GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: PORTLAND (0-2) at HOUSTON (2-0)

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NBA: PORTLAND (0-2) at HOUSTON (2-0)

<h3>McGrady looks to continue red-hot start as Rockets host Blazers</h3>

<div class="pre">Portland (0-2) at Houston (2-0) 8:30 pm EDT</div>

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Rockets are off to a nice start,but the Portland Trail Blazers are enduring the completeopposite.


The Rockets look to remain undefeated when they host the youngTrail Blazers in a Western Conference matchup on Saturday.

Superstar Tracy McGrady scored 47 points to off-set a dismalouting by Yao Ming as Houston coasted in Thursday's 106-95victory over the Utah Jazz.


"There are a lot of opportunities for me on the offensive end,"McGrady said. "I can play off the ball and I can come offscreens. I can hide behind Yao sometimes. There are so manyways I can score in this offense. It's great."


It has only been two games but McGrady is enjoying the offensivescheme of new coach Rick Adelman, who has seen the 6-8 forwardshoot 57 percent (27-of-47) from the field in the early going.

Portland enters after suffering its second straight setback, a113-93 loss at the hands of the New Orleans Hornets on Fridaydespite 23 points from Brandon Roy.


Blazers second-year big man LaMarcus Aldridge failed to backuphis 27-point performance in the season opener at San Antonio,<div class="pre">netting just eight points on 4-of-12 shooting in Friday's loss.</div>

Houston and Portland split their four meetings last season, butthe Trail Blazers came away with an 85-78 triumph here on April6.

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">PORTLAND AT HOUSTON - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


PORTLAND HOUSTON

F Lamarcus Aldridge F Shane Battier
F Martell Webster F Chuck Hayes
C Joel Przybilla C Yao Ming
G Brandon Roy G Tracy McGrady
G Jarrett Jack G Rafer Alston

OFFICIALS: Ken Mauer
Scott Wall
Zach Zarba</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 4
HOUSTON 5 9:08 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 4
HOUSTON 13 5:52 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 8
HOUSTON 18 2:49 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 12
HOUSTON 25 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PORTLAND 12 12
HOUSTON 25 25 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

POR - JOEL PRZYBILLA 4, STEVE BLAKE 4,
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 2
HOU - YAO MING 11, TRACY MCGRADY 9, MIKE JAMES
3</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 12
HOUSTON 34 9:03 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 19
HOUSTON 36 5:52 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 23
HOUSTON 42 2:54 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 31
HOUSTON 46 HALFTIME</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PORTLAND 12 19 31
HOUSTON 25 21 46 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

POR - MARTELL WEBSTER 11, JOEL PRZYBILLA 6,
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 6
HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 15, YAO MING 13, MIKE
JAMES 6</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 37
HOUSTON 50 8:47 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 46
HOUSTON 54 6:03 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 46
HOUSTON 60 2:58 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 46
HOUSTON 62 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PORTLAND 12 19 15 46
HOUSTON 25 21 16 62 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

POR - MARTELL WEBSTER 14, BRANDON ROY 10,
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 10
HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 15, YAO MING 15, RAFER
ALSTON 8</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 52
HOUSTON 68 8:45 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 58
HOUSTON 73 5:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 65
HOUSTON 77 3:02 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA PORTLAND 80
HOUSTON 89 FINAL</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PORTLAND 12 19 15 34 80
HOUSTON 25 21 16 27 89 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: POR - BRANDON ROY 23, LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 20,
MARTELL WEBSTER 15
HOU - YAO MING 21, TRACY MCGRADY 20, MIKE
JAMES 17</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
PORTLAND 80
HOUSTON 89 FINAL</div>

 

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HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming had 21 points and 12 rebounds andTracy McGrady scored 20 points as the Houston Rockets posted an89-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.

After being sent home in the first round of the postseason thepast two seasons, the Rockets brought in experienced coach RickAdelman to finally get the franchise over the hump.

So far the Rockets are undefeated at 3-0 - the first time sincethe 1996-97 campaign - and have averaged 96.6 points throughthree games behind McGrady, who is shooting a blistering 50percent (36-of-70) from the field.


Houston wasted little time taking care of business in this oneas it opened the game on a commanding 21-8 burst, capped by MikeJames' 3-pointer with 1:35 left. McGrady poured in 10 pointsduring the surge.


Brandon Roy's 15-footer trimmed the Trail Blazers' deficit to54-46 at the 6:11 mark in the third. But Houston responded withan 8-0 run to push the advantage back to double figures andnever looked back.


James was once again stellar off the bench, scoring 17 points on5-of-14 shooting. The 6-2 guard was acquired in an offseasontrade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for Juwan Howard.

Roy netted 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 and eightboards for Portland, which returns home on Wednesday with thehopes of picking up its first win this season against the NewOrleans Hornets.

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">PORTLAND (80) AT HOUSTON (89)

PORTLAND

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

M WEBSTER F 34:53 5-13 3-4 1 7 8 0 3 2 4 15
L ALDRIDGE F 33:39 7-16 6-6 5 3 8 1 5 0 4 20
J PRZYBILLA C 19:40 2-4 2-2 2 6 8 0 2 0 2 6
B ROY G 41:39 9-18 5-5 0 2 2 5 1 0 0 23
J JACK G 25:39 1-5 0-0 0 4 4 2 1 0 3 2
J JONES 13:07 0-4 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 3 0
S BLAKE 25:45 3-3 0-0 0 5 5 3 1 0 1 6
C FRYE 16:45 2-5 0-0 2 2 4 0 1 0 0 4
T GREEN 2:57 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
T OUTLAW 25:56 2-7 0-0 0 3 3 0 2 0 1 4
R LAFRENTZ DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S RODRIGUEZ DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 31-76 16-17 10 34 44 11 18 3 18 80
(.408) (.941) TEAM REBS: 8 TOTAL TO: 18 (8 PTS)

HOUSTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

S BATTIER F 35:51 2-7 0-0 4 1 5 1 2 1 0 5
C HAYES F 23:21 2-2 0-0 1 5 6 0 0 3 0 4
Y MING C 39:02 8-17 5-6 2 10 12 2 5 0 3 21
R ALSTON G 24:24 4-9 0-0 0 3 3 6 1 1 1 8
T MCGRADY G 38:08 8-23 2-2 1 2 3 6 2 1 2 20
L SCOLA 19:29 4-10 0-2 4 4 8 2 2 1 1 8
B WELLS 26:17 3-8 0-1 2 2 4 1 3 1 2 6
M JAMES 23:36 5-14 4-4 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 17
L HEAD 9:52 0-1 0-0 0 3 3 4 1 0 1 0
D MUTOMBO DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S FRANCIS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K SNYDER DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 36-91 11-15 15 32 47 23 18 8 10 89
(.396) (.733) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 10 (8 PTS)

PORTLAND 12 19 15 34 - 80
HOUSTON 25 21 16 27 - 89

BLOCKED SHOTS: PORTLAND - L ALDRIDGE 2, J PRZYBILLA, M WEBSTER. HOUSTON -
NONE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PORTLAND 2-10 (.200), M WEBSTER 2-5, J PRZYBILLA 0-
1, B ROY 0-3, J JONES 0-1. HOUSTON 6-22 (.273), S BATTIER 1-5, R ALSTON 0-
2, T MCGRADY 2-5, L SCOLA 0-1, B WELLS 0-1, M JAMES 3-7, L HEAD 0-
1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: KEN MAUER, SCOTT WALL, ZACH ZARBA.
A - 18,232. T - 2:07.</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">PORTLAND (80)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
M Webster 34:53 5-13 3-4 1-8 0 3 15
L Aldridge 33:39 7-16 6-6 5-8 1 5 20
J Przybilla 19:40 2-4 2-2 2-8 0 2 6
B Roy 41:39 9-18 5-5 0-2 5 1 23
J Jack 25:39 1-5 0-0 0-4 2 1 2
J Jones 13:07 0-4 0-0 0-2 0 2 0
S Blake 25:45 3-3 0-0 0-5 3 1 6
C Frye 16:45 2-5 0-0 2-4 0 1 4
T Green 2:57 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
T Outlaw 25:56 2-7 0-0 0-3 0 2 4
R LaFrentz DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S Rodriguez DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 31-76 16-17 10-44 11 18 80
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.408, FT-.941. 3-Point Goals:
2-10, .200 (M Webster 2-5, J Przybilla 0-1, B
Roy 0-3, J Jones 0-1). Team Rebounds: 8.
Blocked Shots:4 (L Aldridge 2, J Przybilla, M
Webster). Turnovers:18 (L Aldridge 4, M
Webster 4, J Jones 3, J Jack 3, J Przybilla
2, S Blake, T Outlaw). Steals: 3 (M Webster
2, T Green).


HOUSTON (89)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
S Battier 35:51 2-7 0-0 4-5 1 2 5
C Hayes 23:21 2-2 0-0 1-6 0 0 4
Y Ming 39:02 8-17 5-6 2-12 2 5 21
R Alston 24:24 4-9 0-0 0-3 6 1 8
T McGrady 38:08 8-23 2-2 1-3 6 2 20
L Scola 19:29 4-10 0-2 4-8 2 2 8
B Wells 26:17 3-8 0-1 2-4 1 3 6
M James 23:36 5-14 4-4 1-3 1 2 17
L Head 9:52 0-1 0-0 0-3 4 1 0
D Mutombo DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S Francis DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K Snyder DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 36-91 11-15 15-47 23 18 89
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.396, FT-.733. 3-Point Goals:
6-22, .273 (S Battier 1-5, R Alston 0-2, T
McGrady 2-5, L Scola 0-1, B Wells 0-1, M
James 3-7, L Head 0-1). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots: 0. Turnovers:10 (Y Ming 3, T
McGrady 2, B Wells 2, R Alston, L Head, L
Scola). Steals: 8 (C Hayes 3, T McGrady, B
Wells, L Scola, R Alston, S Battier).

-------------------------------------------
PORTLAND 12 19 15 34 - 80
HOUSTON 25 21 16 27 - 89
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,232. T: 2:07.
Officials: Ken Mauer, Scott Wall, Zach Zarba.</div>

 

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NBA: PORTLAND at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PORTLAND 12 19 15 34 80
HOUSTON 25 21 16 27 89 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: POR - BRANDON ROY 23, LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 20,
MARTELL WEBSTER 15
HOU - YAO MING 21, TRACY MCGRADY 20, MIKE
JAMES 17

HIGH REBOUND: POR - JOEL PRZYBILLA 8, LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 8,
MARTELL WEBSTER 8
HOU - YAO MING 12, LUIS SCOLA 8, CHUCK HAYES 6

HIGH ASSISTS: POR - BRANDON ROY 5, STEVE BLAKE 3, JARRETT
JACK 2
HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 6, RAFER ALSTON 6, LUTHER
HEAD 4

ATT: 18,232</div>

 

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HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming had 21 points and 12 rebounds andTracy McGrady scored 20 points as the Houston Rockets posted an89-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.

After being sent home in the first round of the postseason thepast two seasons, the Rockets brought in experienced coach RickAdelman to finally get the franchise over the hump.

So far the Rockets are undefeated at 3-0 - the first time sincethe 1996-97 campaign - and have averaged 96.6 points throughthree games behind McGrady, who is shooting a blistering 50percent (36-of-70) from the field.


However, Adelman expressed concern about his team's offensivestagnation at times.


"I think we were trying to go to Yao, and he's got to makequicker and better decisions," he said. "We didn't execute likewe should have. The only thing that was good about the nightoffensively was that we had 23 assists and only 10 turnovers."

Houston wasted little time taking care of business in this oneas it opened the game on a commanding 21-8 burst, capped by MikeJames' 3-pointer with 1:35 left. McGrady poured in 10 pointsduring the surge.


"For the most part, we were ready to go in the first quarter,"McGrady said. "They cut into the lead, but the main thing is wegot the win."


Brandon Roy's 15-footer trimmed the Trail Blazers' deficit to54-46 at the 6:11 mark in the third. But Houston responded withan 8-0 run to push the advantage back to double figures andnever looked back.


"I'm not satisfied with the way we executed down the stretch,turning the ball over and not making adjustments to theirdefense," McGrady said. "We could have put this game away inthe third quarter, and we didn't do that."


Roy was obviously frustrated that the Trail Blazers played frombehind all night.


"We can't let teams get off to these fast starts against us,"Roy said. "We've got to be more forceful and not retaliate.We've just got to play harder. We're back in the game when wegot it down to eight, but you know Yao or Tracy is going to makea shot."


James was once again stellar off the bench, scoring17 points on 5-of-14 shooting. The 6-2 guard was acquired in anoffseason trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for JuwanHoward.


James knows the Rockets will need a more consistent effort whenthey take on intrastate rivals San Antonio and Dallas next week.

"Dallas is one of the top teams in the NBA and San Antonio isthe world champions," James said. "So this is definitely goingto be a good test for us.


"We have problems (scoring) the ball at times. If we don'tscore, we can't allow the other team to score. If we have adrought, we have to make sure the other team has a drought."

Roy netted 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 and eightboards for Portland, which returns home on Wednesday with thehopes of picking up its first win this season against the NewOrleans Hornets.


"We had good looks in the first half, but we couldn't knock downshots," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. "The second half,we were looking for some energy, some scrappiness."