Box Score

 

DENVER (87)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
C Anthony           36  4-17   8-9   1-2   2   2   16
K Martin            31 10-17   2-3   3-9   2   3   22
Nene                26   4-6  4-10   0-5   1   4   12
A Miller            34  4-11   4-4   0-1   9   2   12
D Johnson           15   1-1   1-2   0-1   1   1    4
G Buckner           19   2-5   1-1   2-5   1   3    6
F Elson             11   0-0   1-2   1-1   0   2    1
E Boykins           30   4-7   1-1   0-2   3   1    9
E Najera            21   1-3   0-0   1-4   1   4    2
W Person            13   1-6   0-0   0-0   0   1    3
B Russell            4   0-2   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
M Camby            DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                       
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 31-75 22-32  8-30  20  24   87
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.413, FT-.688. 3-Point Goals:
3-9, .333 (C Anthony 0-1, D Johnson 1-1, G 
Buckner 1-2, W Person 1-3, B Russell 0-2). 
Team Rebounds: 17. Blocked Shots:1 (E 
Najera). Turnovers:14 (K Martin 4, E Boykins 
3, A Miller 2, E Najera 2, W Person, G 
Buckner, C Anthony). Steals: 8 (A Miller 3, E
Boykins, G Buckner, E Najera, D Johnson, K 
Martin).


HOUSTON (115)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
T McGrady           37 10-21   6-7   0-2   8   3   32
C Weatherspoon      15   2-4   0-0   1-3   0   2    4
Y Ming              23   5-8   3-6  3-11   3   3   13
B Sura              13   0-1   0-2   0-2   2   5    0
D Wesley            33  4-10   0-1   0-1   5   4   10
M James             30  9-12   2-2   0-5   6   3   23
S Padgett           30  5-10   0-0   1-3   3   3   13
D Mutombo           22   2-3   7-8  5-12   0   1   11
J Barry             24   3-5   0-0   0-1   5   1    7
R Bowen              7   0-2   0-0   0-2   0   1    0
T Braggs             3   1-1   0-0   2-2   0   0    2
M Norris             3   0-2   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 41-79 18-26 12-44  32  26  115
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.519, FT-.692. 3-Point Goals:
15-24, .625 (T McGrady 6-7, B Sura 0-1, D 
Wesley 2-4, M James 3-4, S Padgett 3-6, J 
Barry 1-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked 
Shots:11 (Y Ming 5, D Mutombo 3, T McGrady 
3). Turnovers:13 (B Sura 2, T McGrady 2, M 
James 2, S Padgett 2, Y Ming 2, C 
Weatherspoon, D Wesley, R Bowen). Steals: 10 
(J Barry 4, S Padgett 2, C Weatherspoon, Y 
Ming, M James, D Wesley).

-------------------------------------------
DENVER                34  15  21  17  -   87
HOUSTON               24  32  24  35  -  115
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Houston - 3 (Defensive 
Three, 3:28 1st; Defensive Three, 5:25 1st; T
McGrady, 6:05 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,216. T: 2:29. 
Officials: Marc Davis, Michael Smith, Ron 
Garretson.

Extended Box

 

DENVER (87) AT HOUSTON (115)

DENVER

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
C ANTHONY         F    36    4-17     8-9      1   1   2    2   2   0   1   16
K MARTIN          F    31   10-17     2-3      3   6   9    2   3   1   4   22
NENE              C    26    4-6      4-10     0   5   5    1   4   0   0   12
A MILLER          G    34    4-11     4-4      0   1   1    9   2   3   2   12
D JOHNSON              15    1-1      1-2      0   1   1    1   1   1   0    4
G BUCKNER         G    19    2-5      1-1      2   3   5    1   3   1   1    6
F ELSON                11    0-0      1-2      1   0   1    0   2   0   0    1
E BOYKINS              30    4-7      1-1      0   2   2    3   1   1   3    9
E NAJERA               21    1-3      0-0      1   3   4    1   4   1   2    2
W PERSON               13    1-6      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   1    3
B RUSSELL               4    0-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    0
M CAMBY               DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                                 
  
TOTALS                240   31-75    22-32     8  22  30   20  24   8  14   87
                            (.413)  (.688)  TEAM REBS: 17 TOTAL TO: 14 (22 PTS)    

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
T MCGRADY         F    37   10-21     6-7      0   2   2    8   3   0   2   32
C WEATHERSPOON    F    15    2-4      0-0      1   2   3    0   2   1   1    4
Y MING            C    23    5-8      3-6      3   8  11    3   3   1   2   13
B SURA            G    13    0-1      0-2      0   2   2    2   5   0   2    0
D WESLEY          G    33    4-10     0-1      0   1   1    5   4   1   1   10
M JAMES                30    9-12     2-2      0   5   5    6   3   1   2   23
S PADGETT              30    5-10     0-0      1   2   3    3   3   2   2   13
D MUTOMBO              22    2-3      7-8      5   7  12    0   1   0   0   11
J BARRY                24    3-5      0-0      0   1   1    5   1   4   0    7
R BOWEN                 7    0-2      0-0      0   2   2    0   1   0   1    0
T BRAGGS                3    1-1      0-0      2   0   2    0   0   0   0    2
M NORRIS                3    0-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
  
TOTALS                240   41-79    18-26    12  32  44   32  26  10  13  115
                            (.519)  (.692)  TEAM REBS:  9 TOTAL TO: 14 (11 PTS)    
  
   DENVER             34   15   21   17   -   87
   HOUSTON            24   32   24   35   -   115
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER - E NAJERA.  HOUSTON - Y MING 5, D MUTOMBO 3,
T MCGRADY 3.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 3-9 (.333), C ANTHONY 0-1, D JOHNSON 1-1,
G BUCKNER 1-2, W PERSON 1-3, B RUSSELL 0-2. HOUSTON 15-24 (.625),
T MCGRADY 6-7, B SURA 0-1, D WESLEY 2-4, M JAMES 3-4, S PADGETT 3-
6, J BARRY 1-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE 2, T MCGRADY.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MARC DAVIS, MICHAEL SMITH, RON GARRETSON.
A - 18,216. T - 2:29.

Game Story

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Rockets wore their retro red 
uniforms against the Denver Nuggets and relied on a retro-type
player to get them going.

Ageless Dikembe Mutombo provided the spark to rally the Rockets
from a horrendous start to a 115-87 victory, dealing the Nuggets
only their third loss in 27 games and their largest setback of
the season.

The 38-year-old Mutombo contributed nine points and 10 rebounds
in the first half before Tracy McGrady took over the offense for
Houston.

"I couldn't be more disappointed in the first six minutes," said
Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy, whose team fell behind, 18-4.
"Mutombo's effort was what changed the game.  The bench did a
great job of getting us back in striking distance.  Our starters
played much better the second half."

Guard Mike James also supplied plenty of offense off the bench
and then McGrady put together one of his magical spurts.  In a
span of 3:59 at the end of the first half and the beginning of
the second, McGrady scored 16 points to help turn a one-point
edge into a 64-52 lead.  He made six consecutive outside shots,
including four 3-pointers.

The Nuggets (48-32), who had a 10-game winning streak snapped,
never recovered.

"I thought we had decent control on McGrady and then he blew up
on us," said Denver coach George Karl, whose team lost to
someone other than the league-leading Phoenix Suns for the first
time since February 16 at Charlotte.

McGrady scored 32 points, making 6-for-7 from the arc, and also
added eight assists.

Van Gundy said he never discusses shot selection with McGrady.
He said he learned a lesson from coach Don Nelson when he was
Nelson's assistant in New York.

"He said, 'Give a great player his head,'" Van Gundy said.  "I
don't really analyze (McGrady's) shots because he is unselfish
and has a unique ability to rise up over people.  I talk to him
about his defense, about getting open for shots."

With McGrady there is rarely such a thing as a bad shot.

James did some pretty good shooting of his own for Houston
(49-31), scoring 23 points while connecting on 9-for-12 attempts
from the field.

McGrady went down with 3:39 left in the third quarter after
taking a hit in the groin from Denver's Greg Buckner.  He left
the game, but returned to start the fourth quarter.

"I got a little pain in my midsection," McGrady said.  "It just
knocked the breath out of me.  It happened, move on.  I don't
think it was intentional.  I don't think Buckner's a dirty guy."

The Rockets' bench scored 31 of their 49 points in the first
half and 56 for the game, with Scott Padgett chipping in 13.
Houston tied a season high with 15 3-pointers in 24 attempts.

Nobody meant more to Houston than Mutombo, who ended up with 13
points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.

"When Dikembe is in the game and he is playing like that,
defending and blocking shots and rebounding, I think it carries
over to everybody else," McGrady said.  "We feed off that
energy."

Mutombo seemed to revitalize his career in Houston, accepting
the role as backup to Yao Ming.

"I think it was the best decision, take that step back," Mutombo
said.  "Don't worry about your minutes.  You want to finish
your career on top."

Houston, which won its fifth straight game, moved into a tie
with Sacramento for fifth place in the Western Conference.

The Rockets finish the season with home games against the Los
Angeles Clippers and Seattle.  The Nuggets, who likely will play
powerful San Antonio in the first round after slipping to
seventh in the West, conclude their season by visiting Phoenix
and hosting Portland.

"We haven't lost in a long time and maybe this is a wakeup call
for us," said Denver forward Carmelo Anthony, who scored 16
points but made just 4-of-17 shots.