
The Rockets broke through with a victory over the Clippers, but then lost another close game Wednesday to Portland, a young team allegedly still in the early stages of its rebuilding process. For its troubles, Houston gets a stopover tonight in San Antonio, where it hasn't won in more than nine years.
Welcome to the Western Conference, where the tough either get tougher or get tee times. In the span of eight days, the Rockets went from being a game out of first place to holding the conference's seventh playoff seed.
"It's a bear," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It's tougher than it's been in a long time."
Led by the Spurs' 20-6 record, six of the NBA's eight-highest winning percentages belong to teams in the Western Conference. Detroit's 15-8 record, tops in the East, would rank sixth in the West.
"I think going into this season people thought it might be a little bit of a transition, that the East picked it up with Chicago making the moves (it) did, with Detroit still being a formidable team, with Miami having won the championship, with Cleveland coming on with LeBron (James)," Brent Barry said. "A lot of people felt like the East was maybe back.
"But, man, you just look up and down at the rosters of the teams in the Western Conference and the players they have, and the depth that these teams have. It's really something."
Denver's acquisition of Allen Iverson this week could further shift the balance of power left. When Carmelo Anthony returns from his 15-game suspension late next month, the Nuggets could have the NBA's two leading scorers.
Even without Iverson, Denver was averaging 108.8 points, second only to Phoenix.
"Now they've got a ton of scoring and you don't know where the shots are going to come from," Robert Horry said. "That's going to make them even more dangerous.
"It just makes the West that much deeper, and it was already real deep."
The Spurs realized as much last month when they lost at home to Dallas then left for a three-game trip that ended with losses to Golden State and Utah.
The Mavericks and Suns opened the season a combined 1-8 but have since reeled off winning streaks of 12 and 15 games, respectively. Utah, which is undefeated in four games against the Spurs, Dallas and Phoenix, continues to hold strong atop the Northwest Division.
Before the Lakers lost Lamar Odom to a knee injury, they looked much improved from last season. Same for the Rockets and Warriors, both of whom also had to cope with injuries to key players.
New Orleans figured to be a playoff contender before Peja Stojakovic (back) and David West (right elbow) underwent surgery. Even Portland, picked by many to finish last in the conference, seems to have enough talent and athleticism to win on any given night.
"You still have some elite teams," Minnesota coach Dwane Casey said. "San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix; Utah is right there this year.
"But from four on down, you can throw them in a hat and shuffle them. There's lot of parity."
With the exception of tonight's game against the Rockets and a Dec. 28 date with the Jazz, the Spurs have entered a relatively soft portion of their schedule. They have won nine of their past 10 games, giving them the same record they had after 26 games last season.
Still, the Spurs also know what lies ahead.
"I don't want to be negative, but it's going to be tough to win 60 games," Tony Parker said. "But I think it's great. It's going to make us even more focused because we know we can't waste games because the West is so tough."
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Web Posted: 12/21/2006 10:13 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Houston Rockets arrived in town Thursday afternoon with the misfortune of having spent the past week on the West Coast without the services of Tracy McGrady.
After falling just short of completing a 27-point fourth-quarter comeback at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets flew to Oakland, Calif., where they lost to Golden State on Baron Davis' late 3-pointer. The following night in Los Angeles, Houston gave up 53 points to Kobe Bryant — and a 21-point lead — to lose to the Lakers in double overtime.
The Rockets broke through with a victory over the Clippers, but then lost another close game Wednesday to Portland, a young team allegedly still in the early stages of its rebuilding process. For its troubles, Houston gets a stopover tonight in San Antonio, where it hasn't won in more than nine years.
Welcome to the Western Conference, where the tough either get tougher or get tee times. In the span of eight days, the Rockets went from being a game out of first place to holding the conference's seventh playoff seed.
"It's a bear," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It's tougher than it's been in a long time."
Led by the Spurs' 20-6 record, six of the NBA's eight-highest winning percentages belong to teams in the Western Conference. Detroit's 15-8 record, tops in the East, would rank sixth in the West.
"I think going into this season people thought it might be a little bit of a transition, that the East picked it up with Chicago making the moves (it) did, with Detroit still being a formidable team, with Miami having won the championship, with Cleveland coming on with LeBron (James)," Brent Barry said. "A lot of people felt like the East was maybe back.
"But, man, you just look up and down at the rosters of the teams in the Western Conference and the players they have, and the depth that these teams have. It's really something."
Denver's acquisition of Allen Iverson this week could further shift the balance of power left. When Carmelo Anthony returns from his 15-game suspension late next month, the Nuggets could have the NBA's two leading scorers.
Even without Iverson, Denver was averaging 108.8 points, second only to Phoenix.
"Now they've got a ton of scoring and you don't know where the shots are going to come from," Robert Horry said. "That's going to make them even more dangerous.
"It just makes the West that much deeper, and it was already real deep."
The Spurs realized as much last month when they lost at home to Dallas then left for a three-game trip that ended with losses to Golden State and Utah.
The Mavericks and Suns opened the season a combined 1-8 but have since reeled off winning streaks of 12 and 15 games, respectively. Utah, which is undefeated in four games against the Spurs, Dallas and Phoenix, continues to hold strong atop the Northwest Division.
Before the Lakers lost Lamar Odom to a knee injury, they looked much improved from last season. Same for the Rockets and Warriors, both of whom also had to cope with injuries to key players.
New Orleans figured to be a playoff contender before Peja Stojakovic (back) and David West (right elbow) underwent surgery. Even Portland, picked by many to finish last in the conference, seems to have enough talent and athleticism to win on any given night.
"You still have some elite teams," Minnesota coach Dwane Casey said. "San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix; Utah is right there this year.
"But from four on down, you can throw them in a hat and shuffle them. There's lot of parity."
With the exception of tonight's game against the Rockets and a Dec. 28 date with the Jazz, the Spurs have entered a relatively soft portion of their schedule. They have won nine of their past 10 games, giving them the same record they had after 26 games last season.
Still, the Spurs also know what lies ahead.
"I don't want to be negative, but it's going to be tough to win 60 games," Tony Parker said. "But I think it's great. It's going to make us even more focused because we know we can't waste games because the West is so tough."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]