Box Score

 

HOUSTON (90)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
T McGrady           41 14-26   7-7  0-11   4   0   38
C Weatherspoon      22   1-3   2-2   2-3   0   3    4
Y Ming              31   4-8 12-13  1-13   1   4   20
B Sura              24   2-7   1-2   0-3   4   2    6
D Wesley            37   3-5   0-0   1-2   2   3    7
D Mutombo           15   0-1   0-0   0-2   0   0    0
R Bowen             10   0-0   0-0   3-4   0   0    0
M James             22   1-5   3-4   0-4   1   2    5
J Barry             20  4-10   0-0   0-2   2   4   10
S Padgett           18   0-2   0-0   0-1   1   3    0
V Baker            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
T Braggs           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 29-67 25-28  7-45  15  21   90
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.433, FT-.893. 3-Point Goals:
7-19, .368 (T McGrady 3-8, B Sura 1-3, D 
Wesley 1-3, M James 0-1, J Barry 2-4). Team 
Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:7 (D Mutombo 4, Y 
Ming 3). Turnovers:9 (C Weatherspoon 2, D 
Wesley 2, T McGrady 2, B Sura, S Padgett, Y 
Ming). Steals: 1 (J Barry).


SEATTLE (78)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
R Evans             24   3-6   1-1   2-7   0   4    7
D Wilkins           41   1-9   1-2   2-3   4   2    3
J James             13   1-7   0-0   1-2   0   5    2
R Allen             41  7-22   3-3   0-5   3   1   18
L Ridnour           43   4-9   2-2   1-2   2   3   12
V Potapenko         33  5-12   3-3   3-7   0   5   13
N Collison          17   3-7   2-3   3-8   0   3    8
R Murray            28  4-10   5-6   1-6   4   3   15
D Fortson          DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT SHOULDER                         
A Daniels          DNP  - CHONDROMALACIA, RIGHT KNE                      
R Lewis            DNP  - RIGHT FOOT CONTUSION                           
M Cleaves          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 28-82 17-20 13-40  13  26   78
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.341, FT-.850. 3-Point Goals:
5-20, .250 (D Wilkins 0-4, R Allen 1-9, L 
Ridnour 2-4, R Murray 2-3). Team Rebounds: 5.
Blocked Shots:3 (V Potapenko 2, J James). 
Turnovers:6 (L Ridnour 2, J James, N 
Collison, R Evans, R Murray). Steals: 5 (R 
Allen, J James, R Evans, R Murray, D 
Wilkins).

-------------------------------------------
HOUSTON               14  23  34  19  -   90
SEATTLE               13  24  26  15  -   78
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Houston - 1 (Defensive 
Three, 9:16 3rd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,072. T: 2:23. 
Officials: Joe Forte, Leon Wood, Mark 
Wunderlich.

Extended Box

 

HOUSTON (90) AT SEATTLE (78)

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
T MCGRADY         F    41   14-26     7-7      0  11  11    4   0   0   2   38
C WEATHERSPOON    F    22    1-3      2-2      2   1   3    0   3   0   2    4
Y MING            C    31    4-8     12-13     1  12  13    1   4   0   1   20
B SURA            G    24    2-7      1-2      0   3   3    4   2   0   1    6
D WESLEY          G    37    3-5      0-0      1   1   2    2   3   0   2    7
D MUTOMBO              15    0-1      0-0      0   2   2    0   0   0   0    0
R BOWEN                10    0-0      0-0      3   1   4    0   0   0   0    0
M JAMES                22    1-5      3-4      0   4   4    1   2   0   0    5
J BARRY                20    4-10     0-0      0   2   2    2   4   1   0   10
S PADGETT              18    0-2      0-0      0   1   1    1   3   0   1    0
V BAKER               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
T BRAGGS              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   29-67    25-28     7  38  45   15  21   1   9   90
                            (.433)  (.893)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 9 (10 PTS)     

SEATTLE

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
R EVANS           F    24    3-6      1-1      2   5   7    0   4   1   1    7
D WILKINS         F    41    1-9      1-2      2   1   3    4   2   1   0    3
J JAMES           C    13    1-7      0-0      1   1   2    0   5   1   1    2
R ALLEN           G    41    7-22     3-3      0   5   5    3   1   1   0   18
L RIDNOUR         G    43    4-9      2-2      1   1   2    2   3   0   2   12
V POTAPENKO            33    5-12     3-3      3   4   7    0   5   0   0   13
N COLLISON             17    3-7      2-3      3   5   8    0   3   0   1    8
R MURRAY               28    4-10     5-6      1   5   6    4   3   1   1   15
D FORTSON             DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT SHOULDER                                   
A DANIELS             DNP  - CHONDROMALACIA, RIGHT KNE                                
R LEWIS               DNP  - RIGHT FOOT CONTUSION                                     
M CLEAVES             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   28-82    17-20    13  27  40   13  26   5   6   78
                            (.341)  (.850)  TEAM REBS:  5 TOTAL TO: 6 (6 PTS)      
  
   HOUSTON            14   23   34   19   -   90
   SEATTLE            13   24   26   15   -   78
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: HOUSTON - D MUTOMBO 4, Y MING 3.  SEATTLE - V POTAPENKO 2,
J JAMES.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: HOUSTON 7-19 (.368), T MCGRADY 3-8, B SURA 1-3,
D WESLEY 1-3, M JAMES 0-1, J BARRY 2-4. SEATTLE 5-20 (.250), D WILKINS 0-
4, R ALLEN 1-9, L RIDNOUR 2-4, R MURRAY 2-3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JOE FORTE, LEON WOOD, MARK WUNDERLICH.
A - 17,072. T - 2:23.

Game Story

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The undermanned Seattle SuperSonics sure do 
not look like a team going to the playoffs.

Tracy McGrady scored 17 of his 38 points in the third quarter
and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Houston Rockets handed the
SuperSonics a season-high fifth straight defeat, 90-78.

Missing injured regulars Rashard Lewis, Vladimir Radmanovic,
Danny Fortson and Antonio Daniels, Seattle (50-27) absorbed its
sixth loss in seven games and again failed to clinch the
inaugural Northwest Division title.

"I thought Seattle, being down people, really competed hard,"
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said.  "We made a couple of shots.
I don't know if we did anything in particular.  You know when
you come in here you're going to have to play really hard to win
because they bring it."

"That's how the NBA is," McGrady said of facing the undermanned
Sonics.  "When a couple of your key guys go out and some guys
don't get the minutes they want, those guys come in and bring a
lot of energy and intensity to the game.  Those guys came in and
played hard and made us work.  They were bullish.  But we kept
our poise and did a great job, executed our offense and made
some stops." 

The Rockets concluded their road schedule with a 25-16 mark.  
They finish their regular season with four games at home.

McGrady was at a loss to explain his team's success on the road.

"I don't know, man," he said.  "We are just so comfortable and
confident away from home.  I know it's just us with no
distractions.  I am real confident right now, especially on the
road.  I feel my game is where it needs to be."

The SuperSonics shot just 34 percent (28-of-82) from the field
and saw their lead atop the division slip to four games over
Denver with four games remaining.  Seattle holds the tiebreaker
against Denver.

Yao Ming added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets
(47-31), who remained one game ahead of Denver for sixth place
in the Western Conference.  If the playoffs began today, the
Rockets would meet the SuperSonics in the first round.

Houston held a 70-59 lead with just under a minute to play in
the third quarter but allowed Seattle to pull within 71-70 on a
basket by Ray Allen with 7:24 to play.

But Yao countered with a follow shot that triggered a 15-4 run,
which Jon Barry ended with a jumper for an 86-74 cushion with
1:31 left.

"They made a run at us, but once Tracy gets going, we are very
difficult to stop," Barry said.  "Tracy hit some huge shots and
anytime he is in a zone offensively, everybody else gets good
shots."

"(McGrady) made a lot of shots with a hand in his face," said
Sonics guard Ronald Murray, who finished with 15 points off the
bench.  "He made some tough shots."

Allen scored 18 points to pace Seattle but made just 7-of-22
shots, including 1-of-9 from the arc.

Sonics coach Nate McMillan admitted he was frustrated by having
to play without several of his key players.

"There is nothing we can do about it," he said.  "The guys are
injured, so we have to go with the guys in uniform.  I thought
these guys played hard, but we just had some defensive
breakdowns at certain parts of the game that you can't afford to
make."