Rockets vs. Lakers - January 17, 2003
| TALE OF THE TAPE |
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January 17, 2003
Compaq Center, 8:30 p.m.
TV: KNWS Channel 51; ESPN
Radio: SportsRadio 610 (English); KYST 920 AM (Spanish)
by Trevor Mitchell, rockets.com
After an horrendous start this season, the Lakers have racked up five wins in a row, all in a convincing manner. Los Angeles is coming of a 90-82 victory against the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night. To make matters worse for the Rockets, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has scored 31 or more points in five of his last six games. Center Shaquille O’Neal is also returning to his dominant form after missing the start of the season with a toe injury. The Lakers have been ridiculed and critiqued all season by the media and NBA fans. However, “The Lake Show” seems to be putting it together and come into Houston riding high.
"We're executing better and we're hustling better," Bryant said. "We know we're playing with a better rhythm, we can feel it. We have a way to go to get good. It's a long season. That's why you have to be patient and work out the kinks on a daily basis."
The Rockets have also been playing well of late. By winning seven of its last nine contests, Houston has managed to stay in the thick of things in the tight Western Conference. The Phoenix Suns were the latest victims of the Rockets wrath, losing 102-96 Wednesday night in Houston. The trash-talking Stephon Marbury jacked up 29 shots and finished with 32 points, but the Rockets placed six players in the double-digit scoring column, including a season-high 30 points from guard Cuttino Mobley, to seal the win.
| PROBABLE STARTERS |
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"Congratulations to Mr. Ming," O'Neal said. "He's done a lot for his country. He shall be 'The Man' in a few years to come. But for a rookie he's doing A-plus work. However, whenever you have a guy who comes in like that you must take it to him before he takes it to you. That will be my job."
Two months after that early season meeting a lot has changed. Yao is now entrenched as the Rockets' starting center, and is surprisingly leading O’Neal in All-Star votes for the starting center position in the Western Conference. On the Lakers end, Shaq is back, and has been causing havoc throughout the league since his return.
“We know things are going to be a little different with the big fella in the middle this time,” said Francis.
The key to winning for the Rockets will be containing the superstar Bryant. Kobe was a “one man gang,” torching Houston for 46 points in that first meeting. The Rockets cannot afford to get caught up in the Shaq vs. Yao matchup, mainly because it is almost a foregone conclusion that O’Neal will exert his physical presence and simply try to go off. If the Rockets can find a way to limit Kobe, or at least make him work hard on both ends, they have a great shot to win.
Mobley has been playing great basketball lately, and the flow of the game will depend on his and Francis’ shot selections. If “The Cat” can get hot and cancel out some of Kobe’s possible offensive heroics, and “Stevie Franchise" can pull out one of his near triple-double performances, the Rockets could be in very good shape. Don’t be surprised to see Rockets forward James Posey try his luck guarding Bryant. Posey has the size and defensive prowess to make some good things happen for Houston.
Former Rockets forward Robert Horry and the savvy Rick Fox are the other catalysts for Los Angeles. Content with being the sideshow to Kobe and Shaq, both veterans play a smart game and can knock down timely shots. Derek Fisher will get most of the minutes at point guard for the Lakers.
Houston will be playing shorthanded without the outside shooting of Glen Rice. Rice was recently placed on the injured list with a strained ligament in his left shoulder. Reserve forward Maurice Taylor, who has missed the last three games with tightness in his Achilles, will be a game time decision. Moochie Norris, Kelvin Cato, Terence Morris, and Juaquin Hawkins will be the bench brigade for Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
This is not a mismatch type of game one way or the other. O’Neal and Yao are ranked first and second, respectively, in the NBA in field goal percentage. However, Yao has looked a step slow of late, connecting on only 14 of his last 36 shots. Many people are expecting Shaq to have a field day against the Rockets' humble Chinese center. Yao most likely won’t outscore O’Neal, but contrary to popular belief, he will have an impact on this game.
Look for the Rockets to get into offensive sets to get Yao involved and his confidence going early. One advantage for Yao is his outside shooting touch. Drilling open shots would obviously draw O’Neal away from the basket and open up the lane for Francis and Mobley. Foul trouble will also be key with the big men battling down low. The Rockets have the NBA’s third best defense and have scored over 100 points in their last two games. Good defense and hot shooting is always a good combination.
This nationally televised contest will definitely be one for the ages. With all the bulletin board quotes and season-long hype almost out of the way, it’s time for “The Daddy” and “The Dynasty” to begin their saga, starting with the tipoff at Compaq Center
"It should be a very exciting game and I hope it will be," said Yao. “I was able to chat with (Shaquille O’Neal) for a couple of minutes when we were in L.A. last time. It seems to me that physically I may still be lacking a little bit (in terms of being ready to play against O’Neal). I think I need a suit of armor for Friday night."
Lakers - Kobe Bryant is the league’s second-leading scorer at 27.9 points per game ..... Shaquille O’Neal is fourth in scoring (25.9) ..... The Lakers are second in the NBA in rebounding and fifth in assists.
Lakers - Devean George went scoreless in Wednesday’s night game against the Hornets ..... Forward Samaki Walker only averages 6.7 ppg in a starting role.
