Rockets Rally Past Warriors

Team effort carries Houston to 108-107 win

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Oakland - The first-century Roman philosopher Seneca once remarked that, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Sage words indeed, which helps explains how they’ve managed to pass the test of time. But as far as the Houston Rockets are concerned, perhaps the phrase could use a little tweaking. Because based on their Wednesday night match-up with Golden State, a far more relevant saying might be something along the lines of:

“Luis is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

For it was Houston’s Luis Scola who answered opportunity’s call at the beginning of the second half, when he found the ball in his hands beyond the three-point line with the shot clock about to expire and his desperate team down ten. And though Scola’s preparation for such situations almost certainly falls somewhere short of extensive – he was, after all, a career 0-6 from three-point land coming into Wednesday night’s game with the Warriors – what truly mattered was that he made the most of his fortuitous moment, swirling in a trey which gave him and his teammates a much-needed boost, while ultimately helping to propel them to a thrilling 108-107 victory over Golden State.

“I believe it helped that I made it just to get going,” said Scola of his first career NBA three-pointer. “I was playing pretty bad before that and I was talking to myself saying, ‘You’ve got to keep playing hard, keep running, keep going to all the rebounds, keep trying to be active and sooner or later good things will happen.’ I think luck gave me a little break and gave me that shot and from then on, everything changed.”

Did it ever. As if sensing the tide had turned following Scola’s improbably trey, the Rockets made quick work of their deficit by connecting on their first 11 shots of the second half. And while the hirsute power forward was the driving force behind the Rockets’ rally, scoring 13 points during that scorching stretch, he certainly wasn’t alone. Trevor Ariza scored 25 points and Aaron Brooks added a career-high 12 assists as Houston got contributions from up and down its roster.

The cumulative effect of those efforts allowed the Rockets to dig themselves out of the hole created by their second 2nd quarter slump in as many nights. But whereas Tuesday night’s breakdown against Portland was the result of poor play throughout the second quarter, Houston’s missteps against the Warriors primarily took place in the final two minutes of the frame. During that stretch, Golden State outscored the Rockets 14-2, turning a tight game into a ten-point Warrior lead at the break.

“We came out and said we had to start playing smarter,” said Rockets’ Head Coach Rick Adelman of his message to the players at halftime. “We were very impatient and very selfish in the second quarter; everybody was trying to score themselves. We have to play as a team at both ends of the court; that’s all we talked about. (Golden State) is a dangerous team, they score a ton of points on you if you relax and that’s what happened the last two minutes.”

So with the challenge having been issued, the Rockets responded in the second half with the type of basketball that must become their signature if they are to maximize this team’s potential. The mental mistakes were minimized. The energy increased. And the defense tightened up as well, which in turn allowed the club opportunities to score in transition.

To be sure, plenty of work remains. The phrase most often heard in the Rockets’ locker room is that this club is a “work in progress,” as demonstrated by the team’s struggles down the stretch of Wednesday night’s contest. Houston failed to score during the game’s final 2:40, allowing Golden State an opportunity to mount a comeback bid of their own which came up short when Anthony Morrow’s three-point attempt rimmed out in the closing seconds, leaving rookie Stephen Curry only enough time to put in a meaningless layup at the buzzer. Still, the win represented a definite step forward for the Rockets – and for their trio of third-year players whose importance to the team cannot be understated.

“The guys who have been here for a couple years now like Aaron and Luis and Carl, (Landry) they’re no longer young players,” said Adelman. “They’re seasoned now. We need them out there to get better and not make mistakes. You can’t blame it on youth anymore. These are the guys who are going to help us be successful.”

That fact was certainly borne out in the final result at Oracle Arena. Landry made several big plays in the fourth quarter on his way to finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Brooks’ ball movement turbo-charged Houston’s offense. And Scola broke out of a mini-slump by returning to his double-double ways with 21 points, 11 rebounds and one memorable three-pointer which rustled the echoes of Seneca and, far more importantly, propelled the Rockets to their first win of the young season.

All of which just goes to show: Luck is good. But Luis is better.

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