McGrady, Yao help tip Seattle
SEATTLE – Tracy McGrady scored 35 points and Yao Ming added 16 of his 22 points in the second half, leading the Houston Rockets to a dramatic 97-95 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday night.
The Rockets improved to 16-2 when McGrady scores at least 30 points, but they might not have been in position to win without a disastrous third period by the Sonics, who lost their second straight after going 6-1 following the All-Star break.
Houston outscored the Sonics 22-6 in the third period – with those six points setting franchise records for both teams. It was the fewest points the Rockets had allowed in a quarter, as well as Seattle’s lowest quarter.
Mike James added 13 points for Houston, while Jon Barry scored 11 and Juwan Howard had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Ray Allen scored 32 points for Seattle, while Rashard Lewis added 26 with seven rebounds. Luke Ridnour had 14 points and a season-high 12 assists, one off the career high he set last season as a rookie.
Despite their trouble in the third quarter, the Sonics were in position to win in the final minutes.
It was tied at 88 after Lewis’ 3-pointer with 59.8 seconds to go, made possible by an amazing save by Allen after a missed 3-point try and rebound. But McGrady made a 3-pointer with 54.8 seconds to go, putting Houston up 91-88.
Ridnour got Seattle within 91-90 with two free throws with 35.8 seconds to play.
Yao made it 93-90, banking in a 4-footer after using an arm bump that sent Jerome James to the floor but didn’t draw a whistle. Ridnour got free for a layup to got the Sonics back to 93-92 with 16.8 seconds to go.
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy took a timeout, and then Barry inbounded straight to McGrady, who drew a foul on Lewis and made a layup. But he missed the free throw, giving the Sonics a chance to draw even.
Lewis missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it, and Mike James made two free throws at the other end. The Rockets needed the cushion, because Allen added a 3-pointer at the horn.
Seattle was in good shape after shooting 56 percent in the first half for a 59-50 halftime lead. The Sonics led 28-12 in the first quarter and Ridnour had assists on 11 of Seattle’s 23 first-half baskets.
That’s when the brakes went on for the Sonics.
It was an abysmal third period for Seattle, shooting 3 of 14 from the floor. The Sonics committed seven turnovers in the period, and it didn’t take long for Houston to take advantage.
McGrady opened with a 3-pointer, igniting a 16-4 run that included six points by Yao, who was an afterthought in the first half – three baskets for six points, with only two shots attempted in the game’s first 22 minutes.
Notes
Sonics guar Antonio Daniels bruised his left quadriceps in a second-quarter collision with Yao Ming. He returned in the third period. … Houston center Vin Baker, a former All-Star during his time with Seattle, never got off the bench. … Sonics forward Nick Collison, who broke his nose Sunday against Phoenix, wore a face mask – which he’ll need the rest of the season. … Seattle’s previous low quarter was eight points three times, most recently March 12, 2004, at Miami.