But this was special for the one reason all of them are special these days. Because it was Eddie Griffin's next game.

The 19-year-old rookie is growing faster than the Rockets can draw pencil marks on the wall. Not just for the way he shoots the ball, but for the way he goes to the glass and gets the big rebounds. Not just for the way he hustles and defends his own man, but for the way he challenges virtually every shot and gets his hand on more than a few.

This time it was 13 points, eight rebounds and a season-high six blocks that made his line leap out of the box score. But it is so much more than raw numbers that define Griffin. It is his poise, his presence on the floor, especially for one so young.