Spurs vs. Rockets Previews

[duncan228]

Houston (5-3) at San Antonio (2-5) Preview
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Fri Nov 14, 2008 TV: SS
By Dan Pieringer

The offseason acquisition of Ron Artest gave the Houston Rockets a “Big Three” they hoped could contend with that of the San Antonio Spurs.

As the Southwest Division rivals head into their first meeting of the season, however, Houston’s trio clearly has the advantage over San Antonio’s injury-plagued nucleus.

Artest, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming look to help the Rockets end a five-game road trip successfully on Friday night when they meet a Spurs team still trying to overcome the absences of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

Houston acquired Artest in the offseason, hoping the volatile forward could help bolster the team’s defense and provide a third scoring option.

The transition hasn’t been entirely smooth for the Rockets (5-3), but they’re optimistic after Wednesday’s 94-82 victory over Phoenix. Though Artest shot 1-of-12 from the field, McGrady had 27 points and Yao added 17 and 15 rebounds as Houston bounced back from an embarrassing 111-82 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

“It’s a terrific win for us,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “We stormed back and really controlled the tempo well the whole game and made shots. We moved the ball better, we got back defensively.”

While the Rockets are encouraged, the Spurs (2-5) can’t say the same after an 82-78 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday continued their worst start since they opened 2-13 in 1996-97.

“If we can hold somebody to 82 points, I’m thrilled. I’m jumping up and down,” said defensive-minded Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “But we’re a little challenged offensively right now.”

That’s because San Antonio’s playing without two of its top three players in Ginobili and Parker, who have helped lead the Spurs to three NBA les in the last six years.

Ginobili hasn’t played this season because he’s still recovering from offseason ankle surgery, and Parker will be sidelined about a month after spraining his left ankle in a loss to Miami last Friday.

Tim Duncan, the only healthy member of San Antonio’s vaunted trio, continues to deliver. He had 24 points on Wednesday, including 14 of the Spurs’ 19 points in the fourth quarter, and is averaging 25.3 points and 10.3 rebounds.

But the two-time MVP and 10-time All-Star can’t carry the team by himself.

“The whole thing is frustrating, however you want to look at it,” he said.

Decimated by injuries, the Spurs have turned to two relative no-names to start in the backcourt. Point guard George Hill, the 26th overall pick in June’s draft, has totaled 16 points and 6-for-15 shooting in his first two career starts.

“Any time you come in and you have a player like Tony go down, it’s always different, you can’t be a Tony Parker, but I think it’s just staying focused and doing what got me here,” Hill said.

Meanwhile, Roger Mason Jr., who’s made three straight starts at shooting guard, has averaged 13.9 points in his first seven games for the Spurs.

“He’s been of paramount importance to us because he’s really been a scorer for us,” Popovich said. “I think when we get healthy, his real value will show.”

The home team won each game as the Spurs and Rockets split their four-game series last season. Duncan averaged 19.0 points and 11.5 rebounds, while San Antonio held McGrady to 11.3 points per game and 27.1 percent (13-for-48) shooting from the field in three games.

Notes:

Rockets:

G-F Tracy McGrady scored 22 points in second half en route to a game-high 27 on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor. McGrady entered the night having scored a total of five points in his last two games, shooting 1-of-16. ... Houston PGs Rafer Alston and Aaron Brooks combined for 34 points on 15-of-24 shooting, with four assists, four rebounds and just one turnover.

Spurs:

The San Antonio Spurs suffered another setback at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, and now have fallen to 8-11 against Milwaukee in the past nine-plus seasons. The Spurs have a .714 winning percentage against other teams in the league during that stretch. ? The Spurs allowed 31 points in the first half and 15 in the first quarter, both season lows, but still could not pull out a victory after a season-low 78 points. ... The four starters for the Spurs who joined F-C Tim Duncan on the floor Wednesday combined for 14 points.

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Tracy McGrady Hou 17.8
Tony Parker SA 27.4

Rebounds
Yao Ming Hou 9.9
Tim Duncan SA 10.3

Assists
Tracy McGrady Hou 4.9
Tony Parker SA 5.8

[duncan228]

TODAY: ROCKETS at SAN ANTONIO SPURS
By Jonathan Feigen

Key matchup: Yao Ming versus Tim Duncan, Duncan has usually switched to Yao down the stretch of games and is playing center more than ever. With the Spurs’ offense limited by injuries, Duncan’s scoring is crucial.

Rockets update: The Rockets bounced back from the rout in Los Angeles to build a 19-point lead on their way to a win in Phoenix. The five-game, 10-day trip ends where the Rockets lost 17 consecutive games, spanning all of Tim Duncan’s career, before the Rockets broke through to win both games in San Antonio in the 2006-07 season. The Rockets and Spurs split last season’s four meetings.

Spurs update: Losing the first three games of the season, the Spurs got off to their worst start in 35 years and have gone 2-2 since, losing Wednesday in Milwaukee. With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili out, the Spurs’ offense has become wildly inconsistent.

[SpurSupremacist]

I'll be surprised if this game is close.

[TDMVPDPOY]

hope a few of them rockets playes get suspended, so we can get the win hahahaha

[timtonymanu]

looking forward to seeing Brent. Hope Michael Finley steps up and shows he was worth being signed over Barry.

[mrspurs]

Bad enough we have to watch scolla school our boys in the paint. So, if Brent comes in and hits a 3 or 2, it will be funny.

[wijayas]

Dear God, please do not let the Rockets humiliate us in our home courts. I can accept loss of 10-15 points. No more, please?

[gingerwave]

This will be a great win.

[BlackSwordsMan]

bigmac wasn't suspended?

[SynicFan]

My Oh My....

How quiet things are when the Spurs are struggling...

Hmm, wonder where all the fans are?

Rockets 107
Spurs 89

[duncan228]

Friday: Rockets (5-3) at Spurs (2-5)
By Jeff McDonald

Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: KENS
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - ROCKETS

PG - 3 George Hill (6-1, 1st yr) - 12 Rafer Alston (6-2, 10th yr)
After ejection vs. Suns, Alston here only by grace of Stu Jackson.

SG - 8 Roger Mason (6-5, 5th yr) - 1 Tracy McGrady (6-8, 12th yr)
After strong start, Mason 4 of his last 20 from field.

SF - 5 Ime Udoka (6-5, 5th yr) - 96 Ron Artest (6-7, 10th yr)
In two games as starter, Udoka missed 12 of 15 field goals.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 4 Luis Scola (6-9, 2nd yr)
In an alternate universe, these two are playing side-by-side.

C - 7 Fabricio Oberto (6-10, 4th yr) - 11 Yao Ming (7-6, 7th yr)
Yao's scoring a bit down this season as Adelman installs new system.

SPURS RESERVES

15 Matt Bonner, F, 6-10, 5th yr
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
33 Desmon Farmer, G, 6-5, 2nd yr
4 Michael Finley, G, 6-7, 14th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C-F, 6-9, 14th yr
35 Anthony Tolliver, C, 6-8, 1st yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr

ROCKETS RESERVES

0 Aaron Brooks, G, 6-0, 2nd yr
2 Luther Head, G, 6-3, 4th yr
13 Von Wafer, G, 6-5, 4th yr
14 Carl Landry, F, 6-9, 2nd yr
15 Joey Dorsey, F/C, 6-8, 1st yr
17 Brent Barry, G, 6-7, 14th yr
44 Chuck Hayes, F, 6-6, 4th yr

COACHES

Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Rockets: Rick Adelman

INJURIES

Spurs: Tony Parker (left ankle sprain), Manu Ginobili (left ankle surgery) and Ian Mahinmi (sprained right ankle) are out.

Rockets: Barry (sprained thumb) is questionable. Shane Battier (inflammation in left foot) is out.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Parker, Ginobili, Mahinmi.

Rockets: Battier, Steve Francis.

NOTABLE

It is typically a defensive slugfest when these teams get together. Spurs' 109-88 victory last March was first time in 24 meetings that either team cracked triple digits. ... Spurs opponents are committing 9.14 turnovers per game, lowest in the league.

[duncan228]

Jeff McDonald: Rare matchup for Oberto

At 6-foot-10ish, Fabricio Oberto could be considered a tad undersized for an NBA center. As such, he's used to defending players taller than he is.

It's a rare day, however, when Oberto gives up eight inches to the guy he's supposed to guard. That's what happens when the Spurs play the Rockets, and the 7-6 Yao Ming. Then, Oberto becomes Danny DeVito to Yao's Schwarzenegger on the poster from the movie "Twins."

Tim Duncan will see some time on Yao tonight, but the Spurs generally prefer to keep their star forward off the other team's best big man, to keep him out of foul trouble. With Duncan basically accounting for the Spurs' offense these days, it's a safe bet that strategy continues.

That will leave Oberto to tangle with Yao, probably with help off the bench in the form of Kurt Thomas.

So what's the secret to defending a player that dwarfs you? Oberto says you have to be clairvoyant.

"You have to be one or two seconds ahead of any movement he's going to do," Oberto said after this morning's shootaround.

The only way to get by, Oberto says, it with a little help from his friends in silver and black.

"He's improved so much the last couple of years," Oberto said of Yao. "We've got to play team defense and always help, too."

[duncan228]

Rockets wrap up trek at San Antonio

(Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets close out a five-game road trip Friday by visiting the injury-riddled San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center.

Tracy McGrady scored 27 points -- including 15 in the third quarter -- leading the Rockets to a 94-82 win over the Phoenix Suns in a game marred by a fracas toward the end of the third quarter on Wednesday.

With 27.6 seconds left in the third, McGrady hit a three-pointer to give the Rockets a commanding 74-55 advantage, but a melee broke out between Phoenix's Matt Barnes and Houston's Rafer Alston.

To the right of McGrady, Barnes appeared to shove Alston, who was setting a pick. After the play, Alston came back and had some words for Barnes.

McGrady came in to defend his teammate and shoved Phoenix guard Steve Nash to the floor. Suns center Shaquille O'Neal immediately came in and pushed McGrady to the floor. Suns head coach Terry Porter was able to break up the fight afterwards, and no punches were thrown.

The Barnes push was apparently in retaliation for a screen McGrady had set earlier, which caused Steve Nash to suffer a gash on his neck. Nash, O'Neal and McGrady all received technical fouls, while Alston and Barnes were ejected.

McGrady shot 11-of-18 from the floor and 4-for-5 from long range for the Rockets, who have won two of three. Yao Ming added 17 points and 15 rebounds, while Aaron Brooks finished with 19 points in the win.

Meanwhile, the Spurs fell to 2-5 on the young season when Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Bucks edged San Antonio 82-78 on Wednesday.

Tim Duncan scored 24 points for the depleted Spurs, who played without stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili is out until at least December, while Parker sprained his left ankle against Miami last week and could miss up to four weeks.

"When you take (Parker and Ginobili) out of our lineup it's tough," Duncan said. "You take a bunch of new guys and ask them to fill that void. There's a lot of factors that go into it, but the bottom line is we made enough plays to win the game, (but) we just didn't do it in time."

Michael Finley added 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting for San Antonio.

For the Rockets, sharp-shooting guard Brent Barry is questionable for the game with a sprained right thumb.

The Spurs have won two of their last three meetings with Houston and three of the past five.

[duncan228]

Rockets' Alston to miss 2 games because of fight

[timvp]

This game has a lot of interesting matchups. Hill versus Brooks will be a great test of Hill's quickness. Udoka is built to defend players like Artest, so hopefully he doesn't disappoint. Mason will have his hands full with McGrady. Thomas versus Yao is a matchup we'll probably see a lot of tonight.

It's going to be a really tough game for the Spurs to win. Alston being out helps a bit because he usually plays well against the Spurs, especially defensively. If the Spurs can keep in low scoring and have a chance to win in the fourth, you'd have to be happy with their performance.

[Anti.Hero]

110
82

[duncan228]

Jeff McDonald: Rockets without PG tonight

Rafer Alston, Houston's starting point guard, has been suspended by the NBA for two games for his role in an altercation Wednesday night in Phoenix. Alston will begin serving his time tonight, when the Rockets face the Spurs at the AT&T Center.

The scuffle began with Suns forward Matt Barnes laid a hard pick on Alston. Alston confronted Barnes about it, precipitating a melee that involved a good bit of both teams.

Barnes also received a two-game suspension, while Suns point guard Steve Nash will be suspended one game.

The league office informed the teams of the decision this afternoon.

Alston's unavailability leaves the Rockets a bit thin in the backcourt for tonight's game. Aaron Brooks, who has shone as the team's sixth man, will start. Brent Barry, the former Spurs guard who might have been an emergency option at the point, isn't expected to play after spraining a thumb in an unrelated incident in Phoenix.

[Tmac&Luther]

hope a few of them rockets playes get suspended, so we can get the win hahahaha

It gets worse.........Rafer Alston is suspended, now you'll have to deal with Brooks playing about 40 minutes.

[Allanon]

It gets worse.........Rafer Alston is suspended, now you'll have to deal with Brooks playing about 40 minutes.

Ouch. Lakers only tasted 25 minutes of that and got burned by Brooks' 20 points.

[024]

this will be a tough matchup. the rockets actually play defense. combine that with the spurs' struggling offense, and it might be another game they score under 80.

[rayray2k8]

Damn... Better get some beer for tonight.... Then menudo in the morning... -_-

[nil.ball]

80-72

Spurs!

[MrChug]

90-84 Spurs (gulp)

[duncan228]

NBA Basketball Betting Trends - Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs
by D.S. Williamson

The San Antonio Spurs are in disarray. After their on the court leader, Tony Parker, went down with an injury, this team has become an also-ran in the NBA. Sports betting fans shouldn’t be surprised that the once mighty Spurs might not even make the playoffs this season.

Losing Manu Ginobili over the summer to an injury sustained in the Olympics was bad enough, but losing Parker, the man that makes their engine run, was devastating. The Spurs have a record of 2 and 5 straight-up and 1 and 6 against the BetUS online wagering spread.

The Houston Rockets are considered one of the top teams in the league. That wasn’t evident earlier this week when they suffered a 45 point turnaround in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets were up by 16 at one point in that game. They eventually lost by 29 to the Lakers. The Rockets are doing better than the Spurs, mainly because they’ve stayed relatively healthy, going 5 and 3 straight-up and 3 and 5 against the BetUS online betting spread.

Here are the BetUS online betting odds for this game.

Houston Rockets - 6 ½ - 110 - 240 O 173 ½ - 110

San Antonio Spurs + 6 ½ - 110 + 200 U 173 ½ - 110

Here are a few online wagering trends that might help us find a good online bet in this game.

The Houston Rockets are 22 and 7 against the spread in their last 29 games on a Friday night.

The Under is 6 and 2 in the Houston Rockets last 8 games after 1 day of rest.

The San Antonio Spurs are 0 and 6 against the spread in their last 6 games versus a Western Conference opponent.

The Under is 13 and 3 in the Spurs last 16 games overall.

The trends say under and so do I. Neither the Rockets nor the Spurs want to turn this game into an all out run up and down dunk contest. The Spurs especially will have to slow this game down if they have any chance of winning.

I don’t believe they do unless the Rockets just put in a clunker but instead of trying to beat the 6 ½ points, I’m willing to go ahead and make an online wager on this game going under the BetUS total of 173 ½.

That’s the online bet that I’ll be making - - on the game between the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets to go under 173 ½ points.

[Indazone]

Damn... Better get some beer for tonight.... Then menudo in the morning... -_-

Why Menudo in the morning? Is that like some wierd hangover cure?