MVN - Most Valuable Network

DOUBLE DEUCE !! Rockets are #1 in West

The Streak continues at 22 

In what will go down as one of the more important and exciting regular season games in perhaps franchise history, the Houston Rockets made a statement game count as they battled the Los Angeles Lakers in a pivotal head-to-head for top position in the Western Conference and came out victorious 104-92.  The Rockets now take over as the Best in the West and get ready to do battle with the Beast from the East - the Boston Celtics Tuesday night.

There were many heroes in Sunday’s big win, none the more apparent in Rafer Alston’s career best 31 points and eight three-pointers.  Shane Battier didn’t go unnoticed either for his absolutely smothering defense on Kobe Bryant, limiting the Lakers go-to guy to shooting just 11 for 33 and scoring just 24 points.   There is no doubt now about Houston’s credibility atop the standings after this unbelievable run.  Tracy McGrady summed it up:

“This was really all about how good the Rockets are,” Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said. “This is what this game was about — the Lakers coming in here at the top of the Western Conference. This game determined where we are. We answered those questions, we took on that challenge and we’re standing alone.”

“We’re a confident bunch right now, confident but not cocky,” said Alston, who could not remember the last time he scored 30, guessing it was probably in a summer league game of some sort. “We understand there’s still work to be done.”

McGrady, held scoreless in the first half, did everything else to get his teammates into positions to contribute.  If you had told me that a late-season game against the Lakers and Yao/McGrady would be held to zero points combined and Houston would still lead at the half by fifteen points, I would have asked you what you were drinking and can a brother have a clean glass. 

I had my boy Matty Matt over for the game at the new hacienda and this already had playoff feel about it.  Houston is gearing up for a postseason hype not seen since the championship seasons of 94-95.  You see more red shirts on the streets and in the office buildings.  Everywhere you go, Rocket fever is everywhere.  And it should be.  No other NBA team might see something like this happen for another 30 or more years.  This is truly a special run  –  and by a team without a single All Star?   Are you kidding me?   You have TMAC - who didn’t make it - and a bunch of role players content to play what the coaches tell them to play.  Great, crisp passing, sharing, speed, defense, defense, defense - it’s awesome to watch.   Thirty-one wins in their last thirty-four games.   At courtside, even Hakeem Olajuwon was enjoying the historic march to the record books and noticed the intangibles this team has similar to his own Clutch City teams.

“It’s not by accident,” Olajuwon said. “They have quality players, they work hard, and you can see the chemistry.”

It doesn’t get any easier

Out of the frying pan and into the fire go the red-hot Rockets.  First comes Kevin Garnett and his East-leading Celtics into the Toyota Center Tuesday night.  A three game road trip then begins with stops in Phoenix, New Orleans and Golden State as part of an ten game stretch where eight of those games will be on the road.  Can Houston keep the streak alive and try to threaten the Lakers record?  Probably not.  But who’s going to bet against them after yesterday’s showing?  I fully expect Boston to try to smother TMAC and take him out, but it’s always been one of many spectacular role players that have stepped up each night and shoulder the offensive output.  The team is just built that way.  The shooting is better and the ball movement, especially during the Laker game, was just insanely good. 

“We have guys willing to make it work,” Alston said. “What’s good is we’re getting four or five people in double figures every night so we’re not relying on just Tracy trying to get 41 points. That says a lot about us and our team and how everyone has turned their games up.”

Today is St. Patrick’s Day.  How appropos is it that we have the green team in town for a showdown tomorrow.

Pinch me.  I’m dreaming.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 7:36 pm and is filed under Houston Rockets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.