# [Season Opener] Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*vs.*

*(0-0)/(0-0)*


When/Where:
*Wednesday, October 29, 8:30 PM ET*






















































*Alston / McGrady / Artest / Scola / Yao*














































*Conley / Mayo / Gay / Milicic / Gasol*


_*Preview*_

_Another strong season for the Houston Rockets resulted in yet another bitter playoff disappointment in 2007-08. The controversial addition of Ron Artest may give them their best chance yet to snap out of that familiar pattern.

Artest makes his Houston debut as the Rockets begin their quest for their first postseason success in more than a decade on Wednesday night by hosting the rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies in each team's season opener.

Houston suffered its sixth consecutive first-round exit from the playoffs last spring, and still hasn't won a playoff series since advancing to the Western Conference finals in 1997.

The Rockets' latest postseason failure overshadowed their surprising regular season, during which they put together the second-longest win streak in NBA history at 22 games and finished 55-27 despite losing Yao Ming to a stress fracture in his left foot in February and missing Tracy McGrady for much of the season because of nagging injuries.

With Yao and McGrady getting healthy again and Artest on board, the Rockets hope to take the next step this season.

"I've been waiting for this for a while," said the 29-year-old McGrady, limited to 66 games last season because of elbow, knee and shoulder problems. "I know I get criticized for not leading my team out of the playoffs, but it's hard when you don't have those pieces to elevate you to that next level. Now I have that. We'll see what happens."

Artest brings more than his share of baggage. He's perhaps best known for his role in the brawl with fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills during a game early in 2004-05. He was suspended for the remainder of that season, a total of 73 games - the league's harshest punishment ever for a fight.

Artest, a 6-foot-7, 246-pound forward who averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals for Sacramento last season, has also been arrested for domestic abuse and had a dog seized from his California home because it was malnourished.

He insists, however, that he's not going to be making any more trouble with the Rockets.

"I'll be ready," he said after the trade was made official in August. "Whatever (coach Rick Adelman) needs me to do, come off the bench, be the sixth or seventh man, start, I don't even care. Whatever he needs me to do, I'm 100 percent sure it's going to work."

Artest could be particularly integral for the Rockets with McGrady's status for Wednesday still uncertain. The two-time league scoring champ revealed at the start of training camp that his left shoulder was arthritic and will require surgery after this season. McGrady also said his left knee was healing slower than expected from surgery in the spring.

"I'm gaining confidence," he said Tuesday. "I've been through three straight practices, grinding it out. A game is going to be a little bit different. Hopefully, it's all positive, because I want to get out there with the guys."

Meanwhile, Yao has proclaimed himself 100 percent healthy and will start against Southwest Division rival Memphis, which has finished in last place in the division with a 22-60 record each of the last two seasons.

The Grizzlies, though, have higher hopes for 2008-09 thanks to a wealth of young talent led by Rudy Gay. The 6-foot-9 swingman emerged as a star last season, joining Cleveland's LeBron James as the only players in the league to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals.

Gay was limited to 12.8 points and 36.7 percent shooting from the field as Memphis dropped three of four meetings with Houston last season.

He will be joined by rookie guard O.J. Mayo, who's making the leap to the NBA after one season at Southern California. The No. 3 overall pick impressed second-year coach Marc Iavaroni with his preseason performance.

"He has displayed the character and quality you need in a great player and potentially a great leader," Iavaroni said.

"He's willing to work hard, he's willing to be coachable, he's willing to fight through adversity, he's willing to fight through inconsistency whether he's getting 28 points one night or eight the next. He's shown a real resilience that's going to be real important to him, especially at this point of his career."

Iavaroni's club was 0-2 at the Toyota Center last season, extending its losing streak there to four games dating to a 93-81 victory April 15, 2006._​

_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

I will be there and NO, I am not painting my face. Even though we lost to them in the preseason we should win this game pretty easy. I look for Artest to really frustrate Gay and something tells me Rafer will play well in game one.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

oh you big baby! LOL just paint part of your face! Get Red man!

Have fun at the game though.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

Let's start the season with a win against the Grizzlies.


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## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

Man I wish I could have gone to this game. Oh well Go Rockets!!


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

How does Tracy look like?


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ill be watching this on my league pass. First year I can do it without having to watch some crappy p2p stream online. So excited.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Good for you OBT123!

I wish I have league pass too. Oh well, GO ROCKETS! 

The regular season is finally here.


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## Tri$tateTx (Oct 4, 2008)

tues. was fun, but Wednesday will be a Blast - off!


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## Tri$tateTx (Oct 4, 2008)

Tmac 3!


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Come on Rockets! Be efficient and productive, beat Grizzles!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

I see our shooting had carried over from last year. Rafer looks about normal. 1-7


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

this offense just looks terrible for stretches ay carmuba!!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Marc is going to be an interesting prospect.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

finally rafer hit one


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Our offense is way out of sync. We need to get it together and kick the rust off


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

37%? Ugh...Luther was our most efficient shooter. :laugh:

And only 10 assists, too. Apparently our defense will carry us these first few games.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

the offense looks as ugly early this season as it did early last season


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Yeah, we had a few kinks. I think its because its the first game we played with most of our starters in. No more ticky tack preseason crap.

Its just working the kinks, I know RA will fix it up


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Okay a few things...........

I thought Yao was playing less mins this season? 38mins??? Thats like a playoff game.....
How Chuck with his face mask????
Who was the backup PG behind Rafer?????

Your telling me we made 84% of our FTs????


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## Spaceman Spiff (Aug 2, 2006)

The problem with Yao's minutes last season was that he was playing even in 4th qtr blowouts. If he plays 38min in a close game I'm fine with that.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

Chuck stopped wearing his mask last game. He hated it and as soon as they let him, he took it off.

Adelman is still working out the rotation at this point. You could see him doing it, especially in the second half. Yao's minutes will be decreased as soon as Adelman figures things out.


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## Tri$tateTx (Oct 4, 2008)

Yao crazy no look shot :clap2:


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

thats awesome, I couldnt believe it when I saw it. Crazy


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

> How does Tracy look like?


Tracy still looks a bit gimpy but, you wouldn't know it by looking at the box score. The team didn't shoot it well but he had 16pt, 5 asts, 3 stls. Decent game. 

Artest made Rudy work all night. Gay was 9 for 22 and had 4 turnovers. Artest is a man.

One thing that was very frustrating in this game was seeing Luther at PG. Can somebody please tell Rick since he is still a bit new to the organization that Luther has no business playing PG. If Luther is not out there to shoot the basketball he shouldn't be on the court. Simple. Done. End of discussion.

Both Scola and Yao played well. Double/Double for both. Just in game one Yao got raped over and over. It is going to be a long season for him. Luis didn't even play in the 4th qrtr. 

Ugly win for the rockets but, considering all of the injuries the defense was still pretty good and things can only get better.


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