Marc Gasol, who was 6 of 8 from the field, added 20, as the Grizzlies had six players in double figures. Randolph shot 11 of 14 and grabbed nine rebounds. Gasol and Rudy Gay, who finished with 10 points, each had eight boards as Memphis outrebounded the Rockets 42-33.

“Any time you have Randolph and Gasol go 17 of 22, you are going to have major issues,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

Randolph, who doesn’t have a reputation as a strong defender, was part of a Grizzlies front line that held Houston starters Chase Budinger, Luis Scola and Jordan Hill to a total of 17 points, 11 from Budinger.

While Randolph didn’t necessarily agree with Hollins’ assessment of the defensive effort being his best, he did acknowledge trying to concentrate more on that end of the floor.

“That’s what I’m trying to focus on, just better D, helping my guys out and being in the right position,” Randolph said, adding, “Defense wins games. I know I can score with the best of them, and rebound with the best of them. (Working) on defense there’s going to be a trickle-down effect, and everybody gets to playing defense and moving their feet and helping each other out.”

Jeremy Pargo, starting in place of injured Memphis point guard Mike Conley, finished with 14 points, while Quincy Pondexter, picked up in a preseason trade with New Orleans, had 13.

Kevin Martin led the Rockets with 21 points, while Kyle Lowry had 15 points and eight assists. Rookie Chandler Parsons scored 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, all in the fourth quarter.

Memphis shot 56 percent and forced 20 Houston turnovers. The Grizzlies put away the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 31-16.

The victory was another step in Memphis establishing its identity as an inside force that carried the Grizzlies to the semifinals of last season’s Western Conference playoffs.

“Defensively and offensively, we can get a lot better,” Gasol said, “but this is more who we are. You saw some things last game (Wednesday’s 98-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder) and today for longer periods, we played better.”

Memphis opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run for a double-digit lead and eventually carried a 57-51 lead into the locker room, shooting 56 percent.

Randolph had 15 in the half, while Gasol scored 13. Martin had 19 points at the break for the Rockets and Lowry contributed 13, going a combined 10 of 16 from the field.

“We started off the game, and (Randolph) made some shot that we didn’t want him to take, those long jump shots, and he just got on a roll,” McHale said. “We couldn’t stop him.”

Memphis extended its lead by opening the second half with an 18-7 run, claiming a 75-58 margin just past the midway point of the third period.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Zach Randolph scored 23 points, Marc Gasol added 20, and the Memphis Grizzlies earned their first victory of the season, beating the Houston Rockets 113-93 on Friday night.

Randolph shot 11 of 14 and grabbed nine rebounds. Gasol and Rudy Gay, who finished with 10 points, each had eight boards as Memphis outrebounded the Rockets 42-33.

Six Grizzlies finished in double figures, including Jeremy Pargo’s 14 and 13 by Quincy Pondexter.

Kevin Martin led the Rockets with 21 points, while Kyle Lowry had 15 points and eight assists. Rookie Chandler Parsons scored 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, all in the fourth quarter.

Memphis shot 56 percent and forced 20 Houston turnovers. The Grizzlies put away the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 31-16.

Memphis opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run for a double-digit lead and eventually carried a 57-51 lead into the locker room, shooting 56 percent.

Randolph had 15 in the half, while Gasol scored 13. Martin had 19 points at the break for the Rockets and Lowry contributed 13, going a combined 10 of 16 from the field.

Memphis extended its lead by opening the second half with an 18-7 run, claiming a 75-58 margin just past the midway point of the third period.

The Grizzlies continued to pour on the offense, fueled by defense. The Rockets were 6 of 20 in the quarter, leading to Memphis outscoring Houston 31-16, giving the Grizzlies an 88-67 lead entering the fourth.

Houston made a small dent in the advantage as Parsons began hitting, scoring all his points in the fourth quarter. He was 5 of 9 from the field, connecting on all three of his shots outside the arc.

But even with a rally behind the rookie, the Rockets never really threatened.

NOTES:  Hasheem Thabeet, drafted by the Grizzlies with the No. 2 overall pick in 2009, returned to the FedExForum for the first time since he was traded to the Rockets last February. He was on the inactive list for Friday’s game. .Rockets coach Kevin McHale said fast-paced teams seem to be dominating the early games in the league, partially because of the short training camp. “Open court, free-flowing basketball is pretty instinctual to most of the NBA players,” McHale said before the game. “You don’t have to have as much structure in that as you do when you get sets. .A lot of things happen in those five-man sets with 14 seconds on the shot clock that are not good right now in the NBA.” .Patrick Patterson, in his second season out of Kentucky, saw his first action of the season after being inactive for the first two games with a right ankle injury. .Grizzlies starting point guard Mike Conley did not dress for the game, still suffering from a left ankle injury suffered in the opening minutes of Memphis’ Wednesday night loss to Oklahoma City.

Zach Randolph led the Memphis Grizzlies in scoring, though coach Lionel Hollins wanted to talk about something else.

“That’s the best defense I’ve seen Zach play since he’s been here,” Hollins said after Randolph’s 23 points led the Grizzlies to their first victory of the season, 113-93 over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Marc Gasol, who was 6 of 8 from the field, added 20, as the Grizzlies had six players in double figures. Randolph shot 11 of 14 and grabbed nine rebounds. Gasol and Rudy Gay, who finished with 10 points, each had eight boards as Memphis outrebounded the Rockets 42-33.

“Any time you have Randolph and Gasol go 17 of 22, you are going to have major issues,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

Randolph, who doesn’t have a reputation as a strong defender, was part of a Grizzlies front line that held Houston starters Chase Budinger, Luis Scola and Jordan Hill to a total of 17 points, 11 from Budinger.

While Randolph didn’t necessarily agree with Hollins’ assessment of the defensive effort being his best, he did acknowledge trying to concentrate more on that end of the floor.

“That’s what I’m trying to focus on, just better D, helping my guys out and being in the right position,” Randolph said, adding, “Defense wins games. I know I can score with the best of them, and rebound with the best of them. (Working) on defense there’s going to be a trickle-down effect, and everybody gets to playing defense and moving their feet and helping each other out.”

Jeremy Pargo, starting in place of injured Memphis point guard Mike Conley, finished with 14 points, while Quincy Pondexter, picked up in a preseason trade with New Orleans, had 13.

Kevin Martin led the Rockets with 21 points, while Kyle Lowry had 15 points and eight assists. Rookie Chandler Parsons scored 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, all in the fourth quarter.

Memphis shot 56 percent and forced 20 Houston turnovers. The Grizzlies put away the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 31-16.

The victory was another step in Memphis establishing its identity as an inside force that carried the Grizzlies to the semifinals of last season’s Western Conference playoffs.

“Defensively and offensively, we can get a lot better,” Gasol said, “but this is more who we are. You saw some things last game (Wednesday’s 98-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder) and today for longer periods, we played better.”

Memphis opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run for a double-digit lead and eventually carried a 57-51 lead into the locker room, shooting 56 percent.

Randolph had 15 in the half, while Gasol scored 13. Martin had 19 points at the break for the Rockets and Lowry contributed 13, going a combined 10 of 16 from the field.

“We started off the game, and (Randolph) made some shot that we didn’t want him to take, those long jump shots, and he just got on a roll,” McHale said. “We couldn’t stop him.”

Memphis extended its lead by opening the second half with an 18-7 run, claiming a 75-58 margin just past the midway point of the third period.

The Grizzlies continued to pour on the offense, fueled by defense. The Rockets were 6 of 20 in the quarter, leading to Memphis outscoring Houston 31-16, giving the Grizzlies an 88-67 lead entering the fourth.

Houston made a small dent in the advantage as Parsons began hitting, scoring all his points in the fourth quarter. He was 5 of 9 from the field, connecting on all three of his shots outside the arc.

But even with a rally behind the rookie, the Rockets never really threatened.

“I think as guards, we should help our big men,” Lowry said. “They had their hands full given those two (Randolph and Gasol) are really great players. They definitely wore down our defense.”

Meanwhile, Memphis players are recognizing the importance of defense on their own end of the floor, and that an aggressive approach leads to more scoring opportunities.

And Randolph was the one getting the accolades for his defense.

“He understands for us to go to the next level, we need everybody to be engaged defensively,” Gasol said.

NOTES: Hasheem Thabeet, drafted by the Grizzlies with the No. 2 overall pick in 2009, returned to the FedExForum for the first time since he was traded to the Rockets last February. He was on the inactive list for Friday’s game. .McHale said fast-paced teams seem to be dominating the early games in the league, partially because of the short training camp. “Open court, free-flowing basketball is pretty instinctual to most of the NBA players,” McHale said before the game. “You don’t have to have as much structure in that as you do when you get sets. .A lot of things happen in those five-man sets with 14 seconds on the shot clock that are not good right now in the NBA.” .Patrick Patterson, in his second season out of Kentucky, saw his first action of the season after being inactive for the first two games with a right ankle injury. .Grizzlies starting point guard Mike Conley did not dress for the game, still suffering from a left ankle injury suffered in the opening minutes of Memphis’ Wednesday night loss to Oklahoma City.

San Antonio fans came back to Earth on Thursday night (December 29, 2011) after watching their Spurs get demolished by the Houston Rockets by a score of 105-85. The Spurs had been sharp at home to start the season at 2-0, but the short trip to Houston marked their third game in four days and they were sluggish from the opening tip.

Houston won its first home game of the season in fine style, putting on a strong defensive performance as well as showcasing their new offensive talent. The Spurs were in the game until the second quarter, when they were outscored by 13, leading to a 53-35 halftime bulge for the Rockets. The Spurs played a bit better in the second half, but couldn’t muster a serious run on their tired legs. You also have to give the Rockets credit for playing solid defense throughout the game.

Center DeJuan Blair led the Spurs with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Manu Ginobli, who had led the Spurs in their previous two games, only scored 8 points in limited action. Coach Pop called off the dogs early, and let Tim Duncan, Manu and Tony Parker sit most of the second half. When questioned about the early benchings after the game, he commented he did it because he wanted to play some other guys and try some different looks.

Houston put in a well-balanced team performance and effectively executed a quick-switching defensive game plan. The Rockets were led by Kevin Martin with 256 points, and point guard Kyle Lowry came close to a triple double with 16 points, eight assists and nine rebounds. New 6’11″ acquisition Samuel Dalembert also provided a strong inside presence for Houston.

San Antonio has Friday off and then travels to Salt Lake City to play Utah on Saturday night. Houston plays the Grizzlies in Memphis Friday night.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

HOUSTON (AP) — Kyle Lowry didn’t mind coming up just short of a triple-double in the Houston Rockets’ home opener.

With a challenging early season schedule, the Houston point guard is more interested in victories than statistics.

Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kevin Martin scored 25 points and the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 on Thursday night.

Houston was playing the first of three games on consecutive nights, and Lowry sat out the fourth quarter, even though he was flirting with his second career triple-double.

The Rockets play at Memphis on Friday, then return home to face Atlanta on Saturday.

“We’ve got a chance to get some home wins, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Lowry said. “We’ve got to go out there and get the wins we need to get.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also thinking ahead as the Rockets pulled away. He rested Tim Duncan in the second half, and had every starter but Richard Jefferson on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We were not playing well and I decided not to play them, and I was able to work other guys and get some other looks,” Popovich said.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which shot 38 percent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from 3-point range. Duncan went 1 for 8 from the field and scored four points and Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five points for the aging Spurs, who looked tired playing their third game in four nights.

“We were below where we want to be,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored eight points. “In a season like this, we will have to wait and see if this might happen more often. You have to let it go and think about the next game.”

Luis Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, before Martin found his range. He sank his first 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another 3 to help the Rockets rebuild the lead.

“I felt like myself tonight,” he said.

San Antonio, meanwhile, hit another drought in the second quarter, missing 15 of its first 17 shots.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

“Everybody was all worried about him,” Lowry said of Martin. “He just missed shots in Orlando, that was it. Once he made shots, you see what he does.”

Martin swished a 3-pointer in the first 45 seconds of the third quarter to stretch the lead past 20 points for the first time. Tony Parker and Ginobili started driving inside and San Antonio began to rally, climbing to within 12 on Blair’s putback near the midpoint of the quarter.

Martin hit another long jumper and Lowry sank a 3 as the Rockets regained control and built the lead to 78-59 by the start of the fourth.

A lineup of all reserves maintained the comfortable lead for Houston early in the final quarter, as the Spurs continued to sputter on offense.

“Houston played better than we did,” Parker said. “They shot the ball and defensively, had a good game plan.”

Samuel Dalembert, acquired by Houston on Monday, blocked four shots and scored four points in 21 minutes of action. The 6-foot-11 Dalembert, a much-needed presence inside, had 10 points and five rebounds in Houston’s opener.

The Rockets travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Friday night before ending the year at the Toyota Center in a game where the team will host the Atlanta Hawks.

Notes: Spurs G Gary Neal (appendectomy) did not make the trip, though Popovich said Neal is “progressing each day.” Neal averaged 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. Popovich hopes that Neal will be ready for contact drills “in a couple of days.” … Rockets F Patrick Patterson (sprained right ankle) sat out for the second straight game. … Spurs F Tiago Splitter had 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. … Dalembert also had seven rebounds. … Scola scored 18 points for Houston.

Correspondent

Published December 30, 2011

HOUSTON — Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale said his team’s defensive effort rated a 2 out of a possible 10 against the Orlando Magic during the team’s season opener Monday night.

He was much happier Thursday as his team downed the San Antonio Spurs, 105-85, at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets, which led the game wire to wire, showed a porous defense in the opener, but a few practices this week seemed to help fill some of those gaps.

Houston rose defensively, holding the Spurs’ Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to 24 points collectively.

McHale said he was pleased with the effort.

“I’m surprised at how well they came together, but I’ve said it all along, this is a very intelligent group,”,” McHale said. “They understand that if they’re not bringing it, someone else will.”

The Rockets (1-1) travel to Memphis today, then fly back to Houston for a game Saturday afternoon against the Atlanta Hawks in a rare three-game run in three days.

The Rockets got off to a strong start Thursday, allowing McHale to run deep to the bench and give his starters the rest he says they’ll need to keep fresh for the next three days.

“It takes a while to get into NBA shape,” McHale said. “It’s nice to be able to play a bunch of guys. It’ll pay off over the next few days.”

McHale, who was hired in June, said he still is learning his players, and they’re still learning his system. The Rockets are the youngest team in the NBA, with players averaging less than three years of NBA experience.

Add a shortened preseason, a compressed schedule and new players in uniform less than a week, there would seem to be little to look forward to.

That would be a wrong assessment.

The Rockets aren’t up to midseason form by a long shot, but the improvement over the flat performance against Orlando on Monday showed from tipoff Thursday night.

“(It was a) really good effort tonight,” McHale said. “We were playing with a lot of carry over from the last couple of days of practice, really attentive. Our ability to sag-in and to rotate and get hands up and to challenge shots, they can do it. They showed it tonight.”

McHale said despite only two practices, the team’s communication level improved drastically.

Guard Kevin Martin, who scored 25 points against the Spurs, agreed.

“We’re heading in the right direction now,” Martin said. “We just got to improve game by game. Plus, we just added a 7-0 center (Samuel Dalembert). That always helps. We have basically the same team we had over the All-Star break. Now we just have to mold ourselves together with all the pieces in place and we’ll be fine.”

Copyright 2011 The Galveston County Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Dec. 29, 2011

HOUSTON — Kyle Lowry didn’t mind coming up just short of a triple-double in the Houston Rockets’ home opener.

With a challenging early season schedule, the Houston point guard is more interested in victories than statistics.

Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kevin Martin scored 25 points and the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 on Thursday night.

Houston was playing the first of three games on consecutive nights, and Lowry sat out the fourth quarter, even though he was flirting with his second career triple-double.

The Rockets play at Memphis on Friday, then return home to face Atlanta on Saturday.

“We’ve got a chance to get some home wins, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Lowry said. “We’ve got to go out there and get the wins we need to get.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also thinking ahead as the Rockets pulled away. He rested Tim Duncan in the second half, and had every starter but Richard Jefferson on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We were not playing well and I decided not to play them, and I was able to work other guys and get some other looks,” Popovich said.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which shot 38 percent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from 3-point range. Duncan went 1 for 8 from the field and scored four points and Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five points for the aging Spurs, who looked tired playing their third game in four nights.

“We were below where we want to be,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored eight points. “In a season like this, we will have to wait and see if this might happen more often. You have to let it go and think about the next game.”

Luis Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, before Martin found his range. He sank his first 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another 3 to help the Rockets rebuild the lead.

“I felt like myself tonight,” he said.

San Antonio, meanwhile, hit another drought in the second quarter, missing 15 of its first 17 shots.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

“Everybody was all worried about him,” Lowry said of Martin. “He just missed shots in Orlando, that was it. Once he made shots, you see what he does.”

Martin swished a 3-pointer in the first 45 seconds of the third quarter to stretch the lead past 20 points for the first time. Tony Parker and Ginobili started driving inside and San Antonio began to rally, climbing to within 12 on Blair’s putback near the midpoint of the quarter.

Martin hit another long jumper and Lowry sank a 3 as the Rockets regained control and built the lead to 78-59 by the start of the fourth.

A lineup of all reserves maintained the comfortable lead for Houston early in the final quarter, as the Spurs continued to sputter on offense.

“Houston played better than we did,” Parker said. “They shot the ball and defensively, had a good game plan.”

Samuel Dalembert, acquired by Houston on Monday, blocked four shots and scored four points in 21 minutes of action. The 6-foot-11 Dalembert, a much-needed presence inside, had 10 points and five rebounds in Houston’s opener.

Notes:

• Spurs G Gary Neal (appendectomy) did not make the trip, though Popovich said Neal is “progressing each day.” Neal averaged 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. Popovich hopes that Neal will be ready for contact drills “in a couple of days.”
• Rockets F Patrick Patterson (sprained right ankle) sat out for the second straight game.
• Spurs F Tiago Splitter had 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
• Dalembert also had seven rebounds.
• Scola scored 18 points for Houston.

FedExForum, 7 p.m.

TV, radio: SportSouth/NBA TV; WMFS 92.9-FM/680-AM

Records: Grizzlies: 0-2. Rockets: 1-1.

Lineups

Grizzlies: Jeremy Pargo, 6-1, Tony Allen, 6-4, Rudy Gay, 6-8, Zach Randolph, 6-9, Marc Gasol, 7-1.

Rockets: Kyle Lowry, 6-0, Kevin Martin, 6-7, Chase Budinger, 6-7, Luis Scola, 6-9, Jordan Hill, 6-10.

The skinny

The Griz will try to earn their first victory of the season after losing to Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Memphis starting point guard Mike Conley was still in a walking boot Thursday to treat his left ankle sprain. The team is officially listing Conley’s status as day-to-day but he’s sure to miss the next few games. Pargo, a free-agent acquisition in the offseason, will replace Conley. Who to watch? Gay, who has amassed double-doubles in each of the first two games. Gay is averaging a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.

– Ronald Tillery

By Chris Duncan, Associated Press

HOUSTON — Kyle Lowry didn’t mind coming up just short of a triple-double in the Houston Rockets’ home opener.

With a challenging early season schedule, the Houston point guard is more interested in victories than statistics.

Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kevin Martin scored 25 points and the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 on Thursday night.

Houston was playing the first of three games on consecutive nights, and Lowry sat out the fourth quarter, even though he was flirting with his second career triple-double.

The Rockets play at Memphis on Friday, then return home to face Atlanta on Saturday.

“We’ve got a chance to get some home wins, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Lowry said. “We’ve got to go out there and get the wins we need to get.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also thinking ahead as the Rockets pulled away. He rested Tim Duncan in the second half, and had every starter but Richard Jefferson on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We were not playing well and I decided not to play them, and I was able to work other guys and get some other looks,” Popovich said.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which shot 38 percent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from 3-point range. Duncan went 1 for 8 from the field and scored four points and Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five points for the aging Spurs, who looked tired playing their third game in four nights.

“We were below where we want to be,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored eight points. “In a season like this, we will have to wait and see if this might happen more often. You have to let it go and think about the next game.”

Luis Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, before Martin found his range. He sank his first 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another 3 to help the Rockets rebuild the lead.

“I felt like myself tonight,” he said.

San Antonio, meanwhile, hit another drought in the second quarter, missing 15 of its first 17 shots.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

“Everybody was all worried about him,” Lowry said of Martin. “He just missed shots in Orlando, that was it. Once he made shots, you see what he does.”

Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kevin Martin scored 25 points and the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 on Thursday night.

Houston was playing the first of three games on consecutive nights, and Lowry sat out the fourth quarter, even though he was flirting with his second career triple-double.

The Rockets play at Memphis on Friday, then return home to face Atlanta on Saturday.

“We’ve got a chance to get some home wins, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Lowry said. “We’ve got to go out there and get the wins we need to get.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also thinking ahead as the Rockets pulled away. He rested Tim Duncan in the second half, and had every starter but Richard Jefferson on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We were not playing well and I decided not to play them, and I was able to work other guys and get some other looks,” Popovich said.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which shot 38 percent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from 3-point range. Duncan went 1 for 8 from the field and scored four points and Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five points for the aging Spurs, who looked tired playing their third game in four nights.

“We were below where we want to be,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored eight points. “In a season like this, we will have to wait and see if this might happen more often. You have to let it go and think about the next game.”

Luis Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, before Martin found his range. He sank his first 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another 3 to help the Rockets rebuild the lead.

“I felt like myself tonight,” he said.

San Antonio, meanwhile, hit another drought in the second quarter, missing 15 of its first 17 shots.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

“Everybody was all worried about him,” Lowry said of Martin. “He just missed shots in Orlando, that was it. Once he made shots, you see what he does.”

Martin swished a 3-pointer in the first 45 seconds of the third quarter to stretch the lead past 20 points for the first time. Tony Parker and Ginobili started driving inside and San Antonio began to rally, climbing to within 12 on Blair’s putback near the midpoint of the quarter.

Martin hit another long jumper and Lowry sank a 3 as the Rockets regained control and built the lead to 78-59 by the start of the fourth.

A lineup of all reserves maintained the comfortable lead for Houston early in the final quarter, as the Spurs continued to sputter on offense.

“Houston played better than we did,” Parker said. “They shot the ball and defensively, had a good game plan.”

Samuel Dalembert, acquired by Houston on Monday, blocked four shots and scored four points in 21 minutes of action. The 6-foot-11 Dalembert, a much-needed presence inside, had 10 points and five rebounds in Houston’s opener.

Notes: Spurs G Gary Neal (appendectomy) did not make the trip, though Popovich said Neal is “progressing each day.” Neal averaged 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. Popovich hopes that Neal will be ready for contact drills “in a couple of days.” … Rockets F Patrick Patterson (sprained right ankle) sat out for the second straight game. … Spurs F Tiago Splitter had 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. … Dalembert also had seven rebounds. … Scola scored 18 points for Houston.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Kevin Martin scored 25 points, Luis Scola added 18 and Kyle
Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead the
Houston Rockets to a 105-85 win over the San Antonio Spurs on
Thursday night.

The Rockets took advantage of the Spurs’ poor shooting at the
start and built a big lead. First-year Houston coach Kevin McHale
was able to rest his starters in the fourth quarter, with his team
playing the first of three games on consecutive nights.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San
Antonio, which shot 38 percent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from
3-point range. Tim Duncan went 1for 8 from the field and scored
four points and Richard Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five
points for the Spurs.

Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, prompting Spurs
coach Gregg Popovich to call an early timeout. Martin sank his
first 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range
in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to
cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another 3 to
help the Rockets rebuild the lead. San Antonio, meanwhile, hit
another drought, missing 15 of its first 17 shots in the second
quarter.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three 3-pointers and
scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for
the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

Martin swished a 3-pointer in the first 45 seconds of the third
quarter to stretch the lead past 20 points for the first time.
Parker and Ginobili started driving inside and San Antonio started
to rally, climbing to within 12 on Blair’s putback near the
midpoint of the quarter.

Martin hit another long jumper and Lowry sank a 3 as the Rockets
regained control and built the lead to 78-59 by the start of the
fourth.

A lineup of all reserves maintained the comfortable lead for
Houston early in the final quarter, as the Spurs continued to
sputter on offense. The outcome decided, Popovich had all his
starters except Richard Jefferson on the bench with 4:20 left.

Samuel Dalembert, acquired by Houston on Monday, blocked four
shots and scored four points in 21 minutes of action. The 6-foot-11
Dalembert, a much-needed presence inside, had 10 points and five
rebounds in Houston’s opener.

Manu Ginobili, who had 24 points in each of the Spurs’ first two
games, scored only eight points in Houston.

Notes: Spurs G Gary Neal (appendectomy) did not make the trip,
though Popovich said Neal is “progressing each day.” Neal averaged
9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. Popovich
hopes that Neal will be ready for contact drills “in a couple of
days.” … Rockets F Patrick Patterson (sprained right ankle) sat
out for the second straight game. … Spurs F Tiago Splitter had 10
points and 11 rebounds off the bench. … Dalembert also had seven
rebounds.

HOUSTON — Kyle Lowry didn’t mind coming up just short of a triple-double in the Houston Rockets’ home opener.

With a challenging early season schedule, the Houston point guard is more interested in victories than statistics.

Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kevin Martin scored 25 points and the Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 on Thursday night.

Houston was playing the first of three games on consecutive nights, and Lowry sat out the fourth quarter, even though he was flirting with his second career triple-double.

The Rockets play at Memphis on Friday, then return home to face Atlanta on Saturday.

“We’ve got a chance to get some home wins, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Lowry said. “We’ve got to go out there and get the wins we need to get.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also thinking ahead as the Rockets pulled away. He rested Tim Duncan in the second half, and had every starter but Richard Jefferson on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We were not playing well and I decided not to play them, and I was able to work other guys and get some other looks,” Popovich said.

DeJuan Blair scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio, which shot 38 per cent (35 of 93) and went 2 for 17 from three-point range. Duncan went 1 for 8 from the field and scored four points and Jefferson went 2 for 10 and had only five points for the aging Spurs, who looked tired playing their third game in four nights.

“We were below where we want to be,” said Manu Ginobili, who scored eight points. “In a season like this, we will have to wait and see if this might happen more often. You have to let it go and think about the next game.”

Luis Scola scored eight of Houston’s first 10 points, before Martin found his range. He sank his first three-pointer of the season after going 0 for 6 from long range in the opening loss to Orlando and the Rockets led 13-4.

The Spurs missed nine of their first 10 shots, but rallied to cut their deficit to 23-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Martin stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting another three to help the Rockets rebuild the lead.

“I felt like myself tonight,” he said.

San Antonio, meanwhile, hit another drought in the second quarter, missing 15 of its first 17 shots.

Houston led 53-35 at the break. Martin sank three three-pointers and scored 20 points in the half, only two points shy of the total for the Spurs’ entire starting lineup.

“Everybody was all worried about him,” Lowry said of Martin. “He just missed shots in Orlando, that was it. Once he made shots, you see what he does.”

Martin swished a three-pointer in the first 45 seconds of the third quarter to stretch the lead past 20 points for the first time. Tony Parker and Ginobili started driving inside and San Antonio began to rally, climbing to within 12 on Blair’s putback near the midpoint of the quarter.

Martin hit another long jumper and Lowry sank a three as the Rockets regained control and built the lead to 78-59 by the start of the fourth.

A lineup of all reserves maintained the comfortable lead for Houston early in the final quarter, as the Spurs continued to sputter on offence.

“Houston played better than we did,” Parker said. “They shot the ball and defensively, had a good game plan.”

Samuel Dalembert of Montreal, acquired by Houston on Monday, blocked four shots and scored four points in 21 minutes of action. The six-foot-11 Dalembert, a much-needed presence inside, had 10 points and five rebounds in Houston’s opener.

Notes: Spurs G Gary Neal (appendectomy) did not make the trip, though Popovich said Neal is “progressing each day.” Neal averaged 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. Popovich hopes that Neal will be ready for contact drills “in a couple of days.” … Rockets F Patrick Patterson (sprained right ankle) sat out for the second straight game. … Spurs F Tiago Splitter had 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. … Dalembert also had seven rebounds. … Scola scored 18 points for Houston.

Dwight Howard was greeted warmly by an emotional group of Orlando Magic fans
during an open scrimmage earlier this month.

A similar scene will surely occur in front of a bigger crowd Monday night.

Howard will play in what could be his final home opener for the Magic when
they meet a Houston Rockets team beginning its season under new coach Kevin
McHale.

Orlando (0-1) is probably seeing the final go-around for a superstar center
for the second time following the departure of Shaquille O’Neal to the Lakers
after the 1995-96 season.

Like O’Neal, Howard led the Magic to one NBA finals appearance but has grown
unhappy with the organization’s inability to surround him with more talent.
Howard averaged a career-best 22.9 points last season and was second in the
league with 14.1 rebounds, and now enters the final season of his contract after
requesting a trade through agent Dan Fegan.

Orlando fans have made their voices heard on their desire to keep the
three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was greeted by a loud ovation
from about 9,000 fans Dec. 17 during a scrimmage before Howard began his eighth
season with the franchise.

“It was emotional,” Howard said. “It was great to see their reaction. And
like I’ve told you guys from Day 1, I love this city. … When I came here,
everybody called our team the Orlando Tragic. I wanted to change it. Nobody says
tragic anymore.”

Howard struggled in Sunday’s season-opening 97-89 loss at Oklahoma City,
making 4 of 12 shots for 11 points to go with 15 boards.

NBA commissioner David Stern weighed in on the Howard situation Sunday,
saying before the game, “That’s the beauty of the soap opera. How it plays out,
we’ll wait and see.”

The Magic have a good chance of recovering against the Rockets after winning
the last four games in the series by an average of 15.5 points. Howard shot 70.7
percent and averaged 19.5 points and 15.3 rebounds in those games.

Houston is learning that rebuilding without a top-notch center isn’t easy in
the wake of Yao Ming’s retirement. The Rockets tried to acquire Lakers star Pau
Gasol before the season in a three-team trade that involved Chris Paul, but it
was rejected by the league.

Instead, Houston will count on an unheralded roster that includes Luis
Scola, Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin as well as former Orlando guard Courtney Lee
and newcomer Jonny Flynn.

Houston went 43-39 last season, missing the playoffs for the second straight
year.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys, that you never really know if they’re going
to flow or not,” Scola said. “Hopefully, some of these guys surprise us.”

The Rockets ranked third in the league in scoring last season with 105.9
points per game. McHale, who went 39-55 in two previous coaching stints with
Minnesota, is hoping he can help the team execute even better.

“These guys can make plays,” McHale said. “What we don’t do, and what we’ve
got to get way better at, is a lot of little stuff. We’ve got to cut harder,
we’ve got to set better screens. These guys make shots and plays, they can play
offensive basketball.”

By Keith Cordero Jr

– College Sports Writer

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Dec 24, 2011 – The Houston Rockets have been busy this off-season. Despite missing on acquiring Lakers forward Pau Gasol in the original Chris Paul to the Lakers trade, the Rockets remained patient and came to an agreement with nine-year NBA veteran C Samuel Dalembert. The Rockets have big plans for the upcoming season and some new faces in Houston with Rick Adelman, Chuck Hayes and Yao Ming no longer in town.

Dalembert, 30, a former first round draft pick in 2001 by the 76ers spent his first eight seasons in Philadelphia and last season with the Sacramento Kings. At 6’11″ Dalembert provides first year Rockets Head Coach Kevin McHale with a solid force in the middle of the paint and a veteran presence for the youth that is Jordan Hill and Marcus Morris.

Dalembert for his career is averaging 8.1 points per game to go along with 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and has started 537 of 662 games in which he has played.

In a very deep Western Conference with talented big men (Gasol, Zach Randolph, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bynum, LaMarcus Aldridge, Al Jefferson) the Dalembert add makes a ton of sense. Rockets fans should be happy with this move. Dalembert should start alongside projected starters Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Chase Budinger.

Read More: Al Jefferson (C – UTA), Samuel Dalembert (C – SAC), Kevin Martin (G – HOU), Chris Paul (G – LAC), Dirk Nowitzki (F – DAL), Kyle Lowry (G – HOU), Pau Gasol (F – LAL), Yao Ming (C – WEST), Chuck Hayes (C – SAC), LaMarcus Aldridge (F – POR), Andrew Bynum (C – LAL), Luis Scola (F – HOU), Jordan Hill (F – HOU), Chase Budinger (F – HOU), Rick Adelman (H – HOU), Marcus Morris (F – HOU), Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers

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McHale, after a spell coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves, has taken over at
the Rockets this year and brought in an entirely new coaching team including
Finch who has made a big impression these last two years at the Vipers who
are an associate and feeder team for the Rockets.

“Kevin is a really great guy to work for and tries to mix it up for all
the assistant coaches,” said Finch. “I’m working a lot on the
offensive side of the things mostly but I am also heavily involved in “scouting”
the up-coming opposition – we have divided the future games amongst and I
will scout a third of them which is a really challenging part of the job.

“Once the schedule kicks in on Christmas Day its going to be pretty
intense because after the lockout we have still been left with a 66 game
regular season in just about four months. The games and the quality
opposition comes at you thick and fast but you still need to get your
homework done and make the best of any preparation time you have.

“We have escaped fairly lightly at the Rockets in terms of tripleheaders
– we have got just the one – but we have got a brutish run of six road games
in ten days in February and we have also got a hell of a start over the
first ten games, probably the toughest in the NBA with play-off opposition
almost all the way.

“Being a young team and with a brand new set of coaches we might have
benefited more than most from a traditional pre-season camp and eight or
nine warm-up games but this is nor a normal season and we will have to learn
on the run this time round. We will get an opportunity to catch our breathe
after that first run of ten games, absorb the lessons and then go again.”

Finch and everybody at the Rockets will be fully engrossed with the NBA until
at least the end of April and hopefully a bit longer after that if the
play-offs beckon so Olympics thoughts and plans go on the back burner for a
while. Mind you that’s the nature of the beast and the challenge facing just
about every top level Basketball player and coach from all the participating
nations ahead of London.

“Whether you are a player or a coach your sole focus for the next six
months or so has to be your club and maximising your game or contribution.
That is your Olympic preparation because no matter where you are until that
first Olympic camp comes around sometime in early June or so and the pre
Olympic warm-up games there is not a whole lot you can do collectively.
First and foremost you are a professional Basketball player or coach.

“I had a good spell during the lockout when I was able to watch a lot of
matches on TV or online featuring GB players and just recently I’ve also
seen a couple of our College lads in America. Andrew Lawrence was absolutely
phenomenal for Charleston in one of them and earned a good deal of publicity.”

Probably the biggest news GB wise is that Pops Mensah Bonsu is fit and healthy
again, a little ahead of prediction after his shoulder surgery, and is
already getting some good game time in Turkey with Besiktas. He seems to
have hit the ground running in a strong league.

“I can’t imagine there is anybody out there more “up” for 2012
than Pops,” added Finch. “He is living and dreaming the
opportunity to play at a London Olympics and he is an important individual
for us. We missed him last summer as a player and we missed him around the
place, the energy and passion he brings to everything.

“For the next chunk of time though its all about the Rockets and getting
the season under way. It’s a huge challenge but like everybody else I can
hardly wait.”

NBA Christmas Day Matches

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks

Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks

Chicago Bulls v LA Lakers

Orlando Magic v Oklahoma City Thunder

LA Clippers v Golden State Warrior

McHale, after a spell coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves, has taken over at
the Rockets this year and brought in an entirely new coaching team including
Finch who has made a big impression these last two years at the Vipers who
are an associate and feeder team for the Rockets.

“Kevin is a really great guy to work for and tries to mix it up for all
the assistant coaches,” said Finch. “I’m working a lot on the
offensive side of the things mostly but I am also heavily involved in “scouting”
the up-coming opposition – we have divided the future games amongst and I
will scout a third of them which is a really challenging part of the job.

“Once the schedule kicks in on Christmas Day its going to be pretty
intense because after the lockout we have still been left with a 66 game
regular season in just about four months. The games and the quality
opposition comes at you thick and fast but you still need to get your
homework done and make the best of any preparation time you have.

“We have escaped fairly lightly at the Rockets in terms of tripleheaders
– we have got just the one – but we have got a brutish run of six road games
in ten days in February and we have also got a hell of a start over the
first ten games, probably the toughest in the NBA with play-off opposition
almost all the way.

“Being a young team and with a brand new set of coaches we might have
benefited more than most from a traditional pre-season camp and eight or
nine warm-up games but this is nor a normal season and we will have to learn
on the run this time round. We will get an opportunity to catch our breathe
after that first run of ten games, absorb the lessons and then go again.”

Finch and everybody at the Rockets will be fully engrossed with the NBA until
at least the end of April and hopefully a bit longer after that if the
play-offs beckon so Olympics thoughts and plans go on the back burner for a
while. Mind you that’s the nature of the beast and the challenge facing just
about every top level Basketball player and coach from all the participating
nations ahead of London.

“Whether you are a player or a coach your sole focus for the next six
months or so has to be your club and maximising your game or contribution.
That is your Olympic preparation because no matter where you are until that
first Olympic camp comes around sometime in early June or so and the pre
Olympic warm-up games there is not a whole lot you can do collectively.
First and foremost you are a professional Basketball player or coach.

“I had a good spell during the lockout when I was able to watch a lot of
matches on TV or online featuring GB players and just recently I’ve also
seen a couple of our College lads in America. Andrew Lawrence was absolutely
phenomenal for Charleston in one of them and earned a good deal of publicity.”

Probably the biggest news GB wise is that Pops Mensah Bonsu is fit and healthy
again, a little ahead of prediction after his shoulder surgery, and is
already getting some good game time in Turkey with Besiktas. He seems to
have hit the ground running in a strong league.

“I can’t imagine there is anybody out there more “up” for 2012
than Pops,” added Finch. “He is living and dreaming the
opportunity to play at a London Olympics and he is an important individual
for us. We missed him last summer as a player and we missed him around the
place, the energy and passion he brings to everything.

“For the next chunk of time though its all about the Rockets and getting
the season under way. It’s a huge challenge but like everybody else I can
hardly wait.”

NBA Christmas Day Matches

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks

Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks

Chicago Bulls v LA Lakers

Orlando Magic v Oklahoma City Thunder

LA Clippers v Golden State Warrior