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Rockets vs. Lakers Preview - November 17, 2002

TALE OF THE TAPE
VS.
4-3
RECORD
3-6
L1
STREAK
W1
4-3
LAST 10
3-6
90.6
PTS. SCORED
91.2
88.6
PTS. ALLOWED
94.2
42.7
REBOUNDS
44.3
16.3
ASSISTS
21.9
.432
FG%
.390
.419
OPP. FG%
.427
Rockets @ Lakers
November 17, 2002
STAPLES Center, 8:30 p.m.
TV: KNWS Channel 51
Radio: SportsRadio 610 (English); KYST 920 AM (Spanish)

by Trevor Mitchell, rockets.com

INSIDE SCOOP
Coming off a heartbreaking loss Friday night in Phoenix, the Rockets look to rebound against the World Champion L.A. Lakers. The Rockets squandered a great opportunity against Phoenix, losing after leading the Suns for most of the game. Tonight with Shaquille O’Neal still out due to toe surgery, the Rockets will focus on containing the NBA’s most efficient player Kobe Bryant. Bryant is tops in the NBA in many statistical categories and has carried the Lakers thus far this season. The Lakers guard is coming off of a 45-point performance against Golden State. However he has not been able to lead his team to many wins. Off to a 3-6 start the Lakers desperately miss their franchise center. They have resorted to playing center by committee. Forward Samaki Walker should start in the middle alongside Robert Horry and Rick Fox.

PROBABLE STARTERS
ROCKETS
SUNS
THOMAS
10.4 ppg
F
FOX
9.3 ppg
GRIFFIN
11.0 ppg
F
HORRY
8.2 ppg
COLLIER
2.0 ppg
C
WALKER
8.9 ppg
FRANCIS
28.3 ppg
G
FISHER
6.6 ppg
MOBLEY
19.7 ppg
G
BRYANT
29.7 ppg
This particular game was supposed to match up O’Neal against Rockets 7-5 rookie Yao Ming. With O’Neal out and Yao still developing his NBA game, this highly anticipated duel will have to be postponed until the two teams meet on January 17. Yao had his best performance Friday night, posting a career-high 10 points against the Suns. In only 14 minutes Yao showed his scoring ability and had a great block on defense. Each game into the season his play seems to get better and better. “We’re still trying to work him into the mix of things”, said Rockets guard Steve Francis.

Along with Yao, the Rockets bench had a great game against the Suns. In only his second game of the season Rockets forward Maurice Taylor also had a stellar performance scoring 14 points in 18 minutes of action. Glen Rice also contributed his outside shooting touch and finished with 10 points. Going into a pivotal contest against the Lakers, the Rockets need to get another great outing from their bench to compliment the stellar play of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. The Rockets lost all four games against the Lakers last season.

WHO'S HOT
Rockets - Rookie Yao Ming has made seven of his last eight field goals and is shooting .542 from the field ..... Eddie Griffin’s three-point percentage is .450 ..... Steve Francis averages 28.3 points per game ..... The Rockets are sixth in the league in three-point percentage.
Lakers - Kobe Bryant is coming off a 45-point performance against Golden State ..... Bryant averages 29.7points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game ..... Veteran guard Brian Shaw is shooting .500 from behind the arc ..... The Lakers are currently second in the NBA in free throw percentage at .822 ..... The Lakers are seventh in steals.

WHO'S NOT
Rockets - The Rockets are 28th in the NBA in assists ..... Kenny Thomas is shooting only .588 from the free throw line.
Lakers - Derek Fisher has a dismal .292 field goal percentage and is only averaging 2.7 assists per game ..... Rick Fox is .091 from three-point range ..... The Lakers rank 28th (second worst) in FG% at .390 ..... The Lakers are 26th in three-point percentage.

KEY MATCHUP
CUTTINO MOBLEY VS. KOBE BRYANT Tonight Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley takes on Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Both players are vital to their team's success and are the NBA leaders in minutes per game. Last season against the Rockets, Bryant averaged 24.7 ppg, compared to Mobley’s 17.8 ppg. This year, with Shaquille O’Neal out, Bryant has led the Lakers in mostly all categories. To come out of L.A. with a win, Mobley and the Rockets will have to have a great game defensively to slow the league’s most efficient player.

INJURY REPORT
Keep up to the minute on all the latest Rockets injury news by visiting our Injury Report page. We get daily reports directly from the basketball staff, giving you the inside scoop on who's playing and who's sitting every night.