Injuries to Maurice Taylor, out since the start of the year with a torn Achilles' tendon, and Kenny Thomas, who's been hampered by a groin pull and hip pointer, have allowed forward Eddie Griffin to start to blossom into the player the Rockets hoped he would be.

Like Griffin, rookie Terence Morris wasn't sure when or even if he would be able to contribute this season, but when Walt Williams went down with an ankle sprain, Morris was thrown into the fire.

"With any negative you could find positives, but it gave these guys opportunities to get development," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said.