The Rockets made sure they ended basketball in Houston this century with a bang.
Playing their final game in Houston before the new millenium, the Rockets used 53% shooting and had 6 players score 15 points or more to destroy the Clippers 122-100 in Houston.
The win increases the Rockets' record to 10-20.
I mean where to begin? For starters, how many dunks did we have tonight? Damn. I mean Francis, Rogers, Cato ... seemed like a dunk-fest off of great passes underneath.
The Rockets looked about as good as they have in any game this season (which I know isn't saying much, but there have been a few golden nuggets). Granted it was the Clips, but using the starting point guard, shooting guard and small forward combo of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Shandon Anderson, the Rockets finally put up some numbers
Anderson bounced back, after two poor offensive outings, with a gorgeous game, scoring 16 points on 7-11 shooting in 26 minutes of play out of the small forward spot. He also added 2 boards and 3 assists.
Francis and Mobley each dished off 11 assists. Considering the Rockets as a team handed out just 10 assists in a game earlier this season, that's impressive.
Francis also added 19 points on 8-12 shooting to go with a pair of steals. He probably got the better of Lamar Odom in the Head to Head rookie race. Sure Odom did tally a triple-double (10 points, 13 boards, 10 assists), but he hit just 2-13 shots from the floor. Mobley nearly recorded a triple-double himself with 16 points and 7 boards to go with the 11 assists. He also swiped 4 steals.
One particular play early on saw Mobley penetrate, draw two defenders and make a beautiful pass underneath to Carlos Rogers for the one-handed slam as he came baseline and from underneath the basket. Mobley was dishing it like never before as the 11 assists was a career high.
The Rockets got big numbers out of the backcourt, but the frontcourt didn't do too shabby themselves.
Kelvin Cato and Rogers combined for 36 points and 19 boards on 16-25 shooting. In particular, Cato was a beast, recording 21 points on 9-12 from the field, 11 boards and 4 blocked shots. The guy in Portland was a defensive (or should I say "shot-blocking") machine, but was never much on the offensive end. Though he remains inconsistent, Cato is responding to playing time and has now scored 20 points or more and grabbed 10 rebounds or more in 3 of the past 6 games.
Walt Williams, off the bench, was the 6th Rocket to score 15 or more. Walt may be regaining some of that wizardry with his shooting touch ... or maybe he just didn't give a damn and decided to heave up 19 shots. Either way Walt made 7-19 for 16 points and 4 boards.
Rudy is tweaking the starting lineup the past few games and saw a big game from Francis, Mobley, Anderson, Rogers and Cato -- the five combined for 87 of the team's 122 points.
