Rockets Hang On For OT Win Over Bucks

Scola tallies 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead Houston to victory

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Houston - A flawless masterpiece, it wasn’t. But perfection was never high atop the Rockets’ wish list, anyway. What the team needed more than anything Monday afternoon was a win. And victory secured, the Rockets can now go about the business of getting better and correcting the mistakes which have bogged them down of late.

With Luis Scola leading the way and Carl Landry providing a bevy of big plays down the stretch, Houston managed to hold off the Milwaukee Bucks 101-98 in overtime. And though the Rockets had to overcome a smorgasboard of errors which made the game more challenging than it probably needed to be, players and coaches didn’t allow that to taint the significance of the end result.

“There’s no such thing as a bad loss in this league,” said Shane Battier after the game. “Do we need to play better? Absolutely. No doubt. But we’re trying to scratch and get wins so we’ll take this.”

Forced to an extra frame for the second time in five days, little came easy for the Rockets during a game which saw them give up 34 points in the first quarter, shoot just 6-of-24 from behind the three-point arc and significantly struggle to cope with Milwaukee’s zone defense in the second half. Furthermore, Houston’s win was not ensured until Luke Ridnour missed a wide-open corner trey at the buzzer on a play which typified the sort of mental breakdowns on defense which have plagued the Rockets of late.

“I don’t think we executed well,” admitted Head Coach Rick Adelman. “At the start of the game we made four or five mental mistakes that we talked about. That’s the thing that’s irritating. Then that last play was really irritating. We talked about exactly what they were going to do and we still made the mental mistake. Luckily (Ridnour) didn’t make (the shot) but those type of things happen and pile up.”

Still, the Rockets showed signs of progress at various points of the game as well. Houston’s 24-6 run in the second quarter witnessed the team at its very best as the defense stiffened, bodies hit the floor, extra possessions were gained and the club’s transition game kicked into high gear. It was all part of a splendid stretch from the Rockets’ second unit, as Chase Budinger and Kyle Lowry helped the team overcome an early 10-point deficit, turning it into a 7-point advantage by halftime.

Perhaps even more encouraging, Monday’s matinee saw a return to form of sorts for Carl Landry. Houston’s Sixth Man of the Year candidate has struggled of late as opponents pay more attention to him on the offensive end, sending double-teams and different looks at him in response to his surge to prominence this season.

For three quarters Monday, it appeared as if Landry’s slump was destined to continue as he entered the final frame with just two points on 1-of-3 shooting. But the third-year forward produced 10 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, making several huge shots – and a monster block – down the stretch to help lead his team to a much-needed victory.

“I’ve been struggling but I’ve still been positive about the outlook of everything,” said Landry. “So I just have to continue to work. I’m getting double-teamed and that’s something I haven’t seen since college, so I just have to adjust.”

And then there was Mr. Consistency, Luis Scola; the man who simply would not let his team lose. Never spectacular but simply steady throughout, Scola delivered time and time again for the Rockets on his way to a season-high 27 points and 15 rebounds. The simple truth: Houston would not have won this game without his sterling performance.

“It was a very important win for us,” he said. “We were playing bad and we were losing games and we need wins. I think we played better today. We made a lot of mistakes and we still have some things to fix but we played better, we played hard and with more concentration. If we play this way, we are going to be better, eventually, later on.”

No, this wasn’t basketball perfection. There are holes to fill and mistakes to correct. What the Rockets are hoping, however, is that this was a step; something upon which they can build as the team takes strides toward becoming capable of producing its own unique masterpiece later on.

QUOTES

RICK ADELMAN

Good to get he win. We got sluggish in the second half but made enough plays to win the game. We’ve got to work on some things, we saw some good things and basically just have to keep working at it.

(attacking the zone): We were not cutting through at all. It’s a combination. We actually got three or four flat-out layups that we missed and that’s what you’re going to get if you do it right. But I thought as they went into the zone we just started walking through. You have to cut through and make the defenders react to that. That’s why I’ve always run (the motion offense) because you can run it against a zone or man-to-man but you’ve got to move bodies and big guys have to have patience to stay inside. We weren’t doing that, we were just settling for one or two passes and then a long jumper.

(the effort defensively): It was better. The first quarter was not good. It’s not going to be easy. We got the win, we have things we need to work on and correct and we just have to keep moving on.

(on OT): We talked about getting the first burst but the problem was when we were 7 up, we gave up a three and then we didn’t score and it opened up the door for them. It’s just something where you try to get ahead, keep defending and try to make it tough on them and we did enough to win the game.

I don’t think we executed well. At the start of the game we made four or five mental mistakes that we talked about. That’s the thing that’s irritating. The last play was really irritating. We talked about exactly what they were going to do and we made the mental mistake. Luckily he didn’t make it but those type of things happen and pile up.

(Carl Landry’s offense in 4 th quarter and OT): That’s where it was – in the fourth quarter and overtime. We need it all the time. Carl has to find the way. He just seems to be kind of lost out there and when he gets in the game he’s got to get spots, demand the ball and continue to play through it. But it was good to see him get going in the fourth quarter and overtime.

CARL LANDRY

It was a big win. We went to another overtime game and we kept fighting and kept telling ourselves that we’ve been there before. Coach has been preaching defense all week in practice and that’s what we wanted to do – we wanted to defend going into overtime and pretty much throughout the entire game – and that’s why we came out with the win, I think.

I’ve been struggling but I’ve still been positive about the outlook of everything. So I just have to continue to work. I’m getting double-teamed and that’s something I haven’t seen since college, so I just have to adjust.

(difference in fourth quarter): I just tried to be aggressive. I knew Bogut (was in foul trouble) and if I got double-teamed I was just going to try to find the open man.

(on Adelman saying he wants to see Carl produce all game, not just late in the game): I want to see the same thing. I’ve been struggling a little bit. But I’m still learning and growing as a player.

(on defending the last play): We talked about the play they were probably going to run before walking out onto the floor. It was just Jennings was so open, so my natural reaction was to try to stop the ball. I didn’t really know how much time was on the clock so my natural reaction was the stop the ball. He kicked it to the corner, (Ridnour) had a wide-open three and thank god he missed it.

SHANE BATTIER

There’s no such thing as a bad loss in this league. Do we need to play better? Absolutely. No doubt. But we’re trying to scratch and get wins so we’ll take this.

(what’s wrong?): We just haven’t played well. But this is the time to turn it around. Hopefully while we’re at home we’ll shore up some things. I love Coach (Jeff) Van Gundy. I loved him to death when I played for him. But after a win like tonight he’d go home and flail himself and I refuse to live that way (laughs).

Our team can’t have an elitist attitude like we did last year when we had Yao and the boys and just think we’re going to roll over teams that don’t have very good records. We’re that team that doesn’t have a great record this year – or at least we’re playing like it. So we have to scrap for every win and we’re trying to get some mojo working here so we can feel good about ourselves and put something together.

Our second unit did a great job yet again changing the momentum. But we have to shore up our defense. If we want to beat the better teams, especially in the Western Conference, then we’ve got to play better defense.

(Scola): Scola was great. He’s been great for us the last couple games and he really saved us tonight. He was huge for us at a time when we needed someone to step up.

CHASE BUDINGER

(On if he thought this was an ugly win) “A win is a win. It doesn't matter how you get it. At the end of the season you have two columns. One with losses and one with wins and this goes under the one with the 'W'.”

(On him and Kyle Lowry coming off the bench) “Yeah, that is what we need to do every game. When we are in there, we want to run and bring up our energy level, you know, try to bring that intensity out there. That's what we did. I think we did a good job in the 2nd quarter getting that lead and energizing our whole team.”

AARON BROOKS

(On the Rockets defense) “They (Bucks) shot the ball really well and I think our defense was pretty solid throughout the game. We did a good job of clogging the paint and making them beat us from the outside. We gave ourselves a chance to win the game and I think we went on a little slump in the 4th quarter as far as shooting-wise but our defense kept us in the game.”

(On the win) “We needed a win. It went to overtime but it doesn't matter. We've got three days off and San Antonio is a big game. We got the win.”

KYLE LOWRY

(On if he felt the Rockets had mental lapses during the game) “I think it had a little to do with our fatigue tonight. We worked really, really hard in practice on certain things and sometimes those things happen. We have to find a way to be stronger mentally and not let those things affect us.”

(On if the 2 p.m. start time affected play) “I don't know, I guess you can say that. We are used to playing at 7:30 but 2:00, 7:30, it's a little bit of a difference. That shouldn't be an excuse.”

LUIS SCOLA

(On the Rockets taking control in OT) “We were all part of a couple of mistakes late in the 4th that led us to the overtime. We were kind of struggling and making mistakes but I think the mistakes we made today were different than the ones that we made the last few games. We made mistakes and we let them (Bucks) come back and we struggled with their zone defense. We played hard and with a big amount of concentration, hustling and effort. Sooner or later things start to go well and you can win the game if you play that way.”

(On the importance of the win) “It was a very important win for us. We were playing bad and we were losing games and we need wins. I think we played better today. We made a lot of mistakes and we still have some things to fix but we played better, we played hard and with more concentration. If we play this way, we are going to be better, eventually, later on.”

BUCKS COACH SCOTT SKILES

(on the game) “We played a bit of zone. We played hard with good activity and the zone did a good job in getting us back into the game. We made five more field goals but again we came up short at the free throw line. Houston had a great rhythm early in the game and we weren’t defending them. We didn’t stop in the man-to-man and then when we switched to the zone, it helped.”

(on Ridnour’s final shot in overtime) “We can’t ask for much better of a shot than that. It just didn’t go down.”

(on the final possession in regulation) “We wanted Brandon ( Jennings) to turn the corner off the screen but I think he had made up his mind already to shoot. His shot came off flat and it didn’t go down. We could have had a better look.”

ANDREW BOGUT

(on the game) “Our fourth quarter was much better with the zone. We got some stops but just couldn’t score and then, Houston scored at the end. We lost the game because early on Houston got too many open shots. In the second half we were in great rhythm and maybe if we had the lead at the half, we could have won the game.”

BRANDON JENNINGS

(on the final shot in overtime) “We had great execution and just came up short.”

(on the final play in regulation) “My shot was straight but a little short. I didn’t want to give Houston another shot at it. I came off the screen and had the shot and took it.”

(on his play vs. Brooks) “I came out very aggressive and I had a smaller guard that I was able to shoot over.”

LUKE REDNOUR

(on the final play in overtime) “The coaches drew it up perfectly and the execution was perfect. The shot was a little long. I’ll take that shot a hundred times. It really felt good when it left.”

(on the team’s play) “I’m getting tired of the fact that our team just keeps fighting. We want to get the win. We fought back in regulation and couldn’t make the shots. In the second half we played better defensively and didn’t allow them transition baskets.”

(on defending Brooks) “Aaron is so fast and quick and he can also make the three. His all-around play makes him a very tough cover.”

NOTES

The Rockets took a 101-98 decision over the Bucks in overtime today. Houston has now captured the last 10 straight home regular season games against the Bucks (7-0 in regular season at Toyota Center).

Houston has now faced a double-digit deficit at home five times this season, going 2-3 over those outings. The Rockets, who also overcame a 13-point hole for a 105-96 win vs. New York (1/9/10), came back from 10 points today. Overall, it marked the eighth time this season the Rockets have come back from a double-digit deficit to win.

The Rockets won today despite setting season lows in second-half scoring (33) and fourth-quarter points (12). Houston’s previous lows were 34 second-half points and 17 fourth-quarter points in a 102-94 loss at Charlotte (1/12/10).

Houston finished with 24 helpers today, giving the Rockets at least 20 assists in a season-best 10 consecutive contests (12/29/09-1/18/10). It stands as Houston’s longest such streak since dishing out at least 20 assists in 19 straight games back in 2007-08 (1/29/08-3/10/08).

The Rockets outscored the Bucks 31-17 in the second stanza today, as Milwaukee matched Houston’s opponent season low for second-quarter scoring (17 points: Mavericks on 12/18/09 at Dallas and Suns on 1/6/10 at Phoenix).

The Bucks also set Houston’s opponent season low for free throws made (7-11 FT).

Luis Scola scored a season-high 27 points (10-18 FG, 7-8 FT) and grabbed 15 rebounds today. Scola’s previous best was 23 points (10-16 FG) vs. Detroit (12/15/09) and 23 points (10-16 FG, 3-3 FT) vs. New York (1/9/10).

Aaron Brooks recorded 13 points (5-21 FG) and a game-high 10 assists today. Brooks now has four double-digit assist games this season.

Carl Landry scored five of his 12 points (4-4 FT) in overtime today, adding seven rebounds and two blocks in the game.

Chase Budinger, who had 17 points (6-9 FG, 3-4 3FG) vs. Miami (1/15/10), added 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3FG) and three rebounds today.

Brandon Jennings led five Bucks in double-figure scoring with 25 points (9-24 FG, 4-9 3FG) and seven assists today, which gave Jennings his 13th 20-point outing of the season.

Andrew Bogut finished with 18 points (9-16 FG), 17 rebounds and six blocked shots today. Bogut now has a double-double in each of his last five games and eight of his last 10, while posting double-digit rebounds in each of his last seven outings. The Bucks also dropped their record of 11-2 when Bogut tallies 17 or more points this season.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute just missed his season high in points with 15 (7-11 FG, 1-1 3FG) today, adding eight rebounds in the game. His season high in points still stands at 16 vs. Toronto (12/9/09).

Carlos Delfino posted his first double-double of the season with 11 points (3-6 3FG) and 10 boards today

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