Rockets fans have a good idea what the outcome of any given Rockets game will be if they track the team’s offensive output. The Rockets are 10-2 when scoring 90+ points, and a grotesque 1-16 when they don’t. So when the Rockets hit the ninety point mark when Rafer Alston nailed two free throws with under a minute remaining in the game, Rockets loyalists breathed a collective sigh of relief. Despite a courageous effort from superhuman LeBron James, Cleveland failed to complete a late rally, and bowed to Houston 90-81 with a crowd of 18,019 in attendance at Quicken Loans Arena.
As has been the case in the majority, if not all of their victories, Houston raced out to a healthy start, leading 12-9 midway through the first quarter. The Rockets’ defensive game plan was simple: allow Cleveland to shoot threes (Cleveland was 2-16 from three-point range in the first half), and pack the lane to prohibit easy inside scores for a team that ranked in the NBA’s top three in points in the paint. The Cavs happily obliged, particularly Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall, who shot a combined 0-6 from downtown in the period. Houston forced five early turnovers, and McGrady obliterated Cleveland’s screen-and-roll defense, scoring 13 points in the quarter. The Rockets led 24-18 at the end of one.
Complete Article by Dennis L. Silva, II.
McGrady, Alston Lead Charge As Rockets Win Second Straight, Defeat Cleveland 90-81
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