Rockets Win Ugly But Streak Hits 20 Stop Hawks 83-75

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

Tracy McGrady shot 28 points, and the Houston Rockets Wednesday night became only the third team in the history of the Association to win 20 consecutive games as they defeated the Atlanta Hawks 83-75. With the win the Rockets tie the ?Milwaukee Bucks of 1970-1971 for the second longest winning streak in NBA history, the only team to better that mark was the 1971-1972 Los Angeles Lakers who won an absolutely amazing 33 straight games.

I have watched NBA games for over 45 years, it is no exaggeration to say this was one of the ugliest games I have ever witnessed! I’m talking any paying customer at Philips Arena in Atlanta should receive a full refund! And a free cap and soft drink on the way out the door! I’m thinking of calling my satellite provider and ask for a credit on my NBA package for this game! And maybe even suing for pain and suffering, that ugly!

It’s bad enough in a NBA game when one team comes out flat, but when they both do it’s painful! Both teams needed a road map to find the basket in the first half. Houston and Atlanta each scored under 20 points, in both the first two quarters, the two teams were tied at an anemic 18-18 at the end of the first quarter. Amazingly they were worse in the second quarter as Atlanta took a pathetic 33-32 lead into the locker room at the half. How can a NBA team score just 32 or 33 points in 24 minutes of play with a 24 second shot clock? By shooting under 35% from the floor for the game which both teams did. The two teams played respectably in the third quarter as Houston grabbed a 2 point lead at the end of the quarter 59-57. Houston pulled away in the fourth as Atlanta again fell into a funk.

Tracy McGrady led Houston with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, in the historic Houston victory. Shane Battier was the only other Rockets player to score in double figures.? Battier scored 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. No other Houston player scored more than 8 points, Luis Scola led the team in rebounds with 12, Rafer Alston had 7 assists.

Joe Johnson scored 28 points for Atlanta, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. Josh?Smith scored 16 points?grabbed a monstrous ?22 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, Al Horford continues to impress, and remain a viable candidate for NBA Rookie Of?The Year, as he scored 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal. Is there anybody out there that does not believe that the Mike Bibby trade was an abject failure? If you do please write me and tell me why. Houston is now 44-20, the Hawks are 26-38.

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