Rockets-Pacers Live blog, HOU 117-99, F

Alright here we go...It's fun with numbers!
16 wins in a row
11 straight wins at home
10 straight wins on the road heading into tomorrow's game with Dallas, who is 25-3 at home.
7 straight wins by double figures.
20-1 in last 21 games (only loss was to Utah, w/o Yao who sat with a respiratory infection.
25-4 in '08 (losses to Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah)
13 times in NBA history has a team won at least 16 games in a row. Adelman joins Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach as the only coaches to do so with two different teams.
If they make it 17 in a rod by beating Dallas, that'll tie the them for the 7th longest streak in history.
Here's the list...
Team..............................Streak.................Dates
1 Los Angeles Lakers.......33...... 11/5/71 - 1/7/72
2 Milwaukee.....................20....... 2/6/71 - 3/8/71
3 Los Angeles Lakers.......19....... 2/4/99 - 3/13/00
T-4 Boston.......................18....... 2/24/82 - 3/26/82
4 Chicago.........................18...... 12/29/95 - 2/2/96
T-4 New York...................18...... 10/24/69 - 11/28/69
7 Boston...........................17...... 11/28/59 - 12/30/59
T-7 San Antonio................17 ....... 2/29/96 - 3/31/96
9 Milwaukee.....................16 .... 10/24/70 - 11/25/70
T-9 Los Angeles Lakers...16 ..... 12/11/99 - 1/12/00
T-9 Portland.....................16 ...... 3/20/91 - 4/19/91
T-9 Boston.......................16 ..... 12/19/64 - 1/22/65
T-9 Los Angeles Lakers....16 ...... 1/9/91 - 2/5/91

------------HOU 117-99, F---------------------
I can't lie to you - I'm a little miffed that the PA announcer with 2:11 to go just announced the Rockets were 2 minutes away from Rockets history. The score was 112-96 at the time so I guess it's no big deal, besides the Pacers would have to care to make a comeback. (HOU 115-97, 1:51 4Q)
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Better watch Sportscenter tonight because THE HAMMER will be there. Landry just delivered a first class facial to Ike Diogu and he let the whole crowd know about it. Like I said, Carl "The Hammer" Landry is a force to be reckoned with.
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Did I tell you or did I tell you!! The lead is back to 23 after Luther Head knocks down his 3rd triple of the night, thanks to Chuck Hayes 11th rebound of the game. The Rockets bench production has been sensational so far.
Head...11 pts, 4-4 from the floor and 3 assists in 21 minutes
Landry...11 pts and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes
Hayes...season high 9 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists in 21 minutes.
(HOU 103-80, 7:40 4Q)

-------------HOU 94-78, End 3rd-------------

McGrady did not emerge from the locker room as he did for the 1st qtr. He was 0-for-5 and didn't score despite playing all but 0.1 seconds of the period. That's OK, the Rockets saw their lead shrink just 1 pt. Houston had 5 1st qtr turnovers and just 3 since. They've also converted 13 Pacers' turnovers into 20 points.

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Pacers on a 19-4 run to close within 8. Anyone worried? I assure you there is nothing to worry about. (HOU 70-62, 9:14 3Q)

-------------HOU 66-49, HALF---------------

That was another clinic from Houston. Pacers opened the game hitting 9-of-14 and had a 2-pt lead. They finished 8-31 and fell behind by 17. Rockets set a new season with 66 1st half points.

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Chuck Hayes has been a beast since checking in. He grabbed 8 boards and has already set a season high with 9 points. He twisted his ankle on that 8th board, but he looks to be OK. McGrady on the night - 23 points on 9-12 and 4-5 from downtown, also 4 of the Rockets' 18 1st half assists. Their season high is 32. (HOU 66-43, 1:08 2Q)

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I wonder if the Pacers will ever mix in a little defense. Rockets shooting 63% and are set to top their most points in a first half this season. They're sitting at 61 after 3 consecutive three-pointers and have extended the lead to 22. (HOU 63-41, 2:36 2Q)

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Should have mentioned this, after the Rockets forced the Pacers to call timeout, the first Rocket to come charging off the bench to congratulate the guys was T-Mac.

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More stuff you really don't see in the boxscore, Aaron Brooks has an open 3', but makes the extra pass to an even more open Bobby Jackson for the 3' try. Jackson misses but Battier outworks three Pacers for the rebound and passes to a cutting Jackson for a lay-up. Minutes lter the Rockets build a 15-point lead. Here's the line-up Adelman used - Brooks, Head, Jackson, Battier, Hayes. Yep Chuck is playing center and the Rockets tallest player is Battier - generously listed at 6'8". Rockets on a 15-0 run.(HOU 51-36, 6:36 2Q)

-------------HOU 34-27 END 1st--------------

The Rockets clobbered the Pacers on the boards in the 1st quarter 15-7 and that's the main reason they have a 7-point lead. Their defense also showed up the last half of the quarter, Pacers opened the game 9-14, finished 2-10.

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I tell who doesn't want this winning streak to end - Tracy McGrady. This is an extremely energetic and successful 1st quarter for Mac. This is the best I've seen him in several years and it isn't because of the return of his explosive style of years gone by - that's still not going to be a part of his game in the future. But he has been incredibly active, kept a key possession alive by tipping a ball out to Shane Battier, who returned it to him for 2 of his 11 first quarter points. The Pacer are shooting 55 % and they're still down three. (HOU 30-27, 2:07 1Q)

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As usual, The Hammer is at again, he threw down his second slam in barely a minute of action and the Rockets are up 1. (HOU 20-19, 5:48 1st)

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Not a very start for the Rockets mainly because they are allowing a bunch of good looks to the Pacers, who start 4-7 from the floor. Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy are going to be very difficult match-ups. But the key to the game might be overcoming the ineptitude of #12. - and I don't mean Rafer Alston. Referee Violet Palmer is #12 and unfortunately she was assigned to this game. She just gave Mike Dunleavy a three point play, whistling Alston for a foul even though from my seat at the top of the lower bowl I could see that he didn't even touch him.

She also sent Luis Scola to the bench at the 7:00 mark with his 2nd foul on another questionable call. Although in this case, Carl Landry was forced to check in and all he did was steal the inbounds pass and go coast-to-coast for a slam. Gotta love Carl "The Hammer" Landry.

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I'll be blogging from Toyota Center with the Rockets looking for the 40th win of the season and 16th in a row.
----------- WEX

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