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San Antonio Spurs 99, Houston Rockets 81
San Antonio, TX Feb. 23 / Wire Reports --
Tracy McGrady could only watch this time while Tony Parker led the San Antonio Spurs to victory.
Parker made three inside baskets, including a rare dunk off his own steal, during a decisive 14-3 run in the fourth quarter
of a 99-81 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Parker went 6-for-7 in the second half and finished with 22 points, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich only wanted to talk about
his defense.
``On defense, he sealed the game for us,'' Popovich said. ``Nobody notices it, they just notice what people do offensively,
but on defense, he was very, very good.''
In the first Spurs-Rockets matchup in early December, McGrady stunned San Antonio by scoring 13 points in the final 35
seconds to lead Houston to a one-point win.
In the second Rockets triumph, McGrady hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining to end the Spurs' comeback hopes.
But on Wednesday, the last of his team-high 22 points came on a layup with five minutes left to bring the Rockets within
three at 79-76. He took only one more shot, missing a 3-pointer with San Antonio leading by 15.
``I think I'm being too passive,'' said McGrady, who shot only 7-for-21. ``I'm trying to stay in the offense and getting the
other guys involved -- that's how we've been winning. Sometimes it'll hurt us because I do need to be more
effective.''
Parker, who had a season-high five steals, wanted to talk about the breakaway slam with about three minutes left.
``The fans always get mad when I make layups, but sometimes I'm tired,'' he said. ``Tonight I felt good. I'll try to do
more.''
The victory was the Spurs' first in three tries against Houston this season, and their 16th straight win at home. San
Antonio is 24-1 at the SBC Center.
Tim Duncan scored 30 points, including his third 3-pointer of the season, and had 11 rebounds for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili
added 18 points.
Yao Ming had 20 points and Juwan Howard 16 for the Rockets, who dropped their second in a row after winning eight straight
before the All-Star break.
``We're struggling to score -- I don't think we had a field goal off the bench tonight,'' said Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy,
whose reserves went 0-for-11. ``(The Spurs) had another level. That's why they're the best team in the league.''
Houston played without starting point guard Bob Sura, who has a sore back. The team said Wednesday that Sura, averaging 10.8
points and 5.3 assists, could be out for up to two weeks with the injury.
Ginobili opened the game with a 3-pointer and Parker made two driving layups to give San Antonio a 9-4 lead in the first two
minutes. The Rockets followed with their own 9-4 run, with a 19-foot jumper by McGrady tying the score at 13.
Houston led 26-21 after one as the Spurs missed six of their final eight shots of the period.
The Rockets made only five field goals in the second and missed six straight shots at one point, but San Antonio couldn't
take the lead.
Down 40-34 late in the second, Parker made a pair of free throws and a layup to cut Houston's lead to two. But Yao hit a
14-foot turnaround jumper and foul shots by Jon Barry and Howard put the Rockets up 45-38, matching their biggest lead of
the half.
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