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Houston Rockets 73, San Antonio Spurs 67
Houston, TX Jan. 15 / Wire Reports -- Tracy McGrady summoned some more
late-game moxie to put away the San Antonio Spurs.
McGrady scored 28 points and came up with a handful of clutch plays to lead the Houston Rockets to their season-high fourth
straight win, a 73-67 victory over the Spurs on Saturday night.
``This year, I've hit more big shots than I've ever done in my career,'' McGrady said. ``This was a really big win for us.''
In the last meeting between the teams on Dec. 9, McGrady led the Rockets to the biggest last-minute comeback victory in
franchise history by scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds.
McGrady sparked the Rockets' strong finish in this one by converting a three-point play, making a couple of free throws and
then finding Bob Sura all alone behind the arc for a 3-pointer that gave Houston a 64-57 lead with 2:49 to go.
He nailed a clinching 3-pointer of his own with 34.6 seconds left, putting Houston ahead 69-61. McGrady let his right hand
linger in the air a little longer than usual and smiled as the crowd cheered.
``He had one big one at the end,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ``We made him shoot a lot of tough shots. He is a great
player and maybe the toughest guy to cover in the league.''
Yao Ming added 13 points and Dikembe Mutombo came off the bench for 15 rebounds, helping the Rockets win for the seventh
time in nine games and move three games above .500 (20-17) for the first time this season.
They also won consecutive games against San Antonio for the first time since 1997, but it was only their fourth victory in
the past 25 games of this lopsided intrastate NBA rivalry.
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 21 points and six assists, while Tim Duncan had 18 points on 7-of-19 shooting and 12
rebounds.
The Spurs were held to a season-low point total, going only 24-of-68 (35 percent) from the floor, including 2-of-16 (13
percent) from 3-point range.
``Every time we play them, the offense isn't very good,'' Parker said. ``Our defense was good, but we never got our rhythm
on the offensive end.''
San Antonio's offensive woes certainly weren't helped by the injury of guard Manu Ginobili, who left in the third quarter
after bruising his right quadriceps and didn't return. He played only one minute after halftime, then was taken out.
Ginobili finished with six points, three rebounds and three steals.
``I'm good. It's just a little sore,'' said Ginobili, whose upper right leg was wrapped in ice. ``I got kneed and I think
that is what happened.''
Both teams got off to their trademark slow starts, combining for only 58 first-half points -- Houston led 30-28 -- in an
unsightly offensive display that was the second-worst in the NBA this season. Detroit and Denver combined for 55 points on
Nov. 28, tying a post shot-clock era league record set by the Rockets and Spurs on Dec. 11, 2003.
``We turned it back tonight to the 1940s,'' Rockets guard Jon Barry said. ``I've never been in a game (when the scoring) is
this low.''
But McGrady eventually got it going, and he knocked down a 20-foot jumper while being fouled by Bruce Bowen to give the
Rockets a 58-57 lead. He hit the free throw, and Houston never trailed again.
He then stole a pass by Duncan, and broke into the open court before being fouled by Brent Barry. The officials called a
clear path foul, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich drew a technical foul for protesting the call.
McGrady hit two free throws, stole another pass on the Spurs' next possession and zipped a pass to a wide-open Sura for the
3 that gave Houston a game-clinching seven-point lead.
``I think tonight just shows what type of team we can be,'' McGrady said. ``There are elite teams in this league and we
should be one of those teams if we do what we're supposed to do.''
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