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Friday November 21, 2008 10:40 PM

Rockets Use Fourth Quarter Magic to Wipe Out Wiz


T-Mac's monster final frame keys 103-91 win



Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Click here to listen to the Player of the Game interview with Carl Landry.

Houston - Sooner or later, it was inevitable: The Rockets’ talented trio of Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and Ron Artest were eventually going to find a rhythm while working together on the floor. It finally happened Friday night, and just in the nick of time, too.

Facing a nine point deficit with 8:30 to go in the fourth quarter, Houston’s three superstars took over down the stretch, spearheading a 27-6 run the rest of the way as the Rockets (8-5) ran away with a 103-91 victory.

It was all part of a phenomenal final frame which featured the following eye-popping numbers:

- The Rockets outscoring Washington 33-14

- T-Mac, Yao and Artest combining for 25 of Houston’s 33 points

- 14 points from McGrady (thanks to 4-of-5 shooting from downtown)

- 6-of-9 shooting from three-point land overall by Houston

“Suddenly we started making every shot," said coach Rick Adelman after the game. "Yao got really aggressive and somebody had to come (for the double team). Tracy got the hot hand and it carried over as he made some shots in the fourth quarter, which is what we had to do. It was a nice comeback.”

The comeback was necessary because the Rockets started as if still suffering a hangover from Wednesday night’s dud against Dallas. Houston committed a whopping seven turnovers in the opening quarter, while allowing a plethora of dunks on the defensive end to a slumping Wizards team which had entered the contest with a woeful 1-8 record. The end result: Houston trailed 29-17 after the first quarter of play, as Washington shot a scorching 12-of-18 from the field.

“The Wizards had some offensive players that really had it going in the first part of the game," said McGrady, who finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. "Our defense wasn’t very solid. We didn’t come to play the first half of the game.”

But the Rockets’ second unit, as it has done so many times this season, energized the team the moment the second quarter began. Led by Carl Landry’s tenacity inside and Aaron Brooks’ accuracy from the outside, Houston quickly worked its way back into the game. Landry especially proved unstoppable, scoring 14 points in the frame on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, while hitting 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Then with 4:27 to go in the half, Brooks drilled a three-pointer which capped an 11-0 Rockets’ run, giving Houston its first lead of the game at 42-39.

But the scrappy Wizards never folded. Antawn Jamison simply wouldn’t allow it. The 11-year pro out of North Carolina torched Houston for 27 points, 11 of them coming during a third quarter which witnessed Washington build its lead back up to seven.

In fact, the Wizards appeared firmly in control of the contest until Houston’s stars took over in the fourth. Landry actually kick-started the run by converting a three-point play after being fouled on a lay-up. Then T-Mac got in on the act, knocking down back-to-back treys to draw the Rockets even at 85. Yao followed that up with a ferocious slam over Wizards’ rookie JaVale McGee, before McGrady nailed another triple to give Houston a 90-87 lead.

But the biggest shot of the evening actually came courtesy of Rafer Alston. Suffering through an 0-for-6 shooting night up to that point, the Rockets’ point guard came through when his team needed him most, splashing in a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to give Houston a six point cushion with just under two minutes remaining. The next time down the floor, T-Mac coolly drained his final trey of the evening, starting a flood toward the exits by the disgruntled and disappointed Washington faithful.

“In the fourth quarter, we decided to show up and play," said McGrady. "Yao got aggressive. We were knocking down perimeter shots. When you’re knocking down shots, momentum transfers over to defense. We did a good job in the fourth quarter.”

But coach Adelman knows his team's comeback will be nothing more than fool's gold if the club doesn't find a way to play with more consistency.

“We won the game, and we had nice a fourth quarter, but we have to find a way to play better for 48 minutes," he said. "We were inconsistent; we started the game very poorly, and our second group came in and got us back into the game. We could have been down big, but we weren’t. We stayed with it and started making some shots, made some stops and turned the game around.”

Quotes:

ROCKETS HEAD COACH RICK ADELMAN

On Tracy McGrady:

“He made some shots tonight, but it is going to be a process with him. He just has to keep pushing himself and try to find a way to keep attacking (the basket) and not settling for just jump-shots, but tonight he found a groove at a great time.”

On Ron Artest’s Foul Trouble:

“I did not want him to get a fifth foul in the fourth quarter. I felt pretty comfortable with the way Aaron (Brooks) was playing, so I had Aaron and Rafer (Alston) playing the guard spots and I planned on bringing Ron (Artest) back in for Tracy (McGrady) on the first break.”

ROCKETS FORWARD RON ARTEST

On the game:

“The veterans did a good job tonight. That was the first time we played well in the last two minutes of a game this season. We moved the ball at the end of the game and got open shots.”

On Tracy McGrady:

“Having played against Tracy (McGrady), I know he’s patient. He’s a pass-first guy when the defense is keyed on him. I’ve got to get used to playing with him. Tonight I could give it to him. I know he’s more than capable of making big shots.”

WIZARDS HEAD COACH EDDIE JORDAN

On the game:

“It is pretty much the same story for us. We played very hard with a lot of effort and played together with a lot of passion. It comes down to the team that makes shots. They made shots and plays, and we didn’t. They had players making contested shots and Yao Ming anchoring the middle. Then there is Ron Artest who is known to make big threes. They had the big shots tonight when it counted; we couldn’t make shots and we couldn’t make a play.”

On the Houston Rockets:

“They have got a lot of good defenders and players who are defensive minded. That’s what makes them a good team. They have big-time shot makers. Rafer Alston can make shots down the stretch and they also have (Ron) Artest and ( Tracy) McGrady. They have some really good pieces.”

On JaVale McGee:

“We were hoping that JaVale would change up his coverage and try to front Yao. The young fellow has to know how to get his work done early. He didn’t do that because of his inexperience, but he tried.”

WIZARDS FORWARD CARON BUTLER

On the game:

“It was tough. We had a good handle on their core guys for the majority of the game. You knew at some point in the game Tracy McGrady was going to get it going, and he had some critical shots. I think Yao (Ming) got the team united whenhe had the big dunk – the momentum just kind of shifted in their favor at that point.”

On moving forward:

“I think our effort is great, but it’s still not good enough. We have to continue to chip away at it and build on the positives. We have to take all the positives away from each game.”

WIZARDS GUARD ANTONIO DANIELS

On the game:

“The fact of the matter is that in the last six minutes of the game we have to close out better regardless of the circumstances. We played together the whole game until the last six minutes. We’re at our best when the ball moves from hand to hand, everybody is involved and we’re creating opportunities for each other.”

WIZARDS FORWARD ANDRAY BLATCHE

On moving forward:

“We just need to keep pushing. We’re doing well – the effort is there. We’ve got to keep fighting and close out the fourth quarter. Everything we’re doing is right until the fourth quarter. We need to find a rhythm and close out the game.”

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