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Sunday November 30, 2008 0:17 AM

Rockets Storm Past Spurs 103-84


Luther Head leads the way with 21 points



Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Click here to listen to the Rockets postgame highlight show - and click here to listen to the Player of the Game interview with Shane Battier.

Houston - Two hours before tip-off, Luther Head stroked jumper and jumper, dominating his one-on-one battles against Joey Dorsey and Von Wafer. The fourth-year guard made it look easy while scoring at will against his two teammates. But Dorsey and Wafer shouldn’t feel too bad; The San Antonio Spurs couldn’t stop Head, either.

Thrust into the starting lineup due to the absence of Tracy McGrady and Brent Barry, Head was dynamite Saturday night, scoring a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting to lead the Houston Rockets (11-6) to a resounding 103-84 victory over San Antonio.

"In this league, you talk all the time about guys who aren’t playing [still] staying ready," said coach Rick Adelman after the game. "Tonight, Luther Head had a chance to start and I just can’t say enough about what he did. It just shows you how hard the guy has worked, and continues to work. He played 41 minutes after having not played at all. You gotta give him tremendous credit.

"I felt very comfortable with Luther and I thought he was going to come in and give us a solid game, but he exceeded everybody’s expectations with the game he had. He never came out in the second half, so that says a lot."

Head certainly wasn't the only Rockets player who stepped up Saturday night, though. Houston had seven players reach double figures in scoring as the Rockets managed to break the century mark against San Antonio for the first time since 2001. And Houston was just as good on the defensive end, limiting San Antonio to just 84 points on 37.7% shooting. Needless to say, it was exactly the kind of total team effort necessary after Wednesday's heartbreaking loss to Indiana.

"I'm proud of this team, I really am," said Shane Battier (15 points on 7-of-11 shooting). "You can't say enough about Luther Head coming in. He hasn't gotten many minutes and comes in and leads us in scoring and gives us a huge spark. Chuck Hayes played unbelievable defense on Tim Duncan tonight. It was really a team win and we all know that we let one get away from us against Indiana. We had two days to think about it. Tonight was the sort of effort we need going forward if we are going to be the team we want to become."

If there were any questions about the Rockets’ focus following Wednesday’s devastating defeat, it was erased on the opening possession of the game when Ron Artest stepped in front of a pass from San Antonio’s Fabricio Oberto, picked it off and went the length of the floor for a statement-sending dunk. The tone empathically established, Houston spent the rest of the quarter getting acquainted with the bottom of the net, shooting a scintillating 15-of-24 (62.5%) from the field while building a 33-20 lead.

The second quarter was a continuation of the same theme – at least for the first six minutes. While Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich was busy calling timeouts in a desperate attempt to get the game under control, the Rockets were running away from San Antonio, seizing a 50-31 advantage after a block by Yao Ming (12 points, 3 blocks) resulted in a lay-up by Head at the other end. But the Spurs finally responded to Popovich’s pleas, closing the half on an 18-6 run, allowing them to make it to halftime down by only seven.

San Antonio even managed to trim the deficit to two early in the third quarter, before another block by Yao triggered yet another Rockets' run. With San Antonio's Tony Parker darting toward the loop in search of a game-tying basket, Yao rejected the point guard's shot, sending Head the other way for a lay-up which gave Houston a 62-58 lead. The next time down the floor, Head connected from long range as Houston began to pull away from the Spurs once again - this time for good.

"This was a really good bounce back," said Yao. "Tonight everybody came out ready to play. We played both ends; we had a lot of ball movement and on the defensive side and we had a lot of communication. We were helping each other out and when we would have some mistake on the court, we immediately got together and said how we were going to cover that the next time. We were trying to all stay on the same page. That's what we really need to do the rest of the season."

And 1's: Tracy McGrady (knee) and Brent Barry (calf) will miss Sunday's game against Denver as well. So, too, will Shane Battier, who is currently under doctor's orders to avoid the back end of back-to-backs while he continues to recover from offseason surgery on his left ankle... Speaking of back-to-backs, the Rockets are 4-0 on the back end of double dips, with three of those victories coming on the road.

Quotes

RICK ADELMAN

(initial thoughts): Terrific win. After the other night, the guys really came out with great energy. The first 18 minutes, we were about as good as you can get, then they made their run. But in the second half, I thought we were just solid all the way through.

(on ball movement): We moved the ball very well. We had some stretches where we still tried to go one-on-one, but the Spurs are so solid on the strong side defensively that you have to move the ball and you have to attack them with ball movement. It was a win we really needed to have after the other night and the guys really came out ready to play.

(on the Rockets’ ability to capitalize on Spurs’ turnovers): We really got our hands on a lot of balls. When they tried to get to the middle, we deflected it and we turned it into points at the other end. And when Yao is out, we can have a very quick group out there, and that’s what we keep emphasizing: When we take Yao out, we have to out-quick the other team and be active, and tonight it came about.

LUTHER HEAD

(On the amount of time he played today) "It was a situation that I have been put in this year, to just be ready when my team calls upon me and today I was ready."

(On the amount of points scored today) "It was just something that happened today. My teammates found me all the time. It wasn't like I was just clearing my man out and driving. I was making shots and penetrating to the basket and getting it in transition. It just worked today."

(on his limited playing time before tonight): It is a tough situation, I can’t deny that. But that’s the way it’s been dealt this year. I just have to stay ready. Whenever my team calls upon me, I’m just going to try as hard as I can.

I’m a player that likes to be on the floor and likes to be able to do stuff for my team, so hopefully this gives me an opportunity to play more.

(on finding out he was starting): You get pumped. It’s something that goes through you where you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m going to get to play tonight. I’m going to get a significant amount of minutes because I’m starting.’ It’s just good to know. That’s when I play my best when I’m comfortable, I know I’m going to play and I know I’m not going to play sporadically. It’s a great way to play.

(on his pre-game warm-up with Wafer and Dorsey today): Actually at that point, I still didn’t know I was going to play. So I was just going through the daily routine that we always do. And this was the fourth or fifth game in a row where we went out there playing, and guys are getting mad at us because we’re getting in their way. It’s just something we do to try to keep ourselves in a rhythm.

(On who typically wins): Me (laughs). I don’t think I’m going to lose. I keep telling them that I’m not there to lose, I’m coming to win.

RAFER ALSTON

(on maintaining leads) That’s what Ron and I talked about today: We’ve got to keep the lead and not just stop doing what we’re doing. We’re a team that gets a 10 or 15 point lead and then takes our foot off the gas pedal and lets teams climb back in the game.

(On the play of Luther Head) "He was ready. He came in and hit the first three. He knew the situation,that was good. I like to tip my hat to him for a guy that hasn't played as much as he would like to, to come in and do the job that he did. He played well start to finish and I think that's what we need."

(On the energy) "We had it. We understood that if you play that kind of energy and intensity and give that type of effort, wins and things like this can happen for you."

SHANE BATTIER

(On the Spurs) "The Spurs are really good. They are always going to come back because they are a veteran team and a really good team. Even though we were up big in the first half, we knew they would make a run. I'm proud of the way we responded. We stayed with our team concept, got some big plays and big rebounds."

YAO MING

(On the Rockets needing to play better at home) "We are trying to protect home court. In the last two years, we've had home court advantage in the playoffs and our energy did not show up. We've been struggling at home the last couple of years and we have a good road record. We need to take it one game at a time and prepare the same way for next game."

LUIS SCOLA

When you lose a game the way we did against Indiana, it’s really important for us to come back the way we did today. Hopefully we find consistency so we don’t have to go through those ups and downs.

You try to learn what went wrong last time. I thought we played a good game overall. We played solid the whole game.

SPURS COACH GREGG POPOVICH

(on the game) “ Houston came out and was more aggressive than we were. They played a fine game for 48 minutes, as far as their aggressiveness, and their overall energy. It was a good come back and then we played very unwisely. We were inconsistent with our play.”

(on the key to the game ) “It was a game of mistakes. Twenty-four points Houston scored off our turnovers. They took advantage of our turnovers and it was a huge difference for them.”

(on Matt Bonner’s play ) “Matt’s done a wonderful job for us. He’s taking advantage of his opportunities and really played well tonight.”

TIM DUNCAN

(on the game) “ Houston played better in stretches than we did and that was the difference. Matty (Bonner) came off the bench and really turned it up. He did a great job for us and kept us in the game.”

(on his play) “I played an awful game in the first half and I couldn’t hit any of my shots. I did a little better in the second half.”

MATT BONNER

(on his play) “My shots were going in and I was getting open looks. I played hard and I was shooting the ball with a lot of confidence.”

(on the key to the game ) “ Houston got the momentum to change in the second half due to our mistakes. Fouls and turnovers hurt us when we got close.”

ROGER MASON

(on his early season play) “Coming in to this game my mid-range shooting has been good and my 3-point shooting is leading the league. Coach Pop has been putting me into position to be successful and this system is really good for me.”

Notes

Tonight’s attendance of 18,282 marks the sixth sellout of the season at Toyota Center.

Houston recorded its largest margin of victory this season in a 103-84 (+19) win over San Antonio. It also marked the first time the Rockets have scored 100 points against the Spurs since a 103-99 victory back in 2000-01 (3/17/01 vs. San Antonio).

All five Houston starters reached double-digit scoring for just the second time this season (other: 11/1/08 vs. Oklahoma City). Overall, Houston had seven players reach double-figure scoring for the first time this year, which is a feat the Rockets accomplish just twice in 2007-08 (both against Chicago on 12/22/07 and 2/24/08).

The Rockets started tonight’s game by scoring 33 points on 15-of-24 (.625) from the field over the opening 12 minutes of play, which marked Houston’s best first-quarter shooting of the season. The team’s previous best was a 10-for-17 (.588) opening quarter at Dallas (10/30/08). It also marked Houston’s highest point total for a first quarter this season (prev. high: 32 done twice, last on 11/17/08 at Okla. City).

Houston now owns a record of 7-0 when it shoots .500 or better in the first quarter.

The Rockets recorded a season-best 12 steals, while turning the ball over a season-low seven times.

Luther Head made his first start of the season tonight with Shane Battier coming off the bench to guard Manu Ginobili. Head topped the Rockets with a season-high 21 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 3FG, 5-5 FT). Including tonight’s output, 11 of Head’s 14 career 20-point games have come as a starter. In 17 starts last season, Head averaged 13.2 points (.435, 84-193 FG; .941, 32-34 FT) and 3.1 assists in 31.2 minutes per game.

Shane Battier finished with 15 points (7-11 FG) and three rebounds in just 18:39 of action off the bench.

Ron Artest added 16 points and eight rebounds tonight. Artest has now recorded double-figure scoring totals in each of his last nine games. The only streak longer on the team is held by Yao Ming, who has now gone for at least 10 points in each of his last 12 games played after a 12-point outing tonight.

Tracy McGrady (sore left knee) and Brent Barry (strained right calf) both missed tonight’s game and will be out for Sunday’s contest at Denver (11/30/08).

Tony Parker, who played 16:33 off the bench in his return to action last night vs. Memphis (11/28/08), returned to the starting lineup for tonight’s game. Parker had 15 points and a game-high seven assists.

Matt Bonner recorded a team-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting (3-4 3FG), matching the 17 points scored by Tim Duncan. Bonner was also 4-of-6 from the field (3-4 3FG) for 11 points in the first meeting with the Rockets this season at San Antonio (11/14/08).

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