Houston Roundball Review Archive: March 2007 Spurs Blast Rockets by 23

Saturday, March 3, 2007

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets participated in a game tonight featuring a chamionship-caliber team.

Unfortunately, the San Antonio Spurs were championship-caliber team while the Rockets were merely pretenders (lightweights) learning from a true contender (heavyweights).

The Rockets (36-23) are a good team; but, tonight, the Spurs (41-18) played like a team getting ready to compete for an NBA title.

Houston led 3 to 0 and 3 to 2. That's it.

Once Spurs' center Francico Elson connected on two free throws to give the Spurs a 4 to 3 lead, Houston never led the rest of the ball game.

The rest of the first quarter was a clinic on superb offense by the Spurs and woeful, almost comical offense and porous defense by the Rockets.

Tim Duncan dominated the first quarter; and, the Rockets' big men had no answer for the Big Fundamental.

Duncan made five of his six field goal tries and free throws to finish the period with 15 points -- Houston scored 15 points the entire first quarter.

The Rockets treated the basketball like it was a subpoena no one wanted.

Nine sloppy turnovers combined with 4 for 15 shooting from the field put the Rockets behind the Spurs 30 to 15 at the end of the first 12 minutes.

The Spurs shot 11 for 15 from the field.

To their credit, the Rockets played much better in the second quarter; and, the Spurs offense slightly cooled.

Houston outscored the Spurs 27 to 14 in the period.

Tracy McGrady scored 14 points during the quarter and helped the Rockets trim the Spurs lead to a seemingly manageable 12 points (54 to 42) at halftime.

However, once the third quarter began, the Spurs played like the superior ball club.

The Spurs scored on seven of their first nine possessions to open up a 20 point lead (71 to 51) with 6:10 left in the third.

The Spurs up the lead to 22 (81 to 59) at the end of the third quarter.

Garbage time started with the 4th quarter.

Billy Spanoulis started the period for the Rockets; but, he didn't score until making the second of two free throws with 2:05 left in the ball game.

He did turn the ball over three times during his ineffective time on the court.

San Antonio's largest lead was 29 points (95 to 66).

For one night - at least, the Spurs showed they can win without All-Star guard Tony Parker.

Parker did not play due to a strained left hip flexor.

As Rockets' head coach Jeff Van Gundy described the game in his post-game press conference, this was an ""...ass kicking."

No doubt about it, JVG.

Check out my "courtside comments" from the game, too.

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