Rockets center Yao Ming doesn't like that the 2010 NBA All-Star Game will be played at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington.
"In a football stadium?" Yao said. "Are you sure? A football stadium? That?s just too far. It will feel like playing outdoors."
He recalled that he played in a football stadium at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, and found the notion more acceptable.
"It?s not a bad idea. I?ll be retired already," he joked, "so I don?t worry about it."
Only three games were on the schedule in the NBA on Thursday night, but each matchup brought something special to the table.
Larry Brown made his coaching debut in Charlotte, while Rick Carlisle stood on the sidelines in Dallas for the first time. In addition to those headlines, Chris Paul and Steve Nash did battle as the Suns hosted the Hornets.
LeBron James just missed a triple-double on Thursday night as the Cavaliers downed the Bobcats in Cleveland. James had 29 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists and Daniel Gibson scored 25 points off the bench in the win. The Cavs outrebounded the Bobcats by twelve and limited Charlotte to just 33% shooting from the field. Jason Richardson scored 24 points in the loss, while rookie D.J. Augustin had 12 points and 2 assists in his professional debut.
Game FIC Scores
LeBron James, Cleveland ? 17.0
Daniel Gibson, Cleveland ? 15.4
Mo Williams, Cleveland ? 14.3
Jason Richardson, Charlotte ? 13.5
The Rockets used an eleven-point advantage in the four quarter to erase a slight deficit and defeat the Mavericks in Dallas. Yao Ming had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Ron Artest tallied 29 points and 6 rebounds in the victory. Both teams took good care of the ball, but the Mavs made just 41% of their shots, including a 4-for-16 mark from behind the three-point line. Dirk Nowitzki scored 36 points and Josh Howard contributed 28 points and 11 rebounds, but Dallas crumbled in the final twelve minutes.
Game FIC Scores
Yao Ming, Houston ? 27.0
Jason Kidd, Dallas ? 22.8
Josh Howard, Dallas ? 22.6
Tracy McGrady, Houston ? 16.6
The Hornets used a strong first half to notch a victory over the Suns at the U.S. Airways Center on Thursday night. Morris Peterson scored 21 points and Chris Paul tallied 20 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Phoenix made 54% of their shots, but they turned the ball over twenty-four times and New Orleans hit thirteen three-pointers. Steve Nash had 24 points and 9 assists and Amare Stoudemire tallied 21 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.
Game FIC Scores
Chris Paul, New Orleans ? 19.8
Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix ? 16.0
Morris Peterson, New Orleans ? 15.8
Steve Nash, Phoenix ? 14.1
? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)
( )'s indicate a negative FIC score.
It is also used to rank players and to determine their `Reina Value.'
Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season
Rockets' guard Aaron Brooks will miss the next one to three weeks with a bone bruise to his right ankle, the Associated Press is reporting.
Brooks averaged 14.4 points and 4.1 assists in seven preseason games.
The Rockets waived guard D.J. Strawberry on Friday, meaning that Von Wafer has secured the team's final roster spot.
Wafer averaged 12.4 points in an average of 24 minutes per game.
Strawberry also played well, averaging 8.2 points on 41.7 percent shooting.
The Associated Press is reporting that Houston guard Rafer Alston has been found not guilty of a drunken driving charge in August.
A Harris County jury cleared the 32-year-old point guard of the misdemeanor, court spokesman Fred King said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Alston was arrested in August after he was pulled over by police who said he made an erratic lane change and was driving without his headlights on.
Rockets' point guard Rafer Alston will appear at Harris County Court on Wednesday as a jury is selected to hear allegations that he drove drunk back in August.
Alston, 32, was arrested after a Houston police officer noticed his car making an erratic lane change. He was also reportedly driving without his headlights on.
"I'm also glad we're getting though this before the [basketball] season starts," stated Alston, also saying that he was not drunk at the time.
Rockets' star Tracy McGrady is encouraged about playing in the team's season opener after a successful practice on Sunday.
"Actually, I felt pretty good today," McGrady said. "I wanted to really push myself in practice, to start today a push toward the game on Thursday. I came in here, did what I wanted to do, went hard, and felt pretty good.
"I am (encouraged.) It?s better for my psyche coming out here and knowing I can get up and down, and I can do some of the things I had trouble with earlier. Still struggling a little bit defensively, but I?m coming around."
McGrady expressed his concern just a few days ago that he could miss the team's first game of the season because of nagging injuries to his shoulder and knee.
Rockets' guard Tracy McGrady isn't a lock to be on the floor for the team when the 2008-09 season kicks off in a little more than a week.
"What?s most important is to be healthy toward the end of the season," McGrady said Saturday. "If I?m not ready to go in the first couple of games, then that?s just the way it is. This is something you can?t rush. I would like to be out there with my team come the 29th. But, you know, if things don?t go right, then I can?t be out there."
McGrady has played just twelve minutes of preseason action so far and is suffering from both knee and shoulder issues.
He played the entire first quarter against Boston eight days ago, scoring 10 points.
"I just wanted to see where I was at," McGrady said. "Obviously, I was a little bit behind where I wanted to be. That?s why everybody got on the same page, meaning the doctors, the trainers and the coaches. It?s best for me to just rehab and strengthen my leg."
Rockets' guard/forward Tracy McGrady feels good about the team's chances heading into the 2008-09 season.
Houston acquired Ron Artest from Sacramento this off-season. McGrady has still yet to advance past the first round of the playoffs in his career.
"This is the first time I?ve felt good about going into the season that something really special is going to come out of this season, if we all just put it together and just understand our roles," McGrady said.
Steve Francis is hoping to go through his first full practice with the Rockets this season as he tries to come back from quadriceps surgery on his right knee, the Houston Chronicle is reporting.
?I?m definitely going to practice ,? said Francis. ?I feel good. I?m ready to play. That?s been the main concern, the day after practice. We?ll see how it feels as far as the pain.?
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