The Houston Rockets are playing the best basketball in the NBA right now, and it’s a shame that the All-Star break had to come so quickly.
Forward Tracy McGrady and the Rockets have won eight consecutive games and 17 of 20, climbing into a tie for the seventh seed with the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. The Rockets finished the first half of the season with a 32-20 record and a 16-9 record at the Toyota Center.
Yao Ming had 25 points and 14 rebounds in the team’s final game before the All-Star break as the team beat the Sacramento Kings 89-87 at Toyota Center on Feb. 13. The Kings, led by defensive guru Ron Artest, rallied during an 18-point fourth quarter comeback to take an 87-86 lead with about 24 seconds left. That’s all the Rockets needed as second-year player Steve Novak hit the game-winning three-point shot with two seconds left.
During the eight-game winning streak, the Rockets have climbed from out of the playoff picture to only four-and-a-half games behind the Southwest Division leader New Orleans Hornets. The Western Conference is so deep this year that the top nine teams are separated by only four-and-a-half games. The 17-of-20 wins is the best 20-game stretch for the team dating back to the 1996-97 campaign.
NBA Update
The Phoenix Suns have acquired center and four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat in exchange for swingman Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks.
Shaq is set to make his Suns debut in the team’s first game after the All-Star break. For the first time in 15 years, O’Neal was not selected to the All-Star Game.
Still on hold is the Jason Kidd and Malik Allen trade to the Dallas Mavericks for five players including guard Devin Harris, forwards Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, Maurice Ager, DeSagna Diop and two first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010. George has exercised his no-trade clause in his contract, which is blocking the trade.
The Kings have agreed to send point guard Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks for point guards Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson and forwards Shelden Williams and Lorenzen Wright. Bibby will provide the playoff-hopeful Atlanta Hawks with leadership as the Hawks hold the ninth position in the Eastern Conference.
In injury news, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will not have surgery on his injured shooting-hand pinkie. Bryant will start in the All-Star game, tape his finger and continue to play as the Lakers sit at third in the West.
In Friday night’s T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson scored 33 points and Rudy Gay pitched in with 22 points as the Sophomores beat the Rookies 136-109. Kevin Durant had 23 points, leading the way for the rookies. The Sophomores won for the sixth consecutive time and Gibson took home the MVP honors.
