# Regular Season Game 29: Houston Rockets @ Memphis Grizzlies



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

​*(13-15)/(8-20)*

When/Where:
*Friday, December 27, 8:00 p.m. ET*
*FedEx Forum* 














































*Alston / Wells / Battier / Hayes / Yao*














































*Stoudamire / Miller / Gay / Gasol / Milicic*


*Preview

Despite becoming one of the league's top defenders, Shane Battier fears he'll be known for something beyond his defensive prowess before his NBA career is finished.

Battier's aching head tells him that much.

"It's unfortunate that my legacy in this league is going to be how many times I got stitched up," said Battier, who received five stitches over his left eye during a Dec. 22 win in Chicago. "I'm trying to make a few more baskets so that's not my legacy. But I get sent to the doctor at least twice (per season) to get a few stitches in my head. I keep sticking my head in the wrong place."

The bad news for the Rockets is that Battier has more company than usual in the trainer's room.

Battier's latest set of stitches won't keep him out of the lineup, but the Rockets are dealing with their share of health concerns heading into Friday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The most notable health issue belongs to their leading scorer. Tracy McGrady, who has been dealing with a sore left knee for the past two weeks, is expected to miss at least the next two games after leaving a Dec. 23 game early against Detroit. He had an MRI performed Monday that didn't reveal any significant ligament damage, but the seven-time All-Star is dealing with tendinitis in the knee. He is expected to rest this weekend in hopes that some of the pain will subside. His status will be re-evaluated before Monday's game against Golden State.

Besides McGrady, a good portion of the roster has either been nicked or hit by a flu epidemic. Rafer Alston has been playing with a strained groin and Battier has received stitches twice in the past two weeks. Yao Ming, meanwhile, missed Thursday's practice with flu-like symptoms. He is expected to be on the floor against the Grizzlies, but the center's absence from Thursday's workout comes after two of his teammates recently missed time for the same ailment. Steve Francis missed four games last week with the flu, while Bonzi Wells missed practice Wednesday with similar symptoms.

On Friday night, the Rockets are only expected to be missing McGrady. But that's not exactly comforting news. Houston is 0-6 this season when one of their regular starters is out of the lineup.

"We have to get through it," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "We've got a bunch of good offensive teams coming up and they're all very similar. They can all shoot it and attack you. We have to come out and be ready to go. With the way we have played, I just think it's opportunity for people to step up."

Trying to step up without McGrady has been an ongoing problem for the Rockets.

Since McGrady arrived in Houston, the Rockets are 11-42 when the star guard doesn't suit up. So far, they haven't been any better without him this season. Despite the offseason additions to the backcourt and designing an offense that is supposed to be less dependent on McGrady, the Rockets are 0-3 without their All-Star guard.

How can the Rockets overcome their recent string of problems without the star? Battier believes the Rockets simply have to get better movement within Rick Adelman's high-motion offense. Houston showed signs that they could do that during a recent three-game road trip.

"I thought in the Denver game and the entire Chicago game, we had energy," Battier said. "We really moved the ball. We were rarely stagnant in those games. I hope we understand that when we move the ball, we're a much better offensive team. When we slow the ball down and become stagnant, we become very easy to guard."

What the Rockets could also use is a boost from Luther Head.

With McGrady out, Head is expected to make his second start in the span of a week. He hardly disappointed in his first fill-in duty for McGrady on Dec. 19. During that performance, Head notched a season-high 22 points and dished out six assists during a double overtime loss to Denver.

He's played particularly well of late, averaging 15.5 points on 50 percent shooting over the past three games.

"I'm getting my rhythm back and getting more comfortable in the game," Head said. "(But with McGrady out,) everybody has to come in with a different mind set. We need to be more aggressive because we got some pretty big shoes to fill. No one person can do it."

The Rockets will have to overcome plenty of bruises and ailments to get that done. Even with his recent run of head trauma, Battier is well aware of that.

"We can't worry about the things that we can't control," Battier said. "We have to play unselfishly and stay the course."


Grizzlies Update: Pau Gasol is back after a brief stint on the injured list with a toe injury. Gasol's return, though, hasn't stopped Memphis' slide. The Grizzlies have lost four of their past five games. Their lack of defense has been a big reason why. Memphis ranks among the league's worst in points allowed and field-goal percentage defense.*


_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.









vs.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

Time for Yao to step up. He is due for another player of the week award.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

This game scares me.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

I predict Rudy Gay torches us and we lose.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

With TMAC out I want to see Yao shooting 55% and going 35-15 like he did for a small streak last season


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

He should get a triple double.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

This game is going to produce some posters because Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift are going to dunk over [insert Rockets] over and over again. However, we still get the win. (Making ridiculous prediction is fun.)


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

I don't think we can win this. We'll see what happens.


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Can someone post an MMS link when this game starts?

Or just ANY game link? Sopcast, etc...


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

MMS links wait for a Rockets one


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Who is starting?
Bonzi or Luther? Bonzi is apparrently starting(commnetators arent sure yet though)
Chuck or Luis? Hope Luis starts I love Chuck but we need another scoring threat.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Nice move by Bonzi

Battier getting some buckets


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

I much prefer Yao at the low post.


PS am I the only one on the board?


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

^^Watching Heat-Magic...


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Damn Lowry is a really good Defender.

it hink he has worked over all our PGs. In all five games this season(including the preseason.)


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

hroz said:


> I much prefer Yao at the low post.
> 
> 
> PS am I the only one on the board?


It seems like BBF is dying.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Damn Rafer 0-4 from 3point land.
Plus 3TOs


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

bronx43 said:


> It seems like BBF is dying.


Is it because its Friday night in the USA? People are out on Friday night?
its just past noon in Oz.



Cornholio said:


> ^^Watching Heat-Magic...


It doesnt help when Rockets fans are watching the heat & Magic  Im just kidding.


Yeah the boards have barely gone over 3 pages lately.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

We're looking energetic. You could see it right from the first few possessions.

On another note, Yao needs to start hitting that jump hook every time like he has done for most of his career, even before he broke out. It's not falling nearly as consistently this season.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

And we need to be more patient in getting Yao the ball. We're giving up on the post entry as soon as Darko sticks out an arm.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Terrible charge call on Gay.


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

Happy New Year, Paul! from Yao


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

hroz said:


> It doesnt help when Rockets fans are watching the heat & Magic  Im just kidding.
> 
> 
> Yeah the boards have barely gone over 3 pages lately.


I can only watch what ESPN shows. And I hope they don't show the Rockets anymore (4 games they had, 4 losses).


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Brooks despite missing two threes is playing much better than Rafer right now.


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

Wow, what a dumb foul by Yao. Shouldn't he have learned after 6 seasons that picking up ticky tacky fouls like that doesn't help your team?


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Cornholio said:


> I can only watch what ESPN shows. And I hope they don't show the Rockets anymore (4 games they had, 4 losses).


Fair enough.

Hopefullt ESPN shows a few more ROckets games.

But we must be falling back in demand if we stay out of the 8.


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

God, Yao's foul cost us our lead. Even rookies don't make a mistake like that... come on Yao. A few more mental lapses like this and I'll lose hope in this guy.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Another flop by Scola.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Holy crap all of us were like Rockets are gonna lose and we're winning!


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

giordun said:


> I predict Rudy Gay torches us and we lose.


Rudy 1-8 bahahahha

Go to Raptorsnation.net


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Damn he hit a 3.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Go Yao AND1


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Block from Stro and 3 by Miller. That got the crowd going.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Pretty bad ad for Grizzlies single game tickets. Gasol walks like a woman.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Ridiculous call on Yao. What the **** was that?


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Invisible Foul on Yao.


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

Seriously, Chinese officials should grow some balls and back Yao up. Stop NBA expansion into China until David Stern himself apologizes to Yao for that foul.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Nice. I'll take a double digit lead into the 4th quarter.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Woohoo go Aaron Brooks


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

I love it when I see Luther with an open 3


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

As always, when we build a lead we go away from Yao.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

We can rest yao now I think

Give Deke some mins.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

It looks like Brooks can be our long term point guard tonight. He plays very well and very effective. He needs to be more up in the face when he defenses though.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Darko should have fouled out a quarter ago.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

The Grizzlies basically decided to leave Scola half unguarded all game so they could have Gasol/Swift/Warrick ready to leap on Yao as soon as a pass was made to him.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Im leaving good win.

Still not getting the ball to Yao as much as i would like but hey its a win


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

And you know what guys?

We destroyed Memphis IN Memphis WITHOUT Broke-back Me-Mac.

I am starting to believe this team can win without him.

And another thing. A lot of our players scored in double figures tonight. It's usually Mac, Yao, and maybe Bonzi who does that on a single night. 

Mac here, takes shot oppurtunity away from everyone = LOSS
Mac NOT here, doesn't take away shots = WIN

Even though it was against a team like Memphis (No offense!), this team proved tonight that we can win without its so-called leader.

As of right now, I am off the Mac bandwagon. We do NOT need him.


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## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

Wow Scola really impressed me tonight but I wouldn't count T-mac out yet. T-mac still is able to hit big shots down the stretch.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

AZNoob said:


> And you know what guys?
> 
> We destroyed Memphis IN Memphis WITHOUT Broke-back Me-Mac.
> 
> ...



Its one game lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Also Yao still only got 13 shots less than his average.
Admittadely others picked it up but still.

There was more fluidity in the attack this game but thats what needs to happen when TMAC is there aswell.


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