Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady stood face to face at midcourt, beaming
and shaking and finally slapping hands together joyously. They were
not, however, celebrating merely the win or the moment.
The Rockets had finally done enough to hold off the relentless
charge of the Phoenix Suns, securing their 120-117 win Monday night
only when the final three-tenths of a second slipped away. But it
was more than that.
It was more than the home-court advantage the Rockets clinched,
assuring their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz
will begin either Saturday or Sunday in Houston. It was more even
than finally beating the Suns, who had tormented them this season
and last.
Yao and McGrady stood together and rejoiced about the
possibilities as 18,375 fans, the second-largest crowd in franchise
history, shook Toyota Center as if the playoffs had begun.
"This was a great accomplishment, because we know how important
the game was," McGrady said after producing 39 points, 11 rebounds
and nine assists. "There was something major at stake. If we win,
we know we're getting home court. Knowing that and going against a
team like Phoenix and to come out victorious ?a it was definitely a
great feeling.
"That's a hell of a team over there and a team that had our
number, a team I played (terrible) basketball against for three
games. They had my number, and they had our number.
"We proved something to ourselves, definitely, knowing that if
something of that magnitude in a game was on the line, we're
capable of winning it."
The win ended the Rockets' six-game losing streak to the Suns
and six-game losing streak to Phoenix in Houston. With their fifth
consecutive victory, which matches a season high, the Rockets are
52-29, their most wins since the 1996-97 season, the last one in
which they won a playoff series.
Perhaps most significant, however, was that the Suns were their
usual sensational selves, answering everything the Rockets threw at
them all night until the final seconds, and the Rockets found a way
to do just a touch more.
What a feeling
"It was huge," said Yao, who had 34 points, making 14 of 20
shots and scoring 13 in the fourth quarter. "We were so excited
when we saw the clock running to zero. Everybody was running to the
middle (of the court). I don't know if it's the same feeling, but
it feels like winning a playoff series. I know there's harder and
better battles waiting for us, but today is a big win."
It became more rewarding because the Suns made it so difficult.
With the game tied at 66 four minutes into the second half, the
Suns had made 17 of 21 shots.
It took just a missed shot or two, and in very much the Suns'
style, the Rockets took off. In the next five minutes, they
outscored Phoenix 19-4. McGrady hit a 3. Juwan Howard tipped in a
miss. Yao followed an offensive rebound for a three-point play.
With two Rafer Alston free throws, the Rockets had a 10-0 run.
Suns guard Leandro Barbosa put in a jumper, but Yao hit a
jumper, Shane Battier a 3-pointer and McGrady two more jumpers to
take the lead to 85-70 less than three minutes before the fourth
quarter.
The Rockets still led by 10 with 2:14 remaining but did not
score again until the final fraction of a second. The Suns scored
seven unanswered points, and the Rockets clung to the most fragile
of three-point leads heading into the final seconds.
Amare Stoudemire, who had 30 points but just two in the fourth
quarter, missed, but the ball went out of bounds off Yao and Shawn
Marion, with Marion beating Yao on the jump.
The Suns missed again, this time on Steve Nash's 3-point attempt
with 6.4 seconds left, but again, the Rockets could not control the
rebound. And again the Suns missed, this time on a Stoudemire 3,
and Marion put it in with one second left, leaving Phoenix a point
short.
Alston was fouled with three-tenths of a second left and put in
both free throws to finally finish the victory and the Suns'
mastery of the Rockets.
Good time to strike back
"If you're a competitor, there comes a time you get tired of
somebody kicking your butt," Alston said. "We wanted to just
sustain a level of play that matches theirs or exceeds theirs."
More than exceed the Suns' play, the Rockets, in many ways,
showed their best. Or at least, with much at stake and much more
coming, it felt that way.
(China Daily via Houston Chronicle April 17, 2007)
