# Regular Season Game 34: Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

​*(16-17)/(8-23)*

When/Where:
*Saturday, January 5, 8:30 p.m. ET*
*Toyota Center*














































*Alston / Head / Battier / Hayes / Yao*














































*Marbury / Crawford / Richardson / Randolph / Curry*


*Preview

Nearly two weeks since his last appearance, Tracy McGrady returned to the Rockets bench Friday night looking dapper in his suit.

He realizes, though, that he'd look a lot better in a Rockets uniform.

"It's extremely tough because right now, the guys are playing so well," McGrady said. "They're playing extremely well. Rafer (Alston) is playing better, Bonzi (Wells) is playing better, (Luis) Scola is (playing better) and even the rookie (Aaron Brooks is playing better). And I can't give them no help.

"I'm watching. I just think if I could be out there with them the way that they're playing right now, we would definitely be a much better team than we've shown."

He will instead have to wait.

McGrady, the Rockets' leading scorer, once again won't be on the floor Saturday night when Houston hosts the New York Knicks. He is still nursing a strained tendon in his left knee that is expected to keep him out at least another week.

The seven-time All-Star first injured the knee almost a month ago, but tried playing through it before leaving the second half of a Dec. 23 game against Detroit. Since then, McGrady has missed five games.

He wasn't completely sure what the problem was until a second MRI of his knee revealed the strained tendon.

"It feels good to know what the problem is," McGrady said. "I know what I have to do now as far as rehabbing and how much time I got to sit out. I knew something wasn't right. It was more than just tendinitis, a bone bruise. I could play through that. I've been playing through that all my career. I got a second opinion and sure enough, strained tendon. There's nothing I can do, but sit out and let it heal."

The Rockets, in the meantime, have actually been finding a good offensive rhythm in his absence.

Before the star was forced to the inactive list, Houston had only two players -- Yao Ming and McGrady -- scoring in double figures. Now, both Alston and Wells have cracked that once elusive mark.

With McGrady out, the Rockets have actually had better movement and more balanced scoring within Rick Adelman's high-motion scheme. They're even 3-2 without their star player in the lineup.

That's something that Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy noticed when studying the Rockets for Friday's game.

"They play faster because they're playing a little bit smaller," Van Gundy said. "They're playing with two point guards so they're running the ball more and probably attacking a little bit more. I think with Tracy -- as great as he is -- what ends up happening a lot is they throw the ball to him and end up standing around and watching a lot. They're a little more active offensively. But they do miss Tracy. Hey, you're always going to miss a guy like Tracy. He's a guy that can get you a good shot at any point."

Scola believes the Rockets can keep pushing the tempo when McGrady does return.

"We need to find a way to play with this flow with Tracy on the team because Tracy is very important for us," Scola said. "We need him being part of this progress we've had the last two weeks. Hopefully, he'll be back soon and we'll get better with him."

The Rockets, though, will have to wait a little longer.

Despite his desire to be back on the floor, McGrady won't be putting on his uniform in the near future.

"Hopefully, they can rack up a few more wins (without me)," McGrady said. "I think I probably got a week and half to two more weeks and I'll be back out there."


Knicks Update: The Knicks have avoided the worst start in franchise history, barely. New York had lost 11 of its previous 13 games heading into Friday night's action. They've struggled in every facet of the game, but their defensive numbers loom the largest. The Knicks are allowing teams to shoot a whopping 48.2 percent, good enough for the worst mark in the league.*


_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Go GO GO ROckets! It's the New York Knicks!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

I just hope they don't get complacent


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

This might be our best oppportunity to get that 4 game win streak.
Magic - done
Knicks - its the Knicks come on
Wizards - Are starting to slump without Arenas
Knicks - Knicks again woohoo


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

hroz said:


> This might be our best oppportunity to get that 4 game win streak.
> Magic - done
> Knicks - its the Knicks come on
> Wizards - Are starting to slump without Arenas
> Knicks - Knicks again woohoo


then the t'wolves so we can look at possibly 5


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

CrackerJack said:


> then the t'wolves so we can look at possibly 5


We win the next 5 chances are we are in serious consideration for the 8.
And an outsider for the top 4 again.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ill believe it when I see it.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Can I just point out I have no idea why Wells isnt starting over Luther. 
I love Luther but quite simply Bonzi has been out playing him.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Because Bonzi is great coming off the bench?


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

NICE finish

LOL that 3 was awesome



Dean the Master said:


> Because Bonzi is great coming off the bench?


He is but it means he gets less mins.
Also it means Luther has to start which I dont think is his fortae.
I like a fresh luther in the 4th Q. (But yeah its been working okay so we will probably keep it up for awhile)


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## WONTONnPHO (Jan 6, 2004)

This team shouldn't have a problem gettin that 5 game win streak :cheers:


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

I love playing the Knicks. Brooks v.s. lil' Nate's quite an interesting match-up, both playing some of their best ball in this one.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

I cant believe they got within 9 points


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

Back to .500!!


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

I don't understand why Isiah doesn't play David Lee more against us. The game seems to follow the same pattern every time we play them. Yao starts out dominating Curry. Then there's a period where Lee guards Yao, fronting him, and we struggle, becoming stagnant and turning the ball over on entry passes. The Knicks make a run, then Isiah takes Lee out and Yao resumes his scoring and we finish them off.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Chuck was dominated under the boards this game. His rebounding has become significantly worse this season. He's also scoring less and doing it less efficiently.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Hakeem said:


> Chuck was dominated under the boards this game. His rebounding has become significantly worse this season. He's also scoring less and doing it less efficiently.


But I also notice that his +/- on the court has been quite good all season, just like last year when they had that Lenovo points system. Maybe our offense just runs better with one less guy needing the ball in his hands.

Still, Scola's far too talented a player to be coming off the bench. We should start experimenting with him in the starting line-up.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

It looks like Brooks had a great game. I think he will see more minutes if he keeps it up. Is James injured or did Adelman finally bench him? He didn't get any minutes today.

Scola should start now. Let's see how he does in a few games as a starter. It's better to do it now than later.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Krimzon said:


> It looks like Brooks had a great game. I think he will see more minutes if he keeps it up. Is James injured or did Adelman finally bench him? He didn't get any minutes today.
> 
> Scola should start now. Let's see how he does in a few games as a starter. It's better to do it now than later.


James hasnt got minutes for a while now and is out of the rotation.
When TMAC returns he will move further down the queue


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Go AARON BROOKS!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Aaron is improving nicely. I noticed that over the last few games, but what I really wanted from his was to start hitting those 3 point shots on a consistent basis. He kept missing those a lot earlier this week, but hopefully this game helped him develop some rhythm. I just hope his defense improves as well.

Now if the rest of the guys could just help Yao out on the defensive end. I couldn't count how many times Yao had to switch and cover 2 or 3 different guys in the paint because nobody covered their man, and didn't help Yao out. He cant do it all people.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

I want to see the Aaron Brooks/Nate Robinson match up. They're like the 2 tiniest guys in the league.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Brooks has had only one bad game since he started getting minutes. Pretty remarkable.


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)




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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

One more game and then I get to start watching again!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Also forgot to mention that Randolph had 22 rebounds this game. Pretty impressive if you ask me.


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