Box Score

 

HOUSTON (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Jackson           40   5-9   0-0   1-8   2   3   12
K Cato              24   4-7   0-2   1-5   0   4    8
Y Ming              37  4-10   2-3  0-11   1   2   10
C Mobley            43   8-9   2-4   0-0   4   2   20
S Francis           39  6-17   4-4  0-10   6   3   17
M Taylor            28  7-10   0-0   3-7   1   4   14
B Nachbar            6   0-1   0-0   0-1   1   1    0
T Braggs             3   0-0   0-0   0-1   0   1    0
M Norris            16   1-3   3-4   0-0   1   1    5
S Padgett            4   0-0   0-0   0-1   1   1    0
J Amaechi          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
M Wilks            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 35-66 11-17  5-44  17  22   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.530, FT-.647. 3-Point Goals:
5-10, .500 (J Jackson 2-2, C Mobley 2-3, S 
Francis 1-4, B Nachbar 0-1). Team Rebounds: 
10. Blocked Shots:4 (M Taylor, K Cato, B 
Nachbar, Y Ming). Turnovers:22 (S Francis 5, 
Y Ming 4, C Mobley 3, J Jackson 2, M Norris 
2, M Taylor 2, K Cato 2, T Braggs, B 
Nachbar). Steals: 9 (J Jackson 4, K Cato 2, M
Taylor, C Mobley, S Francis).


NEW JERSEY (75)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
R Jefferson         46  7-14  7-11   2-7   4   0   21
B Scalabrine        34  3-11   0-0   2-7   3   4    7
J Collins           22   2-5   2-2   1-3   1   4    6
K Kittles           41   3-9   3-4   1-3   2   2   11
J Kidd              40  6-18   3-3   3-7   9   1   16
A Mourning          22  3-10   2-2   0-4   0   2    8
A Williams          19   3-7   0-0   2-3   0   1    6
B Armstrong          9   0-3   0-0   0-0   0   2    0
Z Planinic           7   0-3   0-0   1-1   2   4    0
D Overton          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
R Rogers           DNP  - LEFT THUMB INJURY                              
K Martin           DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 27-80 17-22 12-35  21  20   75
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.338, FT-.773. 3-Point Goals:
4-12, .333 (B Scalabrine 1-3, K Kittles 2-4, 
J Kidd 1-4, Z Planinic 0-1). Team Rebounds: 
6. Blocked Shots:1 (B Scalabrine). 
Turnovers:12 (J Kidd 4, A Mourning 2, A 
Williams 2, K Kittles, R Jefferson, J 
Collins, B Scalabrine). Steals: 12 (K Kittles
5, R Jefferson 2, Z Planinic 2, J Kidd, B 
Armstrong, J Collins).

-------------------------------------------
HOUSTON              22  15  20  29   -  86
NEW JERSEY           21  23  18  13   -  75
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Houston - 1 (Defensive 
Three, 5:15 2nd). New Jersey - 2 (Defensive 
Three, 6:18 1st; Defensive Three, 4:20 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 11,784. T: 2:11. 
Officials: Ed Malloy, Mike Callahan, Sean 
Corbin.

Extended Box

 

HOUSTON (86) AT NEW JERSEY (75)

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J JACKSON         F    40    5-9      0-0      1   7   8    2   3   4   2   12
K CATO            F    24    4-7      0-2      1   4   5    0   4   2   2    8
Y MING            C    37    4-10     2-3      0  11  11    1   2   0   4   10
C MOBLEY          G    43    8-9      2-4      0   0   0    4   2   1   3   20
S FRANCIS         G    39    6-17     4-4      0  10  10    6   3   1   5   17
M TAYLOR               28    7-10     0-0      3   4   7    1   4   1   2   14
B NACHBAR               6    0-1      0-0      0   1   1    1   1   0   1    0
T BRAGGS                3    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   1    0
M NORRIS               16    1-3      3-4      0   0   0    1   1   0   2    5
S PADGETT               4    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    1   1   0   0    0
J AMAECHI             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
M WILKS               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   35-66    11-17     5  39  44   17  22   9  22   86
                            (.530)  (.647)  TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 22 (21 PTS)    

NEW JERSEY

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
R JEFFERSON       F    46    7-14     7-11     2   5   7    4   0   2   1   21
B SCALABRINE      F    34    3-11     0-0      2   5   7    3   4   0   1    7
J COLLINS         C    22    2-5      2-2      1   2   3    1   4   1   1    6
K KITTLES         G    41    3-9      3-4      1   2   3    2   2   5   1   11
J KIDD            G    40    6-18     3-3      3   4   7    9   1   1   4   16
A MOURNING             22    3-10     2-2      0   4   4    0   2   0   2    8
A WILLIAMS             19    3-7      0-0      2   1   3    0   1   0   2    6
B ARMSTRONG             9    0-3      0-0      0   0   0    0   2   1   0    0
Z PLANINIC              7    0-3      0-0      1   0   1    2   4   2   0    0
D OVERTON             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
R ROGERS              DNP  - LEFT THUMB INJURY                                        
K MARTIN              DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE                                      
  
TOTALS                240   27-80    17-22    12  23  35   21  20  12  12   75
                            (.338)  (.773)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 12 (16 PTS)    
  
   HOUSTON            22   15   20   29   -   86
   NEW JERSEY         21   23   18   13   -   75
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: HOUSTON - M TAYLOR, K CATO, B NACHBAR, Y MING.  NEW JERSEY -
B SCALABRINE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: HOUSTON 5-10 (.500), J JACKSON 2-2, C MOBLEY 2-
3, S FRANCIS 1-4, B NACHBAR 0-1. NEW JERSEY 4-12 (.333), B SCALABRINE 1-
3, K KITTLES 2-4, J KIDD 1-4, Z PLANINIC 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE. NEW JERSEY - DEFENSIVE 
THREE 2.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: ED MALLOY, MIKE CALLAHAN, SEAN CORBIN.
A - 11,784. T - 2:11.

Game Story

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Jeff Van Gundy made a 
triumphant return to the New York area.

Steve Francis scored 17 points and led a fourth-quarter rally to
help Van Gundy and the Houston Rockets to an 86-75 victory over
the New Jersey Nets.

"It wasn't one guy that won the game for us tonight," Francis
said. "It was a unit. For me it was tough, I was struggling
offensively. But I thought I did other things to keep us in the
game."

Van Gundy returned to the area where he spent 6 1/2 seasons as
coach of the New York Knicks and perennially held the upper hand
in the Hudson River rivalry with the Nets.

Since Van Gundy abruptly resigned just under two years ago, the
rivalry has tilted heavily in favor of the Nets, who have made
consecutive trips to the NBA Finals while the Knicks have missed
the playoffs both seasons.

Now trying to get the Rockets in the postseason, Van Gundy had a
happy return as Houston shot 53 percent (35-of-66) from the
field and took advantage of a New Jersey squad missing Kenyon
Martin, Rodney Rogers and Lucious Harris.

"It was a good win for us, but I don't think anyone should
minimize the effects of injuries on the game," Van Gundy said.
"I'm really proud of our guys. But I don't think you can
minimize who is out for the Nets. I think that is a huge
factor."

Francis also had 10 rebounds and six assists.  Cuttino Mobley
led Houston with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting.  Maurice Taylor
added 14 points, Jimmy Jackson 12 and Yao Ming 10 and 11
rebounds for Houston.

New Jersey took a 74-72 lead with 4:25 left on Brian
Scalabrine's 3-pointer. But Houston went on a 12-0 run over the
next three minutes, building an 84-74 lead with 1:22 remaining.
Francis scored eight points during the burst.

"No matter how bad a shooting half you have, you know he's
(Francis) going to spark us at some point during the game,"
Taylor said. "He's a great player and he's one of those guys
that can go 2-for-15 or whatever. You know that's the calm
before the storm."

"He is going to get going," Taylor added. "It's just a matter of
time when he wakes up. Fortunately he woke up in the fourth
tonight and really carried us."

Richard Jefferson led New Jersey with 21 points.  Jason Kidd
added 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds but was held
scoreless in the second half.

"I guess we were tired - we missed some free throws in the end
and jump shots were not falling," Jefferson said. "We weren't at
full strength but we make no excuses. We had the shots we had
to take and maybe next game they'll fall."

Jackson's pull-up jumper and 3-pointer gave Houston a 22-21 at
the end of the first quarter.

A dunk by Jefferson followed by his fast-break layup 20 seconds
later helped New Jersey extend to a 44-37 halftime lead.

New Jersey picked up its intensity in the third period and led
the entire quarter. Taylor's 3-pointer as time expired was ruled
to have come after the buzzer, helping the Nets maintain a
62-57 lead.

"The shot at the end of the third was wiped away and we were
down five at the end of the third," Van Gundy said. "But I
thought we played well. We could have let go of the rope, but we
didn't. We stayed much stronger than we did earlier in the
game."

The Nets struggled from the field in the fourth quarter,
shooting just 4-of-18. Houston hit 5-of-6 to start the period.

The Nets committed just 12 turnovers but were outrebounded,
44-35, and shot 34 percent (27-of-80).