Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Hornets Recap

For a moment tonight, I was slightly confused. I was at the Toyota Center when suddenly the Rockets roster (sans Vince Carter's favorite dunking cousin) trotted out of the tunnel and began to warm up.

What dumbfounded me was the way the players acted as though the had an upcoming game, almost as if they weren't all present to partake in the scheduled group interview about Mcgrady.

Then, I saw the New Orleans Hornets come out of the visitors tunnel, only to began taking jumpers and stretching out.

"Strange," I thought to myself. "I didn't know Tracy had any connection with New Orleans. But I guess if they want to join our sermon on Mcgrady, they're welcome."

I'm really running out of ways to go with this little story, so I'll just stop this convoluted mess and move on to the point I'm trying to get across. In the midst of this seemingly all-encompassing drama that is Tracy Mcgrady's recent tenure as a Rocket, we still had a game to play.

So, for lack of a more eloquent way of phrasing the forthcoming statement, I'm glad that, at least for two hours, we were able to shut the hell up about T-Mac and watch an actual basketball game.

Without boring you with any more misguided attempts at an introductory paragraph or any semblance of proper prose or literary structure, I'd let to get to recapping our 108-100 victory over our fellow Southwest Division members, the New Orleans Hornets.

The Good

-I didn't really know where to throw this in, so I'm just going to mention it right here. Anytime your opponent has Darius "How the Hell Is He Actually Still In The League?" Songaila as a rotation player, you're in pretty good shape. In a related note, Songaila is making about 1.5 times as much money as Carl Landry. So yeah, umm, no regrets there.

-Aaron Brooks was magnificent tonight, netting 27 points on just 12 shots. Brooks had an effective field goal percentage of 87.5 while only turning the ball over once. In other words, he watched Trevor Ariza play and decided to do the exact opposite.

-Shane Battier had his out-of-nowhere offensive explosion, going 5 for 8 from beyond the arc en route to 20 points. It's the second time Battier has topped 20 all season, and on a night when Carl Landry wasn't his usual ultra-efficient self, we need every point we could get.

-The Rockets also played excellent defense on Chris Paul. We "held" him to just 16 points on 47 percent shooting, and although the ever-magnificent Paul still managed a triple-double, it never felt like he was truly dominating the game. When you're going against a once-in-a-generation point guard like Paul, that in itself is a win.

The Bad

-Trevor Ariza was Trevor Ariza once again, going 5 of 15 from the field, 2 for 8 from three and missing one of his two late free throws. Nothing new here, just continued disbelief that the man is playing 37 minutes a night. Ariza's become a paragon for offensive futility. If I see him slowly fake left and then drive right one more time in the next 24 hours, I might just throw an elbow at the head of the first guy near me. Wait, no, that's not right. To be fair, though, this dunk did seal the game for the Rockets.

-David West scored a sneaky 44 points on us. I'm not sure about this, and I'm certainly too lazy to do the research, but I think that's a career high for him. This isn't as bad as it seems, since we got 31 from our power forward rotation and, although he was scoring in droves, it never really seemed like West was controlling the game. We were also able to limit him to just eight in the fourth quarter. I'm not sure if this is merely correlation or actual causation, but the Hornets also scored just 18 in the final period.

-The Rockets offense struggled in the third quarter and the Hornets outscored us by 18 in those twelve minutes, the only period they won. It didn't hurt us today, but 13 point quarters won't get it done against the better teams in the league. And, although at this point saying this has to be like continually flogging a dead and substantially decayed horse, we still need to find a guy who can kick-start the offense when we struggle like we did in the third.

The Ugly

-This is a sorry-ass excuse for a cop-out, but for the ugly tonight I'm going with the weather. How the hell this relates to basketball, I don't know, but it was shitty outside today after the game and somebody needs to hear about it. I'm just sorry it had to be you.

I have just a few more random observations/comments I'd like to point out, so bear with me for a few more paragraphs.

For starters, Landry's numbers weren't as stellar as they usually are tonight. I'd like to point out that it really was no fault of his own, had a few rolls and spins gone the right way he would have easily been 12-16.

Trevor Ariza constantly shows flashes, only they're surrounded by much longer periods of sheer darkness. He had two fantastic drives which he finished with dunks, only every other time he got the ball in the lane he tried to finesse his way into finger-rolls and layups. It truly boggles me how he can find a method of scoring that works for him and then blatantly ignore it the next ten times he shoots the ball.

I know it seems like I constantly criticize him, but, at the risk of sounding like a self-important prick, he keeps doing things that warrant criticizing. He turns the ball over on lazy passes twice a game, refuses to change his shot selection and is starting to sulk on the end of the bench by himself more often, an intriguing if not slightly worrying observation.

David West, as good as he is, can't really influence a game. Even though he put up 44 points it never really seemed like it, except for a brief amount of time in the third quarter in which he appeared to score four or five times in a row.

Down the stretch he failed to find the bottom of the net during key possessions and resorted to turnaround jumpers or fade-aways to score points, never really seeming like he had a reliable go to move or method of creating shots for himself. And if you're wondering why I didn't use "score" instead of "find the bottom of the net," it's because I used score in the previous sentence, and, much like Peja Stojakavic's inherent fear of the space inside the three point line, repetition scares the hell out of me.

If you were wondering why Devin Brown was playing for the Hornets tonight (not because he really brings little/nothing to the table anymore, that's irrelevant for now), it's because he wasn't actually traded to the Timberwolves. So yeah, all you Devin Brown fans, don't worry...screw it, I'm not going to pretend like people care about Devin Brown.

And, to follow up my denouement with a proper conclusion (yeah, that's right, all that stuff earlier about not being able to organize writing was a clever ruse, so there), your Houston Rockets once again came away with a win against a team people expected to be better than us before the season started.

It was a solid win for the heroes of Red Nation, a game that exemplified our grit and perseverance, as it saw the Rockets allow a ten point lead to turn into an eight point deficit in a single quarter, only to regain control of the game and come away with the victory.

We've got 19 wins against 13 losses now, and Dirk and the Mavericks come to town on Thursday. Until then, rest easy, Houston, the Rockets may just yet be able to overcome the crippling loss of Tracy Mcgrady. And that, my friends, was sarcasm.

Insincere statements meant to cause a comedic effect and potentially incite laughter aside, as always, go Rockets.

Tonight's Stats

Houston Rockets: 117.4 points scored per 100 possessions, 108.7 points allowed per 100 possessions, 92 possessions.

New Orleans Hornets: 108.7 point scored per 100 possessions, 117.4 points allowed per 100 possessions, 92 possessions

All statistics courtesy of hoopdata.com

Mcgrady, Rockets Agree to Part Ways

So it's finally happened. As of earlier today, the Houston Rockets and disgruntled ex-star Tracy Mcgrady have decided that they will no longer attempt to keep up their recent facade of cooperation, with Mcgrady taking an indefinite leave from the team while we look to trade him. I can't really say this was unexpected, as we've been not-so-discreetly shopping T-Mac since last season and his banishment this weekend only made a trade all the more imminent.

I can say that I'm slightly disappointed both in Rockets' management (I know, blasphemy) and in Rick Adelman. First off, I'd like to qualify any forthcoming statements by saying that I think Adelman and Morey should win Coach and Executive of the Year, respectively. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I think we thoroughly mishandled this situation.

I was one of the (vocal) minority who believed that Mcgrady could return to being a productive player and possibly fill in our much-needed "closer" role. Mcgrady became even more potentially useful when Budinger went down with and ankle injuries and with Ariza's continuing futility on the offensive end, but more on that later.

What I loved, and still love, about Morey is how he manages to direct the team without ever actually interfering with it. He provides a roster with his handpicked gems and stays out of the way for the rest, allowing his players to prove time and again what a genius he is when it comes to finding talent.

Yet, in this situation, it was Morey who decided that Mcgrady would not play over the weekend. I'm sure this was exactly what Adelman wanted, so I can't really blame Morey, but I hope that this doesn't set a precedent of him taking too active of a role in actual game-decisions instead of sticking to personnel matters.

Although I run the risk of going overboard, I'm worried that Morey might follow the path set by Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard. For the past few years Pritchard was lauded as brilliant, making flurries of draft day moves and putting together an extremely promising and young Trailblazers team.

Yet, this past offseason, with his past success and building external pressure slowly getting to him, Pritchard decided to sign Andre Miller, seemingly only to make a proverbial splash in the free agent market. Three months later, Miller still isn't meshing with Brandon Roy and there are already trade rumors swirling around him.

But at the same time, it's nearly impossible to doubt Morey after considering how unbelievable he's been since taking over the Rockets.

He's made moves that I was openly against before and made me look like a dumbass with their results (see Alston, Rafer), so I can't really bring myself to doubt him, seeing as the man, to fill my quota of at least one cliched, overused sports phrase, has forgotten more about basketball than I'll ever know.

Plus, I think Morey is infinitely smarter than Pritchard and won't allow this to happen to him, I'd just like to point out that perfection for a General Manager is hardly permanent.

So, in spite of my disagreement with Morey on this particular issue, I still feel that if I had to trust one decision that I didn't like it would be one made by Daryl Morey, and I'm confident that he knows what he's doing.

My real issue lies with Rick Adelman. Adelman has been phenomenal this season and, like I said earlier, is my favorite for Coach of the Year, but I really don't think he handled the Mcgrady situation objectively.

I feel that part of Morey's seven-minute limit on Mcgrady's playing time partially had to do with how Mcgrady jerked himself in and out of the season last year and his subsequent announcing of his intention to undergo a micro-fracture surgery without consulting with the team first.

Although I'd hate to sound too lambasting-y, I think Adelman was too quick to discount Mcgrady when he could have provided the Rockets with exactly what we needed, a wing who can score and distribute while creating shots for himself and others at the end of games.

Plus, Mcgrady could have at least provided some respite for Ariza, who's struggles have gotten progressively worse as the season, well, progresses. He's been an offensive liability like no other, stopping ball movement, struggling to create off the dribble, turning the ball over and putting up bad shot after bad shot.

Plus, he seems to be regressing on defense, either as a result of sheer exhaustion or overconfidence, as he's been gambling for steals rather than playing solid, gritty, Battier-defense more and more as of late. But I don't want to turn this post into a flaming of Ariza, since, you know, what the hell else am I going to write about now that this Mcgrady saga is over?

Poor jokes aside, the point is that this article isn't about Ariza's struggles, so with the permission of you, my loyal and most-likely slightly bored reader, I'd like to move on.

What I'm circuitously getting at is despite whatever minor issues I might have with our nearly-flawless management, the fact remains that we're currently 18-13 with no help from Mcgrady and clearly didn't (don't) need him.

The question that begs to be answered now is what to do with what will now be referred to has Tracy Mcgrady's Expiring Contract, or, if you're a fan of less technical phrases, The Way We're Going to Trick Some Poor-As-Hell Team Into Giving Us A Star.

In spite of all of his flaws (and they are plentiful in number, I don't think there's much argument on that point), Mcgrady did one thing right: his contract expires at the perfect time. In a downtrodden economy, with teams struggling to break even while anxiously hiding their metaphorical boners for the clusterfuck that is the 2010 free agency period, the time is ripe for Daryl Morey to make a fool out of someone.

Bill Simmons has a few ideas of his own, my favorite being the deal for Chris Paul. They all follow a similar format, which is basically us giving up Tracy Mcgrady (and possibly Scola and/or Brooks depending on the caliber of the player we're getting back, the Paul deal has us giving them both) while taking back a slew of terrible contracts and one potential star/superstar/superduperstar.

So, in a roundabout and unnecessarily painful way, Mcgrady might actually end up giving us that legitimate go-to guy this year, except not by actually playing but from a series of events that started with his micro-fracture surgery in the off-season and culminating in his exile from the team for what can only be properly described as "incessant bitching."

So, thanks for the memories T-Mac, there definitely were some good ones. Namely, this one. And this one. Shit, I meant this one. And, if all goes right, thanks even more for what you're about to net us sometime between now and the February trade deadline. And, as always, go Rockets.

Mcgrady Unhappy With Role

For just a few games, Mcgrady was actually beginning to look like he bought into what the Rockets were selling. He was saying and doing all the right things, playing hard and sticking with the company line on his playing time. Now, six games later, he gives us this. Unhappy with his "cameo" roles, Mcgrady now wants an increase in his playing time.

I'm not sure how to react to this, because I for one fully agree that it's time to start increasing his minutes. It's been six games of his seven minute runs in the first quarter, and we might as well slowly starting dialing up his playing time to see if he's really ready for some burn.

At the same time I can't believe he actually came out and complained about his minutes publicly. He keeps talking about how we have a young team and an abrupt return would ruin our chemistry, but apparently he's gained some new perspective over the course of this last week.

According to Mcgrady, he feels "fine" and it's "time to start increasing [his] minutes." I'm not sure how Adelman or the Rockets are going to handle the Artist Formerly Known as T-Mac's request, but it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.

I Win

Some of you might recall me stating earlier today that my opinion is "utterly worthless." I'd just like to let you know that I was, in fact, grossly incorrect. Shortly after I stated my unhappiness at the Rockets' signing of Von Wafer, we learned that Von failed his physical and that we now instead called up Mike Harris from the D-League. So yeah, I win. Take your Von-hawk elsewhere, Vakeaton, you're not a Rocket.

Sorry Von

But at the end of the day, I'd take this guy over you ten times out of ten.



Oh, how I missed hearing "T-Mac to the rack."

Recently there's been some speculation that due to certain financial agreements I may in fact be rooting against the Rockets. I'd like to quell these rumors by stating that no, the reason I'm unhappy about signing Von Wafer is that we already have two backup shooting guards who are more than capable of handling the load themselves, three if you count Jermaine Taylor. He also bolted for Greece after being stupid enough to get tossed out of a playoff game against the Lakers. That, not a hidden agenda, is why I'm unhappy about resigning Von.

The Return of Vakeaton Quamar Wafer

Don't let the nay sayers tell you otherwise (red as it gets, cough, cough) but Von Wafer's triumphant return to Houston is good for the Rockets. Let me tell you a little secret about my co-blogger, he bet me $100 dollars that the Rockets would win less than 41 games this year. You might think to yourself, "Ok, lots of people doubted the Rockets before the season and this bet was perfectly acceptable;" however, he made this bet a little over a week ago! When the Rockets had already gotten off to a torrid start. Although he would say otherwise, he is secretly rooting against these Rockets. The real reason he is pissed about the Wafer signing is the fact that it clearly improves the Rockets.

Von Wafer is the athletic 2 guard the Rockets have been lacking. We hoped Jermaine Taylor could fill that role, but so far he hasn't worked out (although he did play well tonight). T-Mac is no longer the super athlete he once was, and Battier, Ariza, Budinger, and he are all small forwards at heart. Lowry has been gutsy filling in at shooting guard for stretches this season, but he provides nowhere near the possibilities of Wafer. The real casualty in this signing isn't Tracy (as others would have you believe), but Budinger. Chase has been a pleasant surprise to everyone but the biggest Arizona fans, but he is only the 4th best small forward on the roster. He has some skills, but he is not integral to the Rockets success. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy to death, but Wafer gives us a better chance to win. I would be skeptical, but Daryl Morrey has never made a mistake in his entire life so I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Also, who doesn't want a good Von-hawk?

Von's Back, Tell A Friend

Tonight is a night of returns for your Houston Rockets. Not only is (The Great) Steve Novak back in town, we just learned today that the Rockets will resign Von Wafer. So yeah, that's cool. Not like he yelled at our head coach and was sent to the locker room during the playoffs or anything. Oh wait. It's okay, at least we get to add another raw talent with oodles (yeah, I used oodles) of potential but a penchant for careless mistakes, since, you know, Brooks and Ariza weren't enough. Never mind, even comparing him to Brooks and Ariza is an insult to our two leading scorers. Wafer's stupidity on the basketball floor is untouchable.

Don't get me wrong, I love Von, but I really don't like adding a headcase to a team that's worked so well mainly because we haven't had a headcase. He's a phenomenal player and if he ever straightens out the league better be careful, but right now I really don't think we need him.

Plus, this move effectively marginalizes Tracy Mcgrady, meaning that we're most likely leaning towards trading him. Jermaine O'neal, here we come. I had hoped that we'd give T-Mac a shot in the time Budinger was out, but clearly it looks like we have other plans.

Now don't get me wrong, this move could turn out to be an ingenious one, and it wouldn't surprise me if Morey's plan to resign Wafer all along was let him leave to Greece, struggle with his new team and return here for cheaper than ever before, but, as dumb as it sounds to say this about a player who really only made a difference for a few months, I'd gotten over Von. I was excited to see what he would do this year with Mcgrady out for extended time, but after he decided that he'd rather go overseas I'd figured that we were done with him.

In any case, my opinion is, at the end of the day, utterly worthless. I can bitch and moan all I want about the signing, but Wafer is still going to be suiting up for us and getting burn while Mcgrady sits on the bench and watches. So yeah, yay for Von Wafer. I knew he'd be back all along. He's got so much talent, I can't wait to see how he does when he's finally given the opportunity. It's not that he has attitude issues, it's just that he hasn't received proper direction. No, no, he doesn't make stupid mistakes, he's just over-eager. And look, he's so happy he's "about to start crying."

Fuck it. I'm unhappy we signed him and that's that. Hopefully he'll at least have the courtesy to bring the Von-hawk back. Game's going on right now against the Clippers, here's Billy's preview.

The Return of Novak

Tonight, the Rockets take on the Los Angeles Clippers. This is yet another opportunity for us to measure our team this year. How will we respond after a couple of big wins? How will we handle our 5th game in 8 days? Can we keep from looking ahead to the Orlando game tomorrow? The Clippers are a mediocre team. They are no longer the laughing stock of the West and have a pretty talented roster including Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, and Chris Kaman. Personally, I have a special place in my heart for B-Diddy because of his performance in the 2007 playoffs for the Warriors. If you remember, he led Golden State to a huge upset over the hated, #1 seeded Mavericks. And he had this sick dunk on Kirlenko in the next round.



However, the most intriguing story line in tonight's game is the triumphant return of Steve Novak to the Toyota Center. I was at the game last year vs. the Clips and was treated to a show by Novak and Von Wafer. In the 4th quarter (we were up 20 or so points), Novak and Wafer decided to play an impromptu game of horse. Novak followed each of Von's swishes with perfect shots of his own. We were mesmerized by the performance and waved our Welcome Back Novak signs with pride. I can't make it to tonight's game, but I will be watching Novak closely on TV. He's averaging a respectable 1.5 points per game and is a frequent topic of discussion for ESPN's Bill Simmons.

Tonight is also our best chance to watch the single worst coach in the NBA, Mike Dunleavy. Instead of wasting my time writing about this idiot, just go read anything Simmons has written about him.

And now I leave you with our memories of the Great Steve Novak

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Recap

"Lord knows you try and I'm glad to have you on our team, but please, for everyone's sake, could you just tone it down a little? Ariza's effective field goal percentage this season is a little under 45 percent. For perspective reasons, that's right above Larry Hughes." - Me calling out Trevor Ariza on his shooting struggles

So, uh, this is awkward. In the two games after I criticized Ariza's shot selection he's gone 16 of 30, good for about 53 percent, capped off by his 31 point explosion tonight on just 20 shots. The way I see it, there are only two rational explanations for this phenomena. One, Ariza reads my articles and values my opinion so greatly that he altered his game according to what I suggested to him. The other is that he found the ball in Space Jam that the Mon-stars used to steal the abilities of NBA players and took Kevin Durant's shooting stroke. Personally, I think it's the latter. His two best games this season have come against the Cavaliers and the Thunder. Who plays on the Cavs and Thunder? None other than two of the best scorers in the NBA, Lebron James and the aforementioned Durant. I think we're onto something here. Sorry for outing you, Trevor.

But in all seriousness, Ariza has been sensational as of late, especially tonight. He took over for the Rockets in the first half when nobody else could by a bucket, scoring 23 points in the 23 minutes that he played. He picked his spots, had a couple of impressive moves and finishes in the lane and was quick with his release on his threes, leading to a 5-8 night from beyond the arc. My only complaint is his 4-10 shooting from the free throw line, coming on the heels of a 3-5 night against the Mavericks. I understand that players have cold streaks from the line, but when the game is hanging in the balance, missing five straight free throws in unacceptable. All in all though, a spectacular effort from Ariza that made the difference between a narrow win and an ugly loss.

A few more random notes on the game before we get to the actual recapping. Firstly, I was in attendance tonight. I broke out the six-year old, throwback Steve Francis jersey and my "Luis Scola the Argentine Machine" sign to trek up to the nosebleeds. I also caught a shirt. Not really sure what the point of mentioning that was, I just thought somebody should know. But yeah, overall it was a very fun game, the Toyota Center crowd was a little underwhelming in size but definitely made up for it in noise when it mattered late in the game.

Secondly, what is wrong with the Thunder's offense? They look extremely stagnant on the offensive side of the ball and their sets are essentially just isolations for Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green or James Harden. Once in a while they bring Durant off screens for jumpers or let him go one-on-one, but it really seems like there's no flow, rhyme or reason to what they're trying to do. I realize this is just one game, but there's no way a team this talented should be 21st in the league in offensive efficiency. Scott Brooks has done a tremendous job with this outfit and turned them into one of the best defensive teams in the league, but please, let's see a little creativity on offensive, shall we? I'm sure the offense will improve as the team grows together and becomes more consistent, but I'd just like to see a little more movement on offense, if that's not too much to ask.

In any case, here's what I liked and disliked about tonight's game in no particular order.

The Good

-Like I mentioned before, Trevor Ariza was amazing tonight. He didn't force anything, worked hard in the post for position and went strong to the basket, hit open threes and also contributed 8 boards and 6 assists to go with his usual 2 steals and block.

-The Chuckwagon was at his best tonight, pouring in 14 points to go with his 15 rebounds. He also had a few nifty moves in the lane, including a jump hook and a no-look layup that he flipped behind his head a la Steve Nash. Yeah, I just compared Chuck Hayes' offensive game to Steve Nash. I'm sorry, Stevie, you know I love you. More than you could ever imagine, in fact. But Chuck Hayes' layup was truly a thing of beauty.

-James Harden. I know usually Rockets players are supposed to go here, but Harden was the one Thunder player who genuinely entertained me tonight. He threw down a monstrous slam on three Rocket defenders and skied for a huge rejection on the next play. The kid's got a bright, bright future ahead of him.

-Our defense on Kevin Durant was also wonderful to watch tonight. Battier was once again Battier, fighting all night, shading Durant and making life difficult in general for the budding superstar. We held Durant to 13 points on 18 shots, not an easy feat for any team.

The Bad

-Aaron Brooks was a no-show tonight, going 2 of 15 from the field en route to 5 points and 4 assists. Yeah, he's young, and yeah, he's a bit of a streaky player. I know, I know, Russell Westbrook is an excellent defender and did a hell of a job guarding Brooks, but for a team with as little room for error as us, we need Brooks to either be scoring or dishing well to win most games.

-The injury bug seems to have stricken (or is it struck?) us again. A day after Landry bit the dust (yeah, you see what I did there), Budinger went down with an apparent ankle/foot injury in the first half. If either player misses significant time that's a big blow to our bench, which has been one of our greatest strengths all season.

-The free throw shooting was also depressing, as we went 11-21 from the line. I don't see anything worrying here, it's just something to note. In a game as close as this one, every point counts, and missing free ones and the line can be disastrous. Brooks missed a key free throw late in the game and Ariza went absolutely cold from the line for a stretch in the fourth, but I'm confident this was more of an anomaly than anything else.

-We couldn't close out the Thunder in the third, which frightens me just a little. We had our collective foot on their throats late in the third quarter and were up 17, only to let them cut the defecit to single digits by the end of the period and get within one in the fourth. This didn't really come back to hurt us tonight, but against better offensive teams? You bet it will. We either need to tighten up on the defensive end or find and effective way to score when everyone goes cold, a recurring problem this season.

The Ugly

-I never, ever thought I would say this, but the ugly tonight was Kevin Durant. Not only did he miss 12 of his 18 shot attempts, he looked sluggish on offense and spent most of the game standing in the corner waiting for the ball. I don't know if this is a product of the offensive system or just an off night (I'm thinking it's the latter), but he has to understand that he can't just disappear or his team simply won't be able to win games. Also, there might be some fans out there who wanted him to somehow score 50 in a valiant but losing effort so they could see a Rockets win and a great performance from him, and he let me down. I mean them. He let them down.

Overall it was a great effort from the Rockets today and a win that could come in handy later in the season if we find ourselves battling with the Thunder for a playoff spot. Also, I didn't get to mention Jeff Green anywhere above, so I'd just to note that he scored 21 on 16 shots on an array of drives, post up moves and jumpers, looking very comfortable the whole time. A good night for Green, it's too bad he had little help. We're now 16-11 and staying at home for the next few days before meeting the Clippers on Tuesday, a potential trap game as we're playing the Magic the very next night. But as for now, sleep well tonight, Houston, your team's a winner. And, as always, go Rockets.

Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks Game Preview

So, here we are again. Round III of Rockets-Mavs, also known by many as Jason Terry's Third Favorite Day of the Year. In case you were wondering, the first two were the first two times the Mavericks play us. No, not Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Not Halloween. I know, I know, Jason Terry must be some sort of horrible, sinister man. And guess what? His fourth favorite day of the year? It's the fourth time he plays the Rockets. Yeah, that's right. Out of the Big Three of winter holidays, only one of them makes Terry's list of favorite days of the year. And if you're thoroughly confused by my feeble attempts at a segue/introduction to an article, I'll stop by saying that the joke is that Terry lights up the Rockets. And I mean really, really, lights up the Rockets. I could probably make a joke here about him lighting us up so badly we look like firecrackers, or something of that ilk, but I'll save you the anger and myself the embarrassment by moving on.

The first two games of this series have been blowouts, with the Mavericks beating the Rockets by a combined 49 points. In two games. That's a lot of points. For all you fans of advanced stats, and pardon me if I'm wrong, I'm not exactly a mathematician, that's an average of 24.5 points a game. So what can everyone's favorite overachievers do to stop the bleeding? I'm glad you asked, me from ten seconds ago. In fact, I'm so glad, I think I'll tell you.

We should start by putting Chuck Hayes/Carl Landry on Dirk Nowitzki. I know, I know, the idea that this guy is one of the most feared players in the league maddens me, but the sad truth is that the best way to stop the Mavericks is to slow down Dirk. The way the rosters line up, Scola would be the one guarding Dirk. As great of a defender as Scola is, I like the idea of putting the smaller, quicker Hayes and the more athletic Landry on Dirk. We saw in 2007 that smaller, more athletic players give Dirk troubles, and while the idea of banking on a strategy two years old when so many players have changed, grown or regressed is ludicrous, it's not like people have found any other way to defend Dirk successfully. Plus, what we've been doing against the Mavericks clearly hasn't been working, so there's no harm in switching things up a little, no?

Well, yes, there kind of is. Switching how we guard Dirk is going to be rendered useless if we can't stop Jason Terry. In two games against us, Terry's scored 51 points and missed two shots. He has an effective field goal percentage of 108.3 against us. I don't know if that's so depressing that it's funny yet, but it's still pretty damn depressing. Yes, I know, talented players get hot and there's little you can do to stop them when they do. And yes, Jason Terry is one of the deadliest players in the league when he's stroking the ball, but really? Put a damn hand in his face. Push him around a little. I don't care if Trevor Ariza doesn't take a damn shot (that might actually be a positive on both ends of the floor, but I'll get to that in a minute) he needs to be all over Terry. Yeah, Terry might still get his 25, but I'd rather have it be a hard earned 25 than 25 off of open midrange jumpers and threes.

Remember when I mentioned Ariza up there? Well depending on your reading profiency it may or may not have been a minute, but I'm addressing Ariza now anyways. Before I say anything, Trevor, I want you to know that I love you. I really do. Lord knows you try and I'm glad to have you on our team, but please, for everyone's sake, could you just tone it down a little? Ariza's effective field goal percentage this season is a little under 45 percent. For perspective reasons, that's right above Larry Hughes. Yes, this Larry Hughes. Ariza's futility is only made even more egregious when you realize that he takes nearly 7 threes a game.

"So wait," I bet you're asking me right now. "Ariza's shooting percentage when calculated using a metric that is supposed to favor three point shooters still says he can't shoot?" "Yes," I bet I would answer, "that's exactly right." What does this tell us about Ariza? He needs to take the damn ball to the basket more often. He's starting to look more comfortable driving than he was earlier in the year and he's also began to finish with authority rather than trying to finesse the ball into the hoop like he was at the season's beginning. I'm fine with him taking wide open, spot up threes, but that means three a game at most, no more of these 1-8 nights from range like he put up against Denver two days ago. Ariza has all the tools to be a sensational player, he just needs to use the talents he has and play his game. Please, Trevor, no more channeling your inner Rafer Alston. Drive hard to the basket, finish strong, take your open shots, play tough defense and start turning into the guy we all hoped you'd become.

So where are our points going to come from? Enter, Aaron Brooks. Brooks has been lethal recently, averaging 21 points a game in December while getting into the lane almost at will. Brooks is quietly turning into the player everyone hoped he'd be at the beginning of the season, penetrating into the lane to create shots for himself and others, stopping on a dime for his Calvin Murphy-esque pull-up jumper and dishing the ball better than I'd dare hoped for him to before the season began. He'll need to be extra-dominant tonight, as Jason Kidd will be guarding him and, if you hadn't really heard, Jason Kidd can't stay in front of anyone anymore.

And while the Mavericks have the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in Jason Terry, we have a sub of our own who's not too shabby himself. Carl Landry has been phenomenal this season, and we'll need him to be at his best tonight against the Mavericks. We've struggled to score agains the Mavericks this season, averaging a little over 101 points per 100 possessions against them, which would put us at 9th worst in the league. Landry's going to need to shoulder some of the scoring burden, which hasn't been a problem for him thus far.

Next, threes are the key to our success. In two games against the Mavericks this season we've shot a combined 11 for 43 from beyond the arc, good for about 26 percent. When you take the third most threes in the NBA like we do, you need to hit them to beat good teams like the Mavericks. Like they say, if you live by the three then you'll die by the three, and against the Mavericks the three has been, well, it's been murdering the shit out of us.

And it's not just our threes. The Mavericks have been knocking them down from deep against us, going 16 of 27 from behind the arc in the two games we've played, good for 55 percent. If we can defend the three a little better while hitting them at our usual clip, we should be in a much better position to win tonight than we have been the past two times we've matched up against the Mavericks.

Finally, I think we've just been a little unlucky against the Mavericks this season. Jason Terry is great, but not going 17 of 19 great. We're a good three point shooting team, so we're surely not going to shoot 25 percent from long range for a third game against the same team. Also, it's not like the Mavericks have really killed us in any one aspect in both games, it's been more of them hitting shots at an unsustainable clip and our players missing. If that happens for a third time, then so be it. Sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles. You're going to have nights when you can't seem to hit the side of a barn (Which, when you think about it, is sort of irrelevant. We're playing basketball, not some twisted rural game that involves throwing balls at a barn.) and you're opponent can't seem to miss. That's just basketball. Hopefully, it doesn't happen to us for a third straight game. I honestly can't stand the sight of seeing Jason Terry pretending to fly around like a plane against us one more time. We get it, Jason, your nickname is JET. It's very original, you're a funny guy. Now please stop it.

Expect a hard fought, well-contested matchup tonight folks. I understand, you're probably going to be tempted to go out and you know, have a life tonight, but stay in, for his sake. Oh god I uploaded the wrong picture. That's more like it. And, as always, go Rockets.

Houston Rockets: 14-11, 96.5 possessions per game (9th), 104.2 points scored per 100 possessions (16th), 103.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (15th)

Dallas Mavericks: 19-7, 93.9 possessions per game (23rd), 106.2 points scored per 100 possessions (11th), 99.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (4th)

All stats courtesy of hoopdata.com

Hold On, Kenny Thomas Is In Town: Rockets Beat Kings 113-106

Three months ago, if someone had told you, and by you I mean me, that watching the Rockets sans Yao and Mcgrady play the Kevin Martin-less Sacramento Kings in late November would be a highly competitive, tightly contested, back and forth affair, you (I) would have chucked a crumpled up Rockets 2009-10 Season Preview at them and kept wallowing in self-pity, dreading a season in which the Rockets would be without their three leading scorers from last year.

Yet, here we are. Those season previews are still crumpled up but we're too happy to throw them at anyone, Mcgrady and Yao and still out and the Rockets are still as exciting to watch as ever. And oh, yeah, those Kings are 4-3 without Martin and actually bearable to watch.

The Rockets, in a manner nearly the exact opposite of what one would expect from a team playing its fifth game in seven nights just 25 hours after losing on a buzzer-beating tip-in, came out and played what I've come to know as "Daryl Morey Presents: Rockets Basketball". The ball movement was crisp, the cuts were sharp, the loose balls were chased and the points were scored. In bunches. Yet, those pesky Kings, despite the absence of Tyreke Evans due to ankle and finger injuries, hung tough and played tougher.

After a back and forth second quarter, the Kings came roaring back in the third thanks to what has been the Rockets' only Achilles Heel this season, their tendency to go through scoring droughts, thanks in no small part to Spencer Hawes and Beno Udrih. 24 and 18 points for each, respectively.

Then came along the fourth quarter, which was all about Kyle Lowry and Carl Landry, or, as Matt Bullard affectionately called them, the "L and L Railroad." And, as if it was even a question, I'm buying. Landry has become our best and most consistent all around scorer, and came through once again with a 13-point effort in the fourth. Lowry was the catalyst that sparked Landry's offensive explosion, running the offense so well that Adelman actually called Aaron Brooks back to the bench with two minutes left in the fourth as the former Oregon Duck was about to reenter the game. (On a side note, why has nobody started calling Aaron Brooks the Mighty Duck yet? This need to happen. Like now.)

Scola was my pick for MVP of the night with a typically Scola-ian effort, tallying 22 and 12 with at least four "Plays That Every NBA Player Can Make But Only A Few Do." My favorite came halfway through the first quarter when, after scoring on a layup, Scola abruptly deciding to stop running down the court and deflect the inbounds pass, nearly coming up with the steal. Yes, the ball harmlessly rolled out of bounds and the Kings still advanced up the court without any real difficulty, but I still loved the play. It was completely unnecessary and utterly useless in the grander scheme of things, but that's what made it so special, it was a microcosm of what the Rockets have been this season.

Scola, and the Rockets as a whole this year, keep doing the little things that nobody pays attention to, and, as stated in nearly every relationship-related conflict by the member of the couple that belongs to the fairer sex, it's the little things that matter.

Ariza continued to simultaneously frustrate and woo Rockets fans everywhere, taking his share of bad shots but more than canceling out his 7-19 shooting with 19 points, his usual active, disruptive defense and a gorgeous, athletic layup in the waning minutes that all but iced the game. Oh, and he didn't turn the ball over once. In 43 minutes. Coming from a guy who uses just one less possession per game than Steve Nash even though he's had about nine less years to get used to being a high-volume player. That's the definition of helping your team.

The Rockets as a whole were stingy with the ball, only coughing it up 8 times to the Kings' 14. That, coupled with a plus-three advantage on the offensive glass means the Rockets had nine more opportunities to score than their opponents. In a seven point game, nine extra possessions is just huge.The Kings shot better than the Rockets both from the field and beyond the arc, but the Rockets were just able to put up more shots, and on a night like this, quantity overcame quality. And of course, that 24-26 mark from the free throw line didn't hurt any.

The Rockets out-rebounded the Kings tonight by seven, and while that isn't a huge margin of victory it's still significant, especially when you consider the massacre that was the rebounding battle the last time these two teams met. Credit here goes first to Scola, who snagged 12 caroms while helping to keep Jason Thompson off the boards.

The Rockets bench was also a huge factor tonight, which shouldn't be a surprise when your bench has Carl Landry, Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger and David Andersen. 42 points off the pine for the Rockets against 24 for the Kings, and while that stat is telling, it still doesn't convey how important the Rockets bench was, and has been all year, for this team. The Rockets' crunch time lineup included both Lowry and Landry, who, if you've been reading carefully, don't start. Yes, in the fourth quarter of a close game, two fifths of our lineup were guys who were sitting down at tip-off. Or doing this. But hopefully they were just sitting. In case you're wondering, one of those Kings bench points was scored by Kenny Thomas. Yes, ex-Rocket Kenny Thomas. Oh Kenny, how I've missed you.

And for those of you wondering exactly when the hell those Kings became so, for lack of a better phrase, annoying, ponder no further. Just know that if it wasn't for the Rockets and Morey, I would call the way the Rockets have been playing this year "Sacramento Kings Without Kevin Martin Basketball," if that makes any sense. Yet, unfortunately for the Kings, we exist, so it's still "Dary Morey Presents: Rockets Basketball" in my heart.

All in all, a stellar effort from both sides, and, to channel my inner rec-league soccer coach, it's a pity only one team could win. But I'm still glad it wasn't us. Keep those season previews out of the air, my friends, all's well in Houston. We're 8-6 and have three days off before Dirk and the Mavericks come to town. And, as always, go Rockets.

We're slightly surprised that there was no standing ovation for Kenny, who, in our opinion, was always one of the good ones

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

It never fails. It really, truly, never fails. Tracy "You Better Still Call Me T-Mac" Mcgrady is at it again. This happens every time we show the slightest hint of optimism about him, every time a sliver of hope peaks through the shroud of darkness that is Tracy Mcgrady's tenure as a Rocket: he squashes it. To stay recent, after a phenomenal 2008 Playoffs he announced he needed shoulder and knee surgery, quelling any ideas that he was for once fully healthy. Last season he distracted and restricted the team, trying to play through an injury while making sure everybody knew that he was, in fact, injured by looking absolutely miserable on the floor, shooting like it was 2002 and then destroying any shot we had at trading him by announcing the day before the trade deadline that he would be getting microfracture surgery. Now, after weeks of stories about how motivated he is and how well he is progressing, apparently Mcgrady and Adelman had a heated exchange before Wednesday night's Timberwolves game about when he would return. Mcgrady was frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of communication between him and the organization, and continued his passive-aggressive assault on the Rockets by suiting up for the game and shooting around before actually approaching Adelman. The confrontation was icy at best and sources even said that shouting could be heard coming from the coach's office.

This is not a new story, rather just the resurgence of an old one. Mcgrady and the Rockets, and Adelman to be more specific, do not get along. What Mcgrady doesn't understand, though, is that the Rockets do not need him this season. The team is more than happy to continue the way it has been, fighting hard every night and winning enough to make it worthwhile. Yes, we probably need Mcgrady to truly contend for the title, but not if he's going to act like a prima donna. We need the Mcgrady that played for us from January to April of 2008, the selfless leader who led a defense, rebounded hard, distributed when he needed to and cold-bloodedly took over games when he had to. I know, I've romanticized what Mcgrady was during those three months, but compared to what he is now that's hardly an exaggeration. Mcgrady is still scheduled to undergo an MRI before the team clears him to return, and I'm guessing that the organization will choose a course of action based on the results of the scan. If Mcgrady is in fact fully healthy and ready to return, he and Adelman need to work out whatever the hell is bothering them if we're going to get anywhere this year. Otherwise, things like this will continue to happen.

Now, in spite of all this, I just want to establish that I'm still very, very excited for Mcgrady's return. This teams potential with an invested, motivated T-Mac is off the charts. If he understands how great he can be without shooting contested, step-back 20 footers every time he touches the ball we can truly be a special team. If he realizes how talented of a passer he is and how badly we need him to run the offense, we can be dominant. If he puts the Rockets as a whole before himself, and disproves his doubters with his teammates rather than in spite of them, we're a title contender. Damn, that's a lot of if's.

Sloth Is A Sin

If you're one of our loyal fans who regularly checks and reads Bring Back Novak, I'd first off like to thank you for your support. All two of you. And I guess I can't really count myself, so thanks for reading my articles, Billy. It means a lot. In any case, you've probably realized that we haven't been doing much posting. But I promise you, that's a thing of the past. And if you're thinking that I made this exact same promise about three weeks ago and spectacularly failed to come through on it, you're exactly right. Broken promises and shoddy articles, that's the stuff we're made of here at Bring Back Novak. But in any case, a lot of stuff's been going on in Red Nation (an apology to all our Cherokee readers, that link was in jest) and it's our job to give you our two cents on them. And, I guess it's our job to also let you know that two cents is way, way too much to pay to hear what we have to say.


Houston Rockets 101, Los Angeles Lakers 91

A redemptive (I don't think that's a word) victory of sorts for the good guys. After a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Kobe's, we (read: Aaron Brooks and our bench) were able to steal a game in Los Angeles. I'll admit that I was only able to watch the first half and the last 8 minutes of the fourth quarter thanks to Peyton Manning's heroics and my inability to change the channel, but I really, really liked what I saw. Especially the part when the Lakers fans started to boo them. Quality fans, Los Angeles, quality fans. Ariza looked a little skittish playing against his old team, but then again it might just have been that the weight of that ring was throwing off his shot. Damnit, not that ring. This ring. Brooks played like a man possessed, dropping 33 on 23 shots, Andersen saw Pau Gasol hurt and realized that one soft European had to step up his game, Carl Landry was as efficient as ever and Kyle Lowry was, for lack of a better phrase, an absolute bulldog. The hands down best moment of the game was Lowry, by far the smallest guy on the floor at 6'0, grabbing two offensive rebounds on the same possession late in the fourth. You're not quite there yet, Andrew. Oh, and this happened. So yeah, thanks for that Ron. You're a real swell guy.

Houston Rockets 105, Phoenix Suns 111

Just as a disclaimer, I know I'm supposed to be mad at the Suns, but I really can't help but fawn over Steve Nash. So if you notice me starting to ramble feel free to gloss over a few sentences. This was a hard, hard fought loss and I can't really blame the Rockets for not being able to beat a very talented, more experienced Suns team, who, by the way, seems to also be overachieving just a little. I had high expectations going into this game for the Nash vs. Brooks matchup, and the guys did not disappoint. Brooks had a career high 13 assists and while Nash's shot wasn't falling, he still was able to get 16 of his own. Which, well, was not a career high for him. Not even close. Watching Steve Nash play basketball is one of the few, pure, unadulterated joys man has left. Looking at his stats, impressive as they are, does not do the man justice. He's so smooth, so in control, so poised, he executes the pick-and-roll like no other and that pull-up jumper is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. And believe me, I've seen some pretty things. Yes, that was necessary. And then of course there's Goran Dragic, once commonly known as "The Other White Guy Who Kind of Looks Like Nash from a Distance but is Nowhere Near as Good," but now more frequently referred to as "The Guy Who Goes in to Make Sure People Realize How Good Nash is by Comparison." A career night for Carl Landry, who I'm convinced is our best, or at least most consistent, scorer. 27 points on 18 shots for The Toothless One. But to briefly sum up the game, we came out hot, as usual, and were looking like we would take a double digit lead into halftime before the Suns utilized a 12-0 run to cut our lead to three at the break. Amare sort of had his way inside (I say sort of because until he realizes that to truly control the paint he has to do so on the defensive end of the floor as well as the offensive one he'll never really dominate the inside) and Jason Richardson had a couple of hot streaks, and the second half, especially the fourth quarter, was made up of us struggling to create quality shots against a surprisingly resilient Suns defense. All in all, a tough loss against a tough team, nothing to get too down about.

Houston Rockets 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 84

So, uh, looks like Ricky Rubio might have made the right decision after all. There really is nothing like playing the Timberwolves to get you back on track. Except, maybe, playing the Nets. Or the Warriors. Or the Grizzlies. Or the Clippers. Oh, those Clippers. Those poor, poor Clippers. In any case, this is why I wasn't too broken up about losing to the Suns. We had the Timberwolves next. But in all seriousness, this was actually a great win for the Rockets. I don't think there's anything harder in the NBA than the end of a back-to-back that makes you leave home for the second game, as both the Suns and then Lakers have just shown us. Ariza once again struggled to prove that he can handle using 23 possessions a game, a usage rate that puts him just under Steve Nash. Ariza is a great player and is filled to the brim with talent, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a high volume player. He can dominate a game without having to hang on to the ball, and we need to more actively find ways for him to do that. Still, a solid outing for Trevor, nothing that really deserves those last few sentences. Scola was the standout with 20 and 16. Landry came back down to Earth pretty hard, with a 5-0-0 line that looks like something Derek Fisher would boast. The game was a lot closer than the final score might indicate, with the 'Wolves hanging around for 3 and a half quarters before we finally put them away. Al Jefferson was 20-10 on 9 shots and is starting to round back into last season's form, but was held down for the last eight minutes of the game after a Carl Landry kick to the head, which, not coincidentally, coincided with us pulling away and the Timberwolves struggling to score. I take back that Derek Fisher joke, Carl, you might have just won the game for us. A much needed break in a tough game against an opponent desperate, and I truly mean desperate, for a win. 2010 and the long, flowing, Spanish hair it will bring can't come soon enough for the T-Wolves.


Houston Rockets @ Atlanta Hawks, Thursday (6:30 Central)

We've got the Hawks in Atlanta on Thursday in what's sure to be a great game. Josh Smith is reborn and re-topping my list of favorite non-Rockets, trailing only Steve Nash for the number one spot. Joe Johnson is Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford has been a revelation and Mike Bibby is, well, he's really damn old and showing signs of decline. The key Thursday is containing Horford, who's truly been a man amongst boys so far this season. Like our own Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, Horford is slightly undersized, even if it is to a lesser extent, and still manages to dominate the paint, even if it is to a greater extent. Our bench output will need to be as strong as ever to counteract the combustible Jamar Crawford, because if he gets hot we'll need Landry, Lowry and Budinger to all produce, which is hardly unlikely. Andersen can help too. Defense will be essential tomorrow, as the Hawks are third in offensive efficiency in the NBA with a phenomenal 110.1 points per 100 possessions. To put that in perspective, we only score about 105 per 100. Ariza, Hayes and company will also need to have hands as active as ever, as the Hawks are the second stingiest team with possession in the NBA as they turn the ball over just a shade under 21 percent of the time. If you're wondering whether there's a correlation between the Hawks' turnover rate and their offensive efficiency, there is, and if we can create turnovers and easy opportunities in transition it'll go a long way to helping us return home with the win. In any case, it's going to be a fun one at Philips Arena, and hopefully we can leave the A-Town after handing the Hawks their first home loss of this young season. And, as always, go Rockets.

He's Baaaaack

Tracy Mcgrady has announced that he plans to play on November 18. As excited as I am to see a motivated, hopefully healthy T-Mac back on the floor, I can't help but wonder what it's going to do to our chemistry. Hopefully he'll play within the offense, pick his spots, focus on distributing and take over in crunch time, but that's all in a perfect world. There's just as real of a chance that he'll be selfish, disrupt ball movement and ruin the flow of the offense, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. This Rockets team has been spectacular so far and adding a versatile player like Mcgrady who could potentially play unselfish, involved basketball is just deadly. If he can find a way to still let Ariza, Scola and Brooks get their touches while maintaining control of the game, we're in pretty shape. I think that in an offense as up-tempo as ours there will always be points to go around, so I can easily see the aforementioned three still averaging their 15-17 a game with Mcgrady getting his 20. I think the key to everything meshing is running the offense through Mcgrady, as he's still our best passer. Ariza will still score on his open threes and jumpers off of drive-and-kicks, Brooks will still be able to attack the basket when he wants or work the pick and roll, Scola will get his post touches and easy baskets off Mcgrady's drives and Mcgrady will find a way to score, just as he has for his whole career. I fully understand how risky it is to add a partially past his prime superstar with an ego and a personal agenda, but I also have to stress how dangerous this Rockets team can be with Tracy Mcgrady. Adding T-Mac doubles the potential this group has, and that's in no way an exaggeration. He is good enough of a passer that he'll make up for the shots he takes by creating more open looks for guys, meaning that the well-balanced offense that's become the Rockets' trademark this year will not just disappear, and he'll also provide us with a go-to guy, something we've been sorely lacking.

So, here's hoping that the Mcgrady we get is the Mcgrady we grew to worship during the 22-game winning streak. The guy that made his teammates better, passed when he could and scored when he had to, dominated the game without overpowering his teammates and brought the most out of a team that many left for dead. And, just as a little reminder of who Mcgrady is, I'll leave you with a little video. Hopefully you'll find it slightly more than familiar.

On a side note, Mcgrady's November 18 return is not a concrete date. There's conflicting information coming from the Rockets, who say it's after November 23, and Mcgrady, who said the 18th. But we think the story is much more exciting if it's the 18th, so yeah, Mcgrady is back on the 18th!!!

Raise Your Hand If You Called 3-1...

I'm going to go ahead and guess that nobody has their hands up. That includes me. I want to be entirely frank and say that I did not see us winning 3 of 4 games to start the season. I didn't think we would make the playoffs, I thought we would struggle to score and I sure as hell didn't have us sitting at first in the Southwest Division, regardless of how many games have been played. Granted, it's only been four. There's plenty of time remaining for all three of the aforementioned problems to arise, but that's currently irrelevant. What matters right now is that the Rockets are 3-1, which, to be honest, we should have expected if only because none of us expected it. Yeah, low expectations, lots of doubters, an undermanned team comes out and proves everyone wrong. If that story sounds familiar, it's because it's the same damn story we have every year with these guys. I'm going to be the first to say that I need to learn to stop doubting this team, hope for the best and just roll with the wheels. Of the wagon. Of the Chuck-wagon. You saw what I did there, I don't even need to explain it. Aaron Brooks is averaging his 20 a game, which was to be expected, but he's also doing it within the offense and getting 8 assists a night, which I didn't believe him to be capable of doing. Ariza is scoring 20 points an outing after never averaging more than 9 a game. Because that's just how the NBA works? Because he's just tapping into his vast talent? Because basketball is more dependent on the situation than the player? Anyone? I didn't think so. Trying to make sense of what is going on is futile, just like trying to make sense of taking the Lakers to 7 games was futile, just like trying to make sense of winning 12 games in a row after losing our best player was futile.

Anyways, credit for all of this must once again go to Daryl Morey. You know your GM is good when late in the second round he picks a stringy white guy whose claim to fame is how good of a volleyball player he was and you find yourself buying into the pick. You know your GM is great when the pick actually pans out four games in to the year. Thank you, Daryl Morey, for being you. And, if you're wondering whether or not "stringy" is actually an adjective, I am too.

In other news, the Rockets play the Lakers tonight. Everyone's been making a big deal of how the Lakers have been struggling, but they're fans have been chalking it up to the absence of Pau. I'd like to point out to our friends in Hollywood that we're without Yao and Mcgrady. Oh, and the guy with the tight shorts starting at small forward for you? He's actually our second best player from last year. And you still have Vanessa Bryant. So I don't think missing out on Pau is really good enough of an excuse.

Also, just as a heads up, Budinger is out with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day. Ankle injuries are fickle, so here's hoping it's not to serious.

Back to talk about the game again, tonight is going to be a hell of a fight, so let's hope the good guys can keep the magic rolling. Speaking of Magic rolling, Orlando fans should probably get used to this image. There's going to be a lot of Vince Carter rolling around on the floor over the course of the next year. But to get back on topic, tonight also doubles as Ron Artest's homecoming and Ariza's first game against his old team, so let's hope their ex-guy who's now our guy destroys their guy who used to be our guy. And Kobe too. Not because he used to be on our team, but because Kobe sucks.

Pictured: The heart of the Lakers team. And Kobe.

I'd make a prediction for tonight's game, but I've pretty much given up on making predictions with this team. We've reached a point where I'm actually considering taking the most logical prediction and just going the entirely opposite way with it when it comes to the Rockets, because they clearly just don't understand the concept of not having enough talent. They don't get that you can't win games with grit, hard work and heart, that teams are never more than the sum of their parts. They don't understand that they're not supposed to be a playoff team, that second round picks who've built careers as role players don't just transform into 18-a-game guys. And, quite honestly, I'm glad they don't. Let's hear it for ignorance, let's hear it for overcoming odds and let's hear it for the Red Nation. And, as always, go Rockets.

Let's Get It On

Our season starts tonight in Portland, at 9 p.m. Central. For those of you wondering at home, that's 10 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Mountain. And I believe around 2 in the afternoon for our fans in Vanuatu. Tomorrow. In any case, this is going to be one hell of a game. There's the obvious reasons: it's the first game of a new season, this is the most unpredictable Rockets team in recent memory and because it's the 155th anniversary of the day Swedish writer/pacifist Klas Pontus Arnoldson was born. (In a semi-related note, while searching on Wikipedia for that last event I noticed that today is Andrew Bynum's birthday. I also noticed that today is also Yi Jianlin's birthday, except nobody is sure because his birth date is "disputed." So there's that.) In any case, tonight's game is more than just a season opener. It's a season opener against a team we ousted in the playoffs last season, only we've gotten a lot worse and they've gotten better. So it's safe to say they're going to want to come out and destroy us. So my only request for the Rockets tonight is to attack. To play with no mercy, to play like this game decides whether or not we win a championship. I know it's just a single game, but there's a real possibility that we're not going to have many meaningful games come March and April. So that's why we need to take advantage of the ones we do have. And tonight, with everyone already counting out the Rockets, would be a great time to prove them wrong once again. Even if it's just for a day, beating the Blazers on the road without our three leading scorers from last season would be something. So if nothing else, I want the Rockets to fight today. I want us to come out swinging and let the Blazers, and the rest of the NBA, know that nothing is going to come easy against this team. We're going to be scrappy, we're going to be impossible to keep down and we're going to give nothing away. And Portland, just know that it all starts with you. Tonight we're coming for you. You were probably expecting a nice, vindictive blowout to announce to the NBA world that you're ready for the big time, but that's not happening today. Today we're going to look like the team that's supposed to contend for the title, today we're going to be the only ones enjoying a blowout. And, as Ice Cube would say, "You run up with that bullshit I'll [mess] your ass up." It really doesn't relate to this exact situation, but those are some fighting words and I thought they went with the general mood of the post. I should stop. In any case, go Rockets.

Rudy Gay? More Like Rudy Not-Gay!

That was in poor taste. Rudy's sexuality has nothing to do with his basketball ability and he'd be a great asset to the team regardless of what kind of ass he's chasing. Get it? Asset. But to be entirely serious, his sexual orientation couldn't matter any less, I just really couldn't think of a title.

If anyone remembers the 2006 NBA Draft, they remember the Rockets explicitly saying that we would trade the number 8 pick if we didn't get Brandon Roy. They also remember us not getting Brandon Roy and trading away Rudy Gay. They also remember the frustration they felt when Rudy Gay was having a fantastic sophomore year and we were wondering how much he would have helped when after the inevitable Mcgrady injury. They also remember feeling slightly vindicated last year when he regressed. If they remember all of this, asides from being more than a little too invested in the Rockets, they remember that Rudy Gay was already unhappy sharing the ball with O.J. Mayo last year and that will be made worse this season by adding this guy and this guy. (For those of you scoring at home, that's two times I've used Allen Iverson's mug shot. My goal for this season is 48.) As Bill Simmons says in his latest article:

"You will be able to get Gay for the right price. Just save the Grizzlies $3 million, give them someone half as good, take one of their bad contracts as window dressing and throw in a No. 1 pick so the deal looks better than it is, and Chris Wallace is going to say, 'I should probably shop this around, but screw it, I'll just panic and say yes.'"

That team getting Gay could be us. We'd probably have to give up Ariza in the deal but I say it'd definitely be worth it. Gay is a guy who can score 25 a game and lead a team, and once Mcgrady gets hurt (I know, the theme this year is believing in T-Mac, but doubting him has a purpose here so bear with me) he will be our undisputed number one guy. Then next year we come back with a bonafide superstar in Rudy Gay, the best center in the NBA with Yao, what will still be the perfect supporting cast and cap space from letting Mcgrady go. I'm not saying this is going to happen, I just think that Rudy Gay would be a great guy to buy low on and invest in. If it doesn't work out, he can still fill whatever role Trevor Ariza was going to fill this year pretty well. If it does, we would have just managed to get a guy we all thought would be the next Tracy Mcgrady while still keeping the original Tracy Mcgrady happy. It's like when you go to a fast food chain and make sure to ask for ketchup, only they've already put ketchup in your bag, so you get twice the amount of ketchup, except it's a lot less pathetic and that the two things aren't actually all that related.

In an entirely unrelated note, I cannot believe that Josh McRoberts isn't not white. I used the double negative there because when you first hear his name, you're sure that he has to be a white guy. Then you get so sure that you start to wonder if there isn't something strange at work, if a name like Josh McRoberts might just be too obvious. Then, if you're like me, you convince yourself that he's actually a black guy masquerading around in a white guy's name. And, if you're also like me, you feel like an idiot when you Google him and get a thousand photos like this (hint: he's not the black guy), none of them making him look even the slighest bit anything-other-than-white.

But yeah, I really want Rudy Gay. And there's nothing gay about that.

Damnit, I did it again.

What Can Trevor Ariza Do For You?

Two posts in one day? After an extended hiatus? At Bring Back Novak, we are still red and rowdy, no matter what ESPN says about our team.


I've been hearing a lot of people in the media say that Trevor Ariza's only success in LA came off wide open corner threes that Kobe assisted on. These haters claim that Ariza will be a flop in Houston because he won't benefit from Kobe's undeniable, unobtainable greatness. There are two problems with this thought process. First, everyone knows Kobe is a blatant ball hog that hates his teammates and never passes. (He averages two passes per fourth quarter in the playoffs). Second, according to 82games.com, Ariza was assisted on 64% of his total field goals. This is lower than every non-point guard on the Rockets last year (except Yao, because he's the franchise). This proves that Ariza is adept at getting his own shot off and creating off the dribble. If the Rockets hope to stay in the playoff race with a lineup that lacks a traditional number one scoring option, they will need to utilize Ariza's ability to manufacture points.

Trevor Ariza's 82games.com profile:
http://www.82games.com/0809/08LAL7.HTM

Bringing Back Novak

After a slightly extended off-season summer of heartbreak-recovery after the Lakers series, we're finally ready to resume posting. And if you're thinking that it didn't take this long for us to get emotionally ready to post again instead we just got lazy and realized that we should probably starting writing again since our season's started, you're damn right. And, per the usual, when I say "we" I really mean "me," so just try and keep that in mind. I had a lengthy season preview planned out in which I would reference the lyrics to Beatles songs and talk about how they related to our season, but, again, that's a lot of work. I had actually gotten about halfway through when I realized it was much more effort than Billy or I were capabale of putting in, so instead of an articulate, well-prepared preview you're going to get whatever I can think of in the next 15 minutes.

I guess it actually is kind of fitting that I'm not writing a researched preview of the Rockets this year because, as every sportswriter who talks about the Rockets will be quick to point out, all bets are off for this season. And if you manage to overlook my flismy justification for not writing a worthwhile article, you'll see that what I just said actually makes sense. On one hand you have nearly everyone writing us off before the year starts, (get it, writing is a pun because they're writers) but on the other hand, you and I and anyone else who's watched this team knows to never, ever, ever count us out, regardless of the situation, regardless of how stacked against us the odds might seem, and, most importantly, regardless of how overmatched the twelve guys we're putting on the floor every night might look on paper. If there's one thing about this team that we know, it's that we will fight. We'll also be undersized, undermanned and under-talented most of the nights that we're doing the aforementioned fighting, but we'll be fighting nonetheless.

We still have Luis Scola, a double-double machine when he's the third option on a team and 20-10 threat since he's now our go-to guy. We still have Aaron Brooks, who, despite his limitations as a pure point guard, can beat anyone off the dribble and score with the best of them (Pictured:them). We've still got Battier, we've still got Landry and we've still got Hayes. Deke is still with us in spirit, and, the man that makes this team the slightly dangerous and even more interesting, Tracy Mcgrady, is reportedly coming along as planned and will hopefully be ready to resume practicing by Sunday. In case anyone's forotten, Mcgrady is one of the best players in the NBA when healthy and is entirely capable of putting a team on his back for a year. Granted, his back will probably spasm on and off over the course of that year and he'll probably require some sort of offseason surgery afterwards, but that's irrevelant. [In an entirely unrelated note, while I was looking for that Top Ten article I saw something about the WNBA Finals currently going on. I don't know what it says about you when people find out about your league's championships while searching through blog archives, but I'm sure it says something.] Anyways, we also have an NBA-ready rookie in Chase Budinger who's only going to improve as the season goes along. And, lest anyone forget, we are still blessed with Joey "Tarzan" Dorsey, who I've become quite the fan of after he autographed my shirt. So I guess that brings the Joey "Tarzan" Dorsey Fan Count up to one.

I'm not saying we're going to win our division and I'm not saying we're going to the playoffs, I'm just saying we're not going to roll over this year and wish May would hurry up and arrive. I've watched the Grizzlies and Clippers play last year and I can promise you that will not be the Houston Rockets. There will never be nights when we look like we don't want to play basketball, there will never be games in which we don't pour our collective hearts out for 48 minutes, there will never be moments in which as fans we aren't proud-as-hell of this team. I've seen the Rockets overcome adversity before, and I'm sure I'll see them do it again. I know better than to count this team out, and while I'm not getting my hopes up, I'm definitely not hopeless. All I ask of you is to give this team a chance. Cheer for them like you would if Yao and T-Mac were healthy to start the year, follow them like you think we're winning it all, if nothing else just because you damn well know that we deserve it. I'm looking forward to another year of writing and following the Rockets and I hope that you guys are too.

And if you're feeling a little more than slightly unsatisfied by this poor excuse for a preview, we are going to be doing a "Meet Your Rockets" series after the final roster comes out. I'm not promising that it'll be any good, I'm just promising that it'll be there.

Finally, as always, go Rockets.

Rockets Sign David Andersen

The Rockets have officially signed center David Andersen of FC Barcelona to help fill in for Yao this season . We're refraining from any definitive statements until further review, but at the moment it's pretty safe to say that Andersen has no relation to this guy. He might not have a standout low post game (11 points a game in Europe), but he does have one of of the most forgettable names for a center in recent Rockets history. And that, my friends, makes him memorable. We've got about two and a half months before the season starts, so sit tight until then.

Speechless

I know, the idea is writing a post when you have nothing to say is counter-intuitive at best and downright stupid at worst, but something needs to be said. I just don't know what. We found out this morning that Yao is going to miss most if not all of next season and maybe even more after that. And this comes on the tail end of what has to be one of the most depressing weeks man has had to withstand in recent memory. I'm not comparing Yao's injured foot to the death of Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and Billy Mays. Screw it, that's exactly what I'm doing. It may seem disrespectful or unsentimental or whatever else you want to say about it, but Yao's career ending means just as much to me as any of the other events that have transpired this week. And yes, there are some problems that need to be talked about, some ailments that can be cured by discussion, but this isn't one of them. This isn't something that's going to be changing anytime soon. We now know for sure what we've feared for the past five years: Yao's feet can't take his lifestyle. They can't take his size. They can't take the pounding he gets every year, ever day. Sooner or later, this was bound to happen. We're just unlucky enough that it was sooner. We can sit here and complain about why one of the most talented 7 footers ever can't get on the floor while someone like Dwight Howard, with no real discernible offensive skills other thank dunking the ball, has missed less than 20 games his whole career. We can spend all day wondering, like we have so many times before, how good we could have been if Yao and Mcgrady had just been healthy together once. But, at the end of the day, none of that is going to change the reality that we're going to have to eventually face. The reality that the face of our organization, maybe even of the entire city, is most likely very, very close to being finished with the game of basketball. So at some point, we'll have a real post up, explaining what this means to us andthanking Yao if his career is actually over, but now's not the time for that. Right now we hope that by some miracle the news is wrong and that Yao's going to be back next year, hobbling around and fading to the baseline like he always has, as unlikely as it may be. Right now, this is all we have to say. Get well soon Yao.

Hedo 2.0

Since the Magic have just traded for Vince Carter, I feel obliged to revisit the idea of trying to sign Hedo Turkoglu. And if you think I'm just using this Carter deal as an excuse to talk about Hedo, you know me too well. The Magic's total salary, with Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson included, is at about 68 million dollars for the 2009-10 season, with the luxury tax line being about 69 million dollars next year. In other words, they're going to be paying Hedo virtually twice as much as his actual contract, as every dollar over the luxury tax means another dollar spent. For example, if Hedo signed a deal for 8 million dollars, it would put the Magic roughly 7 million dollars over the luxury tax, which means they'd have to pay 7 million extra dollars. So essentially, Hedo's contract would cost them 15 million dollars next season. And as much as I love Hedo, he is by no means a 15 million dollar player. Not at this age. Not in this economy. Which is why I believe the Magic are going to let him walk. They're going to try and resign Gortat, fill out the rest of their roster with minimum salaries and hope that they'll be able to compete in the Eastern Conference. And they will be.

Since we're on the topic, I'd like to quickly touch on the Carter trade. Of course it's an upgrade for the Magic. It's tough to lose Courtney Lee, but Ryan Anderson is no slouch. He's a power forward who can shoot the three, which mean's he'll thrive in the Magic's offensive system. And as for basically replacing Turkoglu with Carter, as much as I love Turkoglu, he's no Vince Carter. Turkoglu averaged 17-5-5 this year on 40 percent shooting while handling the ball on nearly every possession he was in the game for the Magic. Carter averaged 20-5-5 on 44 percent shooting even though Devin Harris had the ball in his hands for most of the game. Put Carter in Hedo's position with Hedo's role and he'll get you 23-6-6 with better percentages. And as for Hedo being a better shooter, that might have been true earlier on in their careers, but it's certainly not anymore. Over the last two years Carter's three point shooting has either been comparable or better than Hedo's, as last year he shot 40 percent from beyond the arc while Hedo only shot 35. Part of that is Carter's shot getting better as his athleticism slowly leaves him, but the main reason is the kind of threes that each takes. Carter has never had the luxury of waiting around at the three point line for a star to get him a wide open three, like Hedo had early in his career, Carter has always had to beat his man off the dribble and pull up for the three himself, which is significantly harder. Now, since teams are more aware of Hedo Turkoglu as a threat, he's not getting wide open threes anymore, thus the drop in shooting percentage. Carter, on the other hand, hasn't been the focus of an offense for quite some time now, as that burden belonged to Devin Harris and now to Dwight Howard. That means he'll get cleaner, better looks at the basket and it'll be reflected in his three point percentage. As good and as unique of a player as Hedo Turkoglu is, Vince Carter makes this team better. Losing Courtney Lee is probably the worst part of this deal, as he showed a lot of promise his rookie season, but Carter over Turkoglu is a no-brainer.

But back on point. If the Magic follow the path I just outlined for them, that would leave Hedo Turkoglu unsigned and up for grabs, which is where we step in. We have 55 million dollars on the books for next season, which gives is about 14 million dollars to spend before we have to pay the luxury tax. Assuming we give both Chase Budinger and Jermaine Taylor roster spots, it's safe to add on another million to our payroll. That still leaves us with 13 million dollars to spend on free agency, and that's where things get tricky. Von Wafer's going to get a bit of that money, something like 4 million dollars a year. He's probably worth a lot more, but there aren't too many buyers out there who are willing to spend a lot more. Thus, Von, too be perfectly blunt, is stuck with us. Which would leave us with 9 million dollars to spend. Our easiest option would be to resign Artest and move on with trying to trade Mcgrady. A more difficult and more potentially beneficial option would be to go after Turkoglu and offer him a contract comparable to any other offer that he's going to get along with giving him the chance to stay on a team contending for the championship.

As much as I love Ron and as much as I appreciate what he did for us this year, I think that if we have the chance to acquire Turkoglu we should take it. He gives us the fourth quarter scorer we've needed so badly and is an excellent three point shooter, which is essential to our offense. He's also a deft playmaker, which is an added bonus that's value isn't to be taken lightly when you consider Aaron Brooks' passing limitations. All in all I think that the Magic have inadvertently but consciously given other teams the option to make a run at Turkoglu, and I think we need to take advantage of that. When I suggested this before, it was a long-shot and really more of a daydream than an actual, viable option. Now, we have the opportunity to add a power forward with the passing ability of a point guard as well as a smooth outside shot and a knack for coming up big in the clutch, and we need make the most of it.