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Yao vs. Nuggets - 3/29/03

Denver Nuggets guard Junior Harrington struggles in putting up a shot in the first half after getting past the Great Wall (Yao is obscured on the play). The Rockets beat the Nuggets in Houston Saturday night, with Yao scoring 11 points in 15 minutes of play. (AP photo)

On Saturday night there were many times the Rockets probably got nervous against the Denver Nuggets, the team with the second-worst record in the league (16-56), like when the Nuggets took the lead in the second quarter and kept it close in the third. But Houston went on a 23-9 run to end the third quarter for an 81-68 lead going into the fourth. However, just when they thought they could cruise to a victory, the Rockets hit another dry spell, scoring only four points in the first 6 ½ minutes of the fourth quarter. Denver ultimately closed the gap to 87-83 with about 4 ½ minutes remaining. But Houston managed to win this very important game, 102-89, and close Phoenix's lead to ½ game for the final playoff berth in the Western Conference.

Double trouble for Nuggets

Against Denver all 5 starters scored in double figures, and the Rockets are now 6-1 when that happens. In addition, reserves Maurice Taylor and Kelvin Cato also scored in double figures. Taylor had 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, and Cato scored 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting, mainly on his standard diet of dunks. Glen Rice almost became the 8th Houston player to score in double figures, finishing with 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting. We also need to mention how big Steve Francis was in the victory, who scored 18 points (7-for-15 from the field), and had 12 assists and 7 rebounds. This game was probably Houston's most balanced offensive game of the year.

Cato got to double figures because of increased playing time due to Yao picking up his fourth foul with 9:20 remaining in the third quarter. Usually when a player picks up his fourth foul, you can expect that player not to return until the fourth quarter, if the team can afford to keep the player out that long. Cato's effective play (which included 6 blocks) and the fact Yao had been sitting on the bench for quite a long time made it less pressing to bring him back into the game. Yao actually checked in at the scoring table with about 3 minutes to play in the fourth period, but after Mo Taylor hit a jumper to put the Rockets up 91-85, he reported back to the bench. Based on coach Larry Smith's comments about how fatigued Yao is (see the "What they are saying" section), he obviously wanted to save Yao from playing more minutes if he could afford it. In the very few minutes he did play (15), Yao scored 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the line, along with 2 blocks.

Trailing the Phoenix Suns by ½ game with only 9 games remaining, the Rockets go on the road and play New Jersey on Monday, Milwaukee on Wednesday and Philadelphia on Friday. Since the Rockets blew so many games to bad teams earlier in the season, they now have very little room for error.

Detailed Yao Analysis
vs. Denver Nuggets 3/29/03
brought to you by John & Jeff

1st quarter - Yao starts the game.

10:51 Free
Throws Yao gets a pass from Cuttino Mobley near the right baseline post. With Mobley clearing out of the way, Yao proceeds to post up Nuggets forward/center Marcus Camby. Yao dribbles twice towards the center edge of the paint, turns to shoot and pump fakes. Camby bites on the fake, and as he comes down, Yao leans in to him and shoots. The shot misses but Camby gets whistled for the foul! A smart veteran-like play by Yao to draw the foul, although Camby bumped into Yao's knee or leg, and Yao is limping a bit. Yao hits both free throws and ties the game 4-4.

9:41 From the top of the 3-point line, Eddie Griffin finds Yao deep in the middle of the paint. Yao dribbles once, turns to his left and puts in a soft left-handed layup that hits nothing but net! With Yao that deep in the post, no one on the Nuggets can stop him! The Rockets trail 7-9.

8:16 Near the top of the key, Nuggets guard/forward Rodney White drives down the right lane from a set screen by Nuggets rookie forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili. From the left low side, Yao slowly tracks White's penetration to the rim, and as White goes in for the layup, Yao moves in and denies the shot to record his first block! Nice play by Yao in reading White's move to the basket!

3:53 Free
Throws Mobley drives to his left to the middle of the paint, stops and shoots a straightaway jumper just inside the free throw line. The ball bounces twice off the rim and Yao is able to tip the ball twice (once off the glass) to himself over Camby! After grabbing the offensive board, Yao goes up and it looks like he's determined to monster jam it, but he is hacked on the wrist by Nuggets point guard Shammond Williams. Yao drains both free throws, giving the Rockets the lead 18-17.

2:52 Yao picks up his second personal by committing a blocking foul on a penetration drive by Nuggets point guard Junior Harrington. Kelvin Cato checks in for Yao. The Rockets lead 21-17.

2nd quarter - At this point, Yao is only 1-for-5 from the field, but has been able to get to the line 4 times, hitting all of his free throws. Hopefully the free throws will help him get out of his shooting funk. Yao ends the first quarter with 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block. The Rockets lead 27-25.

8:23 Maurice Taylor misses a free throw, but the rebound gets tipped by Posey right to Kelvin Cato a couple of feet from the basket. Cato emphatically goes in for the uncontested dunk, with a rim rattle and leg kick to boot! The dunk was so powerful, Yao is seen giving a big "oooohh" out of respect for Cato's Shaq-like power!

4:09 Yao checks back into the game for Cato. The Rockets lead 41-34.

3:19 Intimidation From the top of the key it's rookie vs. rookie! With Yao on him, the Nuggets' rising star Nene Hilario drives to his left down the left side of the lane. With his menacing presence, Yao forces Hilario to take an awkward shot. As a result, the shot is off line and Glen Rice grabs the rebound. On this play, Yao is inadvertently hit in the face by Hilario, but Yao is okay!

2:45 Intimidation It's rookie vs. rookie again, and you've got to admire Hilario's tenaciousness and lack of fear. Hilario gets the ball a couple of steps near the right edge post. He turns to face Yao and starts to drive with power to the center of the lane. Hilario bumps Yao, but Yao holds his ground and as Hilario goes in for a running baby hook, Yao reaches high and alters Nene's shot for the second time! Advantage Yao!

2:07 On a Nuggets fastbreak, Nuggets forward Donnell Harvey challenges Yao and goes up strong for a layup on the left side of the rim. Yao jumps and intimidates Harvey so that he puts it high off the glass and it misses badly. Yao did not touch the ball, but he is given credit for the block. The Rockets lead 47-40.

0:30.1 With only 30 seconds left, there's no need to have Yao pick up another foul, so Larry Smith substitutes Cato for Yao. Yao took no shots in the second quarter, but had a couple of nice intimidation plays. The Rockets lead 49-44.

Halftime - The first half ends with a last second Francis-to-Cato dunk! Yao has 6 points (1-for-5 from the line, 4-for-4 from the line), 2 rebounds, and 1 block. The Rockets lead 51-46.

3rd quarter - Yao starts the third quarter.

11:43 James Posey finds Yao deep in the middle of the paint, only a couple of feet from the basket. Yao catches the ball, turns to his left, jumps, gets bumped by Camby in mid-air, then while he's coming down shoots a little 2-footer off the glass with his left-hand for the score...AND ONE! Yao completes the 3-point play to give the Rockets a 6-point lead, 52-46. That's the kind of post position we like to see!

Nuggets TV analyst (and former Nugget player) Bill Hanzlik comments, "Not much you can do against the Big Fella when he's in that tight...Just so hard to get around him, but you've got to get on the front side when he's that deep."

11:09 Griffin finds Yao on the outer right edge. Yao holds the ball and as his teammates clear up the traffic around him, Yao proceeds to post up on Marcus Camby. Yao dribbles down on Camby, and as Yao turns baseline, Camby reaches in to knock the ball out of Yao's hands for a second. All in one motion, Yao recovers the ball quickly, completes his turn to the baseline and nails a right-handed hook shot! Yao now has 11 points and the Nuggets trail 56-46.

9:20 Realizing that Yao's heating up this quarter, Camby makes a smart pump fake on Yao to draw Yao's fourth personal. It's a shame to see Yao check out since he was 2-for-3 this quarter in about 3 minutes of play. Cato comes in for Yao.

4th quarter - The Rockets have blown the game open, and finish the third with a 23-9 run. The Rockets lead 81-68. After three quarters of play, Yao has 11 points (3-for-8 from the field), 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Cato starts the fourth quarter.

3:02 The Nuggests make a comeback, and down only four points (89-85), Yao is about to check back into the game, but Maurice Taylor buries an 18-foot jumper to extend the Rockets' lead to 6. As a result, Larry Smith elects to keep Cato in and motions Yao back to the bench. With the magnitude of this game, we hope that coach Smith has made the right decision.

We would like to give our props to Kelvin Cato who has filled in nicely for Yao. At this point of the game, Cato has 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks!

0:00 The Rockets go on to hold the Nuggets off and win by the score of 102-89. Yao ends the game with 11 points (3-for-8 shooting and a perfect 5-for-5 from the line), 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The Rockets move within 1/2 game of Phoenix for the final playoff spot for the Western Conference playoffs.

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1st quarter - Yao starts the game.
10:51	Free Throws	Yao gets a pass from Cuttino Mobley near the right baseline post. With Mobley clearing out of the way, Yao proceeds to post up Nuggets forward/center Marcus Camby. Yao dribbles twice towards the center edge of the paint, turns to shoot and pump fakes. Camby bites on the fake, and as he comes down, Yao leans in to him and shoots. The shot misses but Camby gets whistled for the foul! A smart veteran-like play by Yao to draw the foul, although Camby bumped into Yao's knee or leg, and Yao is limping a bit. Yao hits both free throws and ties the game 4-4.
9:41		From the top of the 3-point line, Eddie Griffin finds Yao deep in the middle of the paint. Yao dribbles once, turns to his left and puts in a soft left-handed layup that hits nothing but net! With Yao that deep in the post, no one on the Nuggets can stop him! The Rockets trail 7-9.
8:16		Near the top of the key, Nuggets guard/forward Rodney White drives down the right lane from a set screen by Nuggets rookie forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili. From the left low side, Yao slowly tracks White's penetration to the rim, and as White goes in for the layup, Yao moves in and denies the shot to record his first block! Nice play by Yao in reading White's move to the basket!
3:53	Free Throws	Mobley drives to his left to the middle of the paint, stops and shoots a straightaway jumper just inside the free throw line. The ball bounces twice off the rim and Yao is able to tip the ball twice (once off the glass) to himself over Camby! After grabbing the offensive board, Yao goes up and it looks like he's determined to monster jam it, but he is hacked on the wrist by Nuggets point guard Shammond Williams. Yao drains both free throws, giving the Rockets the lead 18-17.
2:52		Yao picks up his second personal by committing a blocking foul on a penetration drive by Nuggets point guard Junior Harrington. Kelvin Cato checks in for Yao. The Rockets lead 21-17.
2nd quarter - At this point, Yao is only 1-for-5 from the field, but has been able to get to the line 4 times, hitting all of his free throws. Hopefully the free throws will help him get out of his shooting funk. Yao ends the first quarter with 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block. The Rockets lead 27-25.
8:23		Maurice Taylor misses a free throw, but the rebound gets tipped by Posey right to Kelvin Cato a couple of feet from the basket. Cato emphatically goes in for the uncontested dunk, with a rim rattle and leg kick to boot! The dunk was so powerful, Yao is seen giving a big "oooohh" out of respect for Cato's Shaq-like power!
4:09		Yao checks back into the game for Cato. The Rockets lead 41-34.
3:19	Intimidation	From the top of the key it's rookie vs. rookie! With Yao on him, the Nuggets' rising star Nene Hilario drives to his left down the left side of the lane. With his menacing presence, Yao forces Hilario to take an awkward shot. As a result, the shot is off line and Glen Rice grabs the rebound. On this play, Yao is inadvertently hit in the face by Hilario, but Yao is okay!
2:45	Intimidation	It's rookie vs. rookie again, and you've got to admire Hilario's tenaciousness and lack of fear. Hilario gets the ball a couple of steps near the right edge post. He turns to face Yao and starts to drive with power to the center of the lane. Hilario bumps Yao, but Yao holds his ground and as Hilario goes in for a running baby hook, Yao reaches high and alters Nene's shot for the second time! Advantage Yao!
2:07		On a Nuggets fastbreak, Nuggets forward Donnell Harvey challenges Yao and goes up strong for a layup on the left side of the rim. Yao jumps and intimidates Harvey so that he puts it high off the glass and it misses badly. Yao did not touch the ball, but he is given credit for the block. The Rockets lead 47-40.
0:30.1		With only 30 seconds left, there's no need to have Yao pick up another foul, so Larry Smith substitutes Cato for Yao. Yao took no shots in the second quarter, but had a couple of nice intimidation plays. The Rockets lead 49-44.
Halftime - The first half ends with a last second Francis-to-Cato dunk! Yao has 6 points (1-for-5 from the line, 4-for-4 from the line), 2 rebounds, and 1 block. The Rockets lead 51-46.
3rd quarter - Yao starts the third quarter.
11:43		James Posey finds Yao deep in the middle of the paint, only a couple of feet from the basket. Yao catches the ball, turns to his left, jumps, gets bumped by Camby in mid-air, then while he's coming down shoots a little 2-footer off the glass with his left-hand for the score...AND ONE! Yao completes the 3-point play to give the Rockets a 6-point lead, 52-46. That's the kind of post position we like to see! Nuggets TV analyst (and former Nugget player) Bill Hanzlik comments, "Not much you can do against the Big Fella when he's in that tight...Just so hard to get around him, but you've got to get on the front side when he's that deep."
11:09		Griffin finds Yao on the outer right edge. Yao holds the ball and as his teammates clear up the traffic around him, Yao proceeds to post up on Marcus Camby. Yao dribbles down on Camby, and as Yao turns baseline, Camby reaches in to knock the ball out of Yao's hands for a second. All in one motion, Yao recovers the ball quickly, completes his turn to the baseline and nails a right-handed hook shot! Yao now has 11 points and the Nuggets trail 56-46.
9:20		Realizing that Yao's heating up this quarter, Camby makes a smart pump fake on Yao to draw Yao's fourth personal. It's a shame to see Yao check out since he was 2-for-3 this quarter in about 3 minutes of play. Cato comes in for Yao.
4th quarter - The Rockets have blown the game open, and finish the third with a 23-9 run. The Rockets lead 81-68. After three quarters of play, Yao has 11 points (3-for-8 from the field), 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Cato starts the fourth quarter.
3:02		The Nuggests make a comeback, and down only four points (89-85), Yao is about to check back into the game, but Maurice Taylor buries an 18-foot jumper to extend the Rockets' lead to 6. As a result, Larry Smith elects to keep Cato in and motions Yao back to the bench. With the magnitude of this game, we hope that coach Smith has made the right decision. We would like to give our props to Kelvin Cato who has filled in nicely for Yao. At this point of the game, Cato has 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks!
0:00		The Rockets go on to hold the Nuggets off and win by the score of 102-89. Yao ends the game with 11 points (3-for-8 shooting and a perfect 5-for-5 from the line), 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The Rockets move within 1/2 game of Phoenix for the final playoff spot for the Western Conference playoffs.