Box Score

 

PHOENIX (75)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
S Marion            48  4-18   6-6  4-12   0   4   14
A Stoudemire        39  3-10  6-10   5-9   1   2   12
J Tsakalidis        29   3-4   2-4   3-7   1   4    8
S Marbury           43  7-22   4-6   1-3   7   5   19
P Hardaway          37  7-12   3-3   1-7   1   5   17
B Outlaw            16   0-3   1-2   0-1   0   3    1
J Johnson           15   1-4   0-0   1-2   1   0    2
J Voskuhl            6   1-1   0-0   1-2   0   2    2
T Gugliotta          3   0-1   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
S Williams           1   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
D Langhi             3   0-3   0-0   1-1   0   1    0
C Jacobsen         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 26-78 22-31 17-44  11  26   75
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.333, FT-.710. 3-Point Goals:
1-10, .100 (S Marion 0-5, S Marbury 1-4, J 
Johnson 0-1). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked 
Shots:5 (S Marion 2, A Stoudemire 2, B 
Outlaw). Turnovers:14 (S Marbury 5, S Marion 
3, A Stoudemire 3, P Hardaway 2, J 
Tsakalidis). Steals: 6 (S Marbury 2, J 
Tsakalidis 2, P Hardaway, B Outlaw).


HOUSTON (85)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Posey             10   0-1   0-0   0-1   0   2    0
E Griffin           20   4-9   0-0   2-6   2   2    9
Y Ming              29  8-15   4-5   0-8   3   4   20
S Francis           41   3-9   5-8   1-3   6   5   12
C Mobley            43  5-10   2-2   0-2   7   0   13
G Rice              38  5-10   0-0   1-4   1   1   13
K Cato              19   1-3   4-4   3-9   0   5    6
M Taylor            28  4-12   0-0   0-3   2   3    8
M Norris            12   2-2   0-0   0-0   2   1    4
T Morris           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Hawkins          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
T Maddox           DNP  - FLU                                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 32-71 15-19  7-36  23  23   85
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.451, FT-.789. 3-Point Goals:
6-14, .429 (E Griffin 1-1, S Francis 1-5, C 
Mobley 1-2, G Rice 3-6). Team Rebounds: 12. 
Blocked Shots:7 (Y Ming 4, K Cato, C Mobley, 
E Griffin). Turnovers:13 (Y Ming 5, C Mobley 
3, M Taylor 2, G Rice, S Francis, E Griffin).
Steals: 5 (S Francis 2, K Cato, J Posey, C 
Mobley).

-------------------------------------------
PHOENIX              19  12  24  20   -  75
HOUSTON              25  30  9   21   -  85
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: Houston 1 (K Cato, 10:19 
4th). A: 15,717. T: 2:16. Officials: Derek 
Richardson, Jack Nies, James Capers.

Extended Box

 

PHOENIX (75) AT HOUSTON (85)

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
S MARION          F    48    4-18     6-6      4   8  12    0   4   0   3   14
A STOUDEMIRE      F    39    3-10     6-10     5   4   9    1   2   0   3   12
J TSAKALIDIS      C    29    3-4      2-4      3   4   7    1   4   2   1    8
S MARBURY         G    43    7-22     4-6      1   2   3    7   5   2   5   19
P HARDAWAY             37    7-12     3-3      1   6   7    1   5   1   2   17
B OUTLAW               16    0-3      1-2      0   1   1    0   3   1   0    1
J JOHNSON         G    15    1-4      0-0      1   1   2    1   0   0   0    2
J VOSKUHL               6    1-1      0-0      1   1   2    0   2   0   0    2
T GUGLIOTTA             3    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
S WILLIAMS              1    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
D LANGHI                3    0-3      0-0      1   0   1    0   1   0   0    0
C JACOBSEN            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   26-78    22-31    17  27  44   11  26   6  14   75
                            (.333)  (.710)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 14 (13 PTS)    

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J POSEY           F    10    0-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   2   1   0    0
E GRIFFIN         F    20    4-9      0-0      2   4   6    2   2   0   1    9
Y MING            C    29    8-15     4-5      0   8   8    3   4   0   5   20
S FRANCIS         G    41    3-9      5-8      1   2   3    6   5   2   1   12
C MOBLEY          G    43    5-10     2-2      0   2   2    7   0   1   3   13
G RICE                 38    5-10     0-0      1   3   4    1   1   0   1   13
K CATO                 19    1-3      4-4      3   6   9    0   5   1   0    6
M TAYLOR               28    4-12     0-0      0   3   3    2   3   0   2    8
M NORRIS               12    2-2      0-0      0   0   0    2   1   0   0    4
T MORRIS              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J HAWKINS             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
T MADDOX              DNP  - FLU                                                      
  
TOTALS                240   32-71    15-19     7  29  36   23  23   5  13   85
                            (.451)  (.789)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 14 (20 PTS)    
  
   PHOENIX            19   12   24   20   -   75
   HOUSTON            25   30    9   21   -   85
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX - S MARION 2, A STOUDEMIRE 2, B OUTLAW.  HOUSTON -
Y MING 4, K CATO, C MOBLEY, E GRIFFIN.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 1-10 (.100), S MARION 0-5, S MARBURY 1-
4, J JOHNSON 0-1. HOUSTON 6-14 (.429), E GRIFFIN 1-1, S FRANCIS 1-
5, C MOBLEY 1-2, G RICE 3-6.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: HOUSTON 1 (K CATO, 10:19 4TH,).
OFFICIALS: DEREK RICHARDSON, JACK NIES, JAMES CAPERS.
A - 15,717. T - 2:16.

Game Story

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Rockets gave coach Rudy 
Tomjanovich something positive to think about.

Yao Ming scored nine of his 20 points in the final 4 1/2 minutes
as the red-hot Houston Rockets held on for their season-high
fifth straight victory, an 85-75 triumph over the Phoenix Suns
that had huge playoff implications.

The Rockets open a five-game road trip in Seattle on Tuesday but
will make the trip without Tomjanovich, who will remain in
Houston to have tests on a bladder infection.

"It can always have some seriousness when they have to go in and
do some tests," he said. "There's a lot of emotions going
through me. Fear is one of them. I just told (the Rockets) after
the game. I feel great, considering all the stress.

The illness to their coach is a distraction for the Rockets, who
are playing their best basketball of the season as they try to
get into the playoffs.

"It's something we didn't expect to hear after the game,"
Houston coach Maurice Taylor said. "It was a somber mood. He's
the type of guy a lot guys look up to outside of basketball.
We're definitely going to play for him."

"It was shocking, coming in the locker room after a big win,"
Rockets forward Glen Rice said. "Our minds shifted to Rudy. We
have to make it easier for him. We can't lose these games and
have him stressing out.

The Rockets almost made Tomjanovich's night an easy one, but the
Suns rallied from a 26-point deficit, pulling within 70-64 on
jumper by Penny Hardaway with 4:52 remaining.

The 7-5 Yao responded with a three-point play and drove around a
double-team for a dunk with 3:54 remaining.

"Yao made a great spin play," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich
said. "Yao made big plays. He's a special kid."

After Phoenix's Stephon Marbury drained a 3-pointer, Yao
assisted on a hook by Taylor 74 seconds later and buried a
jumper over 7-2 Jake Tsakilidis for a 79-69 cushion at the 2:32
mark.

Marbury made a floater over Yao and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire
dunked on his fellow rookie with 66 seconds left. Stoudemire
brought the Suns within 79-74 on a free throw with 29 seconds
left.

Phoenix was forced to foul and Yao, Steve Francis and Cuttino
Mobley each buried a pair of free throws in the final 27
seconds.

The Rockets moved one game ahead of the Suns for the final
playoff spot in the Western Conference and won the season
series, giving them the edge if the teams end the season tied in
the standings.

Mobley finished with 13 points and Francis added 12 for the
Rockets, who completed an unbeaten four-game homestand.

Marbury scored 19 points and Hardaway had 17 for Phoenix, which
lost for the fourth time in five games.

"We had a big game and they need to make up their mind whether
they're going to play or not," Suns coach Frank Johnson said of
his team. "(The Rockets) did everything we knew they wanted to
do."

Shawn Marion collected 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Suns
shot just 33 percent (26-of-78) from the floor, including
1-of-10 from 3-point range.

Yao outplayed fellow rookie Amare Stoudemire, who scored just 12
points 3-of-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.

"I don't think (Stoudemire) played like his normal self. I think
he can play better," said Yao, who had eight rebounds and four
blocks. "I was thinking this is a game we have to get. We're not
in (the playoffs) yet."

Rice scored all 13 of his points in the first half as Houston
jumped out to a 55-31 lead. The Rockets shot a blistering 62
percent (23-of-37) in the first half and made 13-of-18 shots in
the third quarter.

Phoenix made just 5-of-22 shots in the second quarter and set a
season low for points in a half.

"We were playing catch-up the whole game," Marion said. "We were
almost there, but when you dig a hole that big it's tough to
dig out of it. We were still in a situation to win the game."

The roles were reversed in the third quarter as the Rockets made
just 2-of-15 shots while the Suns came back. Houston had its
largest lead at 61-35 with 9:02 remaining before Phoenix reeled
off 13 straight points, highlighted by five points from Marbury.

Hardaway scored seven points in the third quarter as Phoenix
pulled within 64-55 entering the fourth.

"It was probably the biggest victory in the last four games,"
Tomjanovich said. "Our defense again was fantastic. (The Suns)
know us pretty well. It reminded me of a playoff game when you
get in those droughts."