Box Score

 

DENVER (85)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
C Anthony           37  5-14  7-10   3-9   2   3   18
Nene                31   4-5   5-6   2-4   1   5   13
M Camby             22   2-7   0-0   2-4   0   4    4
V Lenard            27   1-8   3-3   2-4   0   2    5
A Miller            34  6-13   6-7   0-2   3   4   19
E Boykins           19   2-8   4-5   1-2   1   0    9
J Barry             18   3-6   0-0   0-2   1   1    7
F Elson              9   1-1   0-0   0-0   1   3    2
N Tskitishvili      16   1-6   2-2   3-6   0   2    4
R Bowen              8   0-0   0-0   1-1   0   0    0
C Andersen          16   1-4   2-3   1-4   0   2    4
R White              3   0-1   0-0   0-0   1   0    0
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 26-73 29-36 15-38  10  26   85
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.356, FT-.806. 3-Point Goals:
4-13, .308 (C Anthony 1-3, V Lenard 0-2, A 
Miller 1-3, E Boykins 1-2, J Barry 1-3). Team
Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:8 (C Andersen 3, 
M Camby 2, Nene 2, N Tskitishvili). 
Turnovers:22 (C Anthony 8, A Miller 3, V 
Lenard 2, M Camby 2, Nene 2, C Andersen 2, J 
Barry, N Tskitishvili, R White). Steals: 10 
(Nene 3, F Elson 3, M Camby 2, A Miller, C 
Andersen).


HOUSTON (102)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Jackson           30  5-12   0-0   2-4   3   4   10
K Cato              38   4-8   2-2  6-13   2   3   10
Y Ming              20   6-8   7-8   0-3   2   5   19
S Francis           36  5-11  6-11   2-4   6   2   17
C Mobley            42  6-16   7-8   0-8   2   1   21
B Nachbar           20   2-2   0-0   0-2   0   5    5
M Norris            15   1-2   0-0   0-0   4   2    2
M Taylor            19  5-11   0-0   1-4   1   4   10
T Braggs            16   2-5   2-3   3-6   1   3    6
M Wilks              1   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
S Padgett            3   1-1   0-0   0-0   0   0    2
J Amaechi          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 37-76 24-32 14-44  21  29  102
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.487, FT-.750. 3-Point Goals:
4-7, .571 (J Jackson 0-2, S Francis 1-1, C 
Mobley 2-3, B Nachbar 1-1). Team Rebounds: 9.
Blocked Shots:4 (Y Ming 3, M Taylor). 
Turnovers:19 (M Norris 5, S Francis 4, C 
Mobley 3, Y Ming 3, J Jackson, B Nachbar, M 
Taylor, K Cato). Steals: 11 (J Jackson 3, C 
Mobley 3, S Francis 2, M Taylor, K Cato, Y 
Ming).

-------------------------------------------
DENVER               20  22  18  25   -  85
HOUSTON              22  26  24  30   -  102
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Houston - 3 (M Taylor, 1:30 
3rd; J Jackson, 10:51 3rd; S Francis, 2:24 
4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,189. T: 2:36. 
Officials: Derrick Stafford, Kevin Fehr, 
Steve Javie.

Extended Box

 

DENVER (85) AT HOUSTON (102)

DENVER

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
C ANTHONY         F    37    5-14     7-10     3   6   9    2   3   0   8   18
NENE              F    31    4-5      5-6      2   2   4    1   5   3   2   13
M CAMBY           C    22    2-7      0-0      2   2   4    0   4   2   2    4
V LENARD          G    27    1-8      3-3      2   2   4    0   2   0   2    5
A MILLER          G    34    6-13     6-7      0   2   2    3   4   1   3   19
E BOYKINS              19    2-8      4-5      1   1   2    1   0   0   0    9
J BARRY                18    3-6      0-0      0   2   2    1   1   0   1    7
F ELSON                 9    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   3   3   0    2
N TSKITISHVILI         16    1-6      2-2      3   3   6    0   2   0   1    4
R BOWEN                 8    0-0      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   0   0    0
C ANDERSEN             16    1-4      2-3      1   3   4    0   2   1   2    4
R WHITE                 3    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   0   1    0
  
TOTALS                240   26-73    29-36    15  23  38   10  26  10  22   85
                            (.356)  (.806)  TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 23 (27 PTS)    

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J JACKSON              30    5-12     0-0      2   2   4    3   4   3   1   10
K CATO            F    38    4-8      2-2      6   7  13    2   3   1   1   10
Y MING            C    20    6-8      7-8      0   3   3    2   5   1   3   19
S FRANCIS         G    36    5-11     6-11     2   2   4    6   2   2   4   17
C MOBLEY          G    42    6-16     7-8      0   8   8    2   1   3   3   21
B NACHBAR         F    20    2-2      0-0      0   2   2    0   5   0   1    5
M NORRIS               15    1-2      0-0      0   0   0    4   2   0   5    2
M TAYLOR               19    5-11     0-0      1   3   4    1   4   1   1   10
T BRAGGS               16    2-5      2-3      3   3   6    1   3   0   0    6
M WILKS                 1    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
S PADGETT               3    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    2
J AMAECHI             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   37-76    24-32    14  30  44   21  29  11  19  102
                            (.487)  (.750)  TEAM REBS:  9 TOTAL TO: 19 (13 PTS)    
  
   DENVER             20   22   18   25   -   85
   HOUSTON            22   26   24   30   -   102
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: DENVER - C ANDERSEN 3, M CAMBY 2, NENE 2, N TSKITISHVILI.
HOUSTON - Y MING 3, M TAYLOR.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DENVER 4-13 (.308), C ANTHONY 1-3, V LENARD 0-2,
A MILLER 1-3, E BOYKINS 1-2, J BARRY 1-3. HOUSTON 4-7 (.571), J JACKSON 0-
2, S FRANCIS 1-1, C MOBLEY 2-3, B NACHBAR 1-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - M TAYLOR, J JACKSON, S FRANCIS.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DERRICK STAFFORD, KEVIN FEHR, STEVE JAVIE.
A - 18,189. T - 2:36.

Game Story

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming gave Jeff Van Gundy the production 
he wanted, although the Houston Rockets' first-year coach 
probably wants his center to stay on the floor longer.

Yao scored 19 points in a foul-plagued 20 minutes as the Rockets
cruised to a 102-85 victory over the poor-shooting Denver
Nuggets in Van Gundy's debut.

It was a special night for the Rockets as Van Gundy became the
10th coach in team history in the first game at the $202 million
Toyota Center.

The former New York Knicks coach has made it a mandate for the
offense to focus on Yao and Steve Francis.  The 7-5 center
responded with 15 points in the first half before foul trouble
slowed him over the final 24 minutes.

"I thought I played pretty good, but I got into foul trouble and
I know I can play better," Yao said through an interpreter.  "I
just had way too many fouls and I would have liked to play
more."

"When you look at the fouls, some are going to be 50-50 type
calls and there are others that we can help (Yao) avoid," Van
Gundy said. "We need to get guys in front of him keeping the
ball out of the lane so he is not in a vulnerable position."

Cuttino Mobley led Houston with 21 points and Francis added 17
and six assists.  The Rockets took control with a 13-5 spurt to
start the second half, capped by Mobley's dunk off a feed from
Francis for a 61-47 bulge with 7:28 remaining in the third
quarter.

Francis also finished with six assists, adjusting to his role as
more of a distributor than a scorer as Houston moves away from
its free-wheeling style.  Francis and Van Gundy were rumored to
have clashed during training camp about the team's new offense.

"There wasn't a whole lot of guys trying to do a lot of things
on their own," Francis said. "We got into sets, moved the ball
around well and everybody got their shots. This year we know
it's not about anyone getting a certain amount of points - it's
about wins and losses."

The Nuggets missed their first seven shots of the second half
and endured a drought of more than six minutes in the fourth
quarter.  Denver shot just over 31 percent (11-of-35)
after halftime.

Denver, which won Wednesday's opener against San Antonio, was
led by Andre Miller's 19 points.  Rookie Carmelo Anthony scored
14 of his 18 in the second half.

"It was a very tough 18 points," said Anthony, who committed
eight of Denver's 23 turnovers. "I tried to do too much, and in
the second half I calmed down a little bit. We missed a ton of
shots and Houston ran on us and picked up their lead."

Anthony made 5-of-14 shots as he was held in check in the first
half by veteran Jim Jackson and finished with only a pair of
assists.

"He's trying to do too much," Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said.
"He'll figure it out and he will correct it. This game was
uncharacteristic for him so far this season."

Yao, who had three blocks, and Kelvin Cato helped anchor a
strong defensive effort by Houston.  Yao provided the signature
moment of the game when he rejected Anthony twice in one
sequence in the first quarter.

Houston never trailed and shot 53 percent (20-of-38) in the
second half. Francis and Mobley combined for 10 points in the
third quarter as the Rockets began to pull away.

Cato added 10 points and 13 rebounds. Jackson and Maurice Taylor
chipped in 10 points apiece.

"We have been with Jeff for better than a month now and I think
everybody has a really good understanding of what he wants us to
do," Cato said.

Brazilian second-year center Nene netted 13 points and was the
only other Nugget in double figures.  Chris Andersen had three
of Denver's eight blocks.