Box Score

 

MEMPHIS (80)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Posey             31   4-9   2-2   2-7   1   2   10
P Gasol             33  6-12   0-1   2-5   1   3   12
J Tsakalidis        16   2-3   0-0   1-6   0   2    4
J Williams          31  4-10   0-0   1-3   7   2    9
B Wells             25  5-11   6-7   0-2   2   2   16
S Swift             30  7-13   5-5   3-4   0   5   19
S Battier           28   1-8   2-2   1-3   3   0    4
T Smith             12   1-4   0-0   1-2   0   0    2
E Watson            17   0-5   0-0   0-0   2   0    0
B Outlaw            17   2-7   0-0   3-5   0   2    4
R Humphrey         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
T Bell             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 32-82 15-17 14-37  16  18   80
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.390, FT-.882. 3-Point Goals:
1-15, .067 (J Posey 0-3, J Williams 1-6, S 
Battier 0-4, E Watson 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6.
Blocked Shots:1 (P Gasol). Turnovers:13 (P 
Gasol 4, J Posey 2, S Battier 2, E Watson 2, 
B Outlaw, S Swift, J Williams). Steals: 12 (J
Posey 3, E Watson 3, B Outlaw 2, J Williams, 
P Gasol, S Battier, B Wells).


HOUSTON (88)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Jackson           43  6-15   6-6   0-5   5   2   20
K Cato              21   1-2   3-4   5-9   3   3    5
Y Ming              34  6-12   5-5  3-11   0   3   17
S Francis           40  7-15   0-0   0-4   8   2   14
C Mobley            40  7-14   0-0   0-4   2   4   15
M Taylor            25   4-8   1-1   0-4   0   4    9
S Padgett           16   3-4   0-0   1-3   0   2    8
A Griffin           11   0-2   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
M Jackson           10   0-0   0-0   0-1   1   1    0
C Weatherspoon     DNP  - LEFT CALF STRAIN                               
E Piatkowski       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
B Nachbar          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 34-72 15-16  9-41  19  22   88
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.472, FT-.938. 3-Point Goals:
5-20, .250 (J Jackson 2-8, S Francis 0-5, C 
Mobley 1-5, S Padgett 2-2). Team Rebounds: 7.
Blocked Shots:7 (Y Ming 3, M Taylor 2, C 
Mobley, S Padgett). Turnovers:16 (M Taylor 4,
M Jackson 3, S Francis 3, J Jackson 2, K Cato
2, C Mobley 2). Steals: 7 (J Jackson 3, C 
Mobley 2, K Cato, S Francis).

-------------------------------------------
MEMPHIS              21  20  21  18   -  80
HOUSTON              23  29  20  16   -  88
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Houston - 1 (Defensive 
Three, 5:45 1st).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,157. T: 2:14. 
Officials: Nolan Fine, Ron Garretson, Troy 
Raymond.

Extended Box

 

MEMPHIS (80) AT HOUSTON (88)

MEMPHIS

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J POSEY           F    31    4-9      2-2      2   5   7    1   2   3   2   10
P GASOL           F    33    6-12     0-1      2   3   5    1   3   1   4   12
J TSAKALIDIS      C    16    2-3      0-0      1   5   6    0   2   0   0    4
J WILLIAMS        G    31    4-10     0-0      1   2   3    7   2   1   1    9
B WELLS           G    25    5-11     6-7      0   2   2    2   2   1   0   16
S SWIFT                30    7-13     5-5      3   1   4    0   5   0   1   19
S BATTIER              28    1-8      2-2      1   2   3    3   0   1   2    4
T SMITH                12    1-4      0-0      1   1   2    0   0   0   0    2
E WATSON               17    0-5      0-0      0   0   0    2   0   3   2    0
B OUTLAW               17    2-7      0-0      3   2   5    0   2   2   1    4
R HUMPHREY            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
T BELL                DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   32-82    15-17    14  23  37   16  18  12  13   80
                            (.390)  (.882)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 14 (8 PTS)     

HOUSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J JACKSON         F    43    6-15     6-6      0   5   5    5   2   3   2   20
K CATO            F    21    1-2      3-4      5   4   9    3   3   1   2    5
Y MING            C    34    6-12     5-5      3   8  11    0   3   0   0   17
S FRANCIS         G    40    7-15     0-0      0   4   4    8   2   1   3   14
C MOBLEY          G    40    7-14     0-0      0   4   4    2   4   2   2   15
M TAYLOR               25    4-8      1-1      0   4   4    0   4   0   4    9
S PADGETT              16    3-4      0-0      1   2   3    0   2   0   0    8
A GRIFFIN              11    0-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    0
M JACKSON              10    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    1   1   0   3    0
C WEATHERSPOON        DNP  - LEFT CALF STRAIN                                         
E PIATKOWSKI          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
B NACHBAR             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   34-72    15-16     9  32  41   19  22   7  16   88
                            (.472)  (.938)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 17 (20 PTS)    
  
   MEMPHIS            21   20   21   18   -   80
   HOUSTON            23   29   20   16   -   88
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MEMPHIS - P GASOL.  HOUSTON - Y MING 3, M TAYLOR 2,
C MOBLEY, S PADGETT.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MEMPHIS 1-15 (.067), J POSEY 0-3, J WILLIAMS 1-
6, S BATTIER 0-4, E WATSON 0-2. HOUSTON 5-20 (.250), J JACKSON 2-8,
S FRANCIS 0-5, C MOBLEY 1-5, S PADGETT 2-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: NOLAN FINE, RON GARRETSON, TROY RAYMOND.
A - 18,157. T - 2:14.

Game Story

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets are 
peaking at the right time.

Yao contributed 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as the
Rockets won their season-high fifth straight game, an 88-80
victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, who had a seven-game winning
streak snapped.

Jimmy Jackson scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter
for the Rockets, who had not won five in a row since last March
5-16.

"That's a team (Memphis) that beat us twice, and they're playing
the best since the All-Star break," Jackson said.  "There's a
lot of reasons why we really had to walk in and win this game."

Cuttino Mobley added 15 points and Steve Francis chipped in 14
and eight assists for the Rockets, who moved 13 games over .500
(39-26) for the first time since they were 27-14 on April 19,
1999.

The Rockets, who have not made the playoffs since the 1998-98
season, are in seventh place in the West, 1 1/2 games behind
Memphis.  The Grizzlies (41-25) slipped into sixth place,
one-half game behind Dallas.

"It's another step toward getting into the playoffs," Yao said
through an interpreter. "After today, if we can continue to play
well, maybe we can switch places with them."

"I'm happy with the win, but I also know how quickly it can
change in this league and you have to have an edge," Rockets
coach Jeff Van Gundy said.  "There's no room or margin for
error.  We have got to keep improving.  You're either moving
forward or backward."

The Grizzlies trailed, 78-64, with 9:20 remaining but climbed
within six points twice, including at 82-76 on a basket by Pau
Gasol with 2:11 left.

But Jackson countered with a runner in the paint with 49 seconds
to play to make it 84-76, Yao blocked a layup by Gasol and
Jackson added a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to open
a 10-point cushion.

"It's a product of what we're doing," Jackson said of his
scoring.  "We get the ball inside and I spot up and get whatever
I get.  I just feed off of Yao.  The more Yao scores, the
easier it is for me to score."

"Jimmy had an excellent game," Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown said.
"He made a lot of big plays and had an overall exceptional
game."

Reserve Stromile Swift scored 19 points to pace Memphis, which
shot just 39 percent (32-of-82) and 1-of-15 from the arc as it
lost for only the fourth time in 20 games.

"You can't go 1-for-15 from the 3-point line on the road and
expect to come out with a win," Brown said.  "A bad night for us
is 4-for-15, so it was a big factor tonight.  They played great
defense, so give them their credit. Their defense was
excellent.  Anytime you hold us to 39 percent from the field,
you've done an excellent job."

"Cuttino and Steve did a good job defending," Swift said.  "They
made it hard to score.  They were more physical than we were
tonight.  That sums it up."