The Houston Rockets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and Kevin Martin's absence hasn't cooled them.
The New York Knicks are slumping, and playing without Carmelo Anthony only makes matters worse.
With Martin's status clouded, the Rockets attempt to take advantage of Anthony's absence and win for the ninth time in 10 games when they host the struggling Knicks on Saturday night.
Houston (11-8) is averaging 102.8 points during an 8-1 run, making a 3-7 start to the season an increasingly distant memory. Martin missed Friday's home game against Washington due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, but the Rockets didn't miss a beat and routed the Wizards 103-76.
Houston's top scorer at 20.1 points per game, Martin is averaging 29.3 over his last four games overall, and 28.1 the last seven times he's faced the Knicks (7-12).
If Martin is unable to return, Chase Budinger would likely increased playing time again. Budinger took advantage of the opportunity Friday, scoring a season-high 21 points and adding eight rebounds while sinking 4 of 6 3-pointers after not having appeared in the three previous games.
"You just have to be professional," Budinger said, "and just be ready and wait for the opportunity like I did. I like to play, I like to be out there on the court with my teammates. It really just comes down to what the coach wants."
As coach Kevin McHale has been trying to tighten Houston's rotation, Budinger was an odd man out after averaging 7.1 points through the first 15 games.
"I told him that in our league, a lot of times, things just happen," McHale said. "He stayed ready and he's a professional man."
Luis Scola, averaging 15.6 points, also saw an increase in production without Martin available, getting 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Wizards.
McHale may not feel the need to rush Martin back, given that the Rockets have won 12 of their last 13 against the Knicks. That includes a six-game home winning streak, during which Houston has held New York to an average of 88.2 points.
Losers of eight of nine overall, the Knicks now must also take the court without Anthony -- their leading scorer at 23.6 points per game -- who will miss a second straight contest with ankle, thumb and wrist injuries.
The Knicks are trying to salvage a split of a four-game road trip after falling 99-89 at Miami on Friday. They tried to compensate for Anthony's absence by taking more shots from beyond the arc, going 18 for 43 -- the second-most 3-point attempts in franchise history.
"We shot a lot of 3's, but we did hit a bunch of them, which kept us in there," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We just couldn't sustain it all the way through."
Similar to Budinger's situation with Houston, Bill Walker may get a second chance to capitalize on the absence of a star.
Walker played a season high of more than 31 minutes Friday, scoring a season-high 21 points -- all on a 7-for-10 effort from 3-point range -- and adding seven rebounds. He's averaging just 6.1 points on the season, and had just three while missing 5 of 6 from the floor in his only start, a 104-92 loss at Oklahoma City on Jan. 14.
Amar'e Stoudemire had 25 points in each of last season's two meetings with the Rockets, which both ended in New York defeats. He's averaging 28.2 points over his last six games against Houston.
Kudos on the thread, your a better man than me, these chumps deserve nothing!
Jan 28, 2012, 16:16
pakopako
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dzwonsson
"We shot a lot of 3's, but we did hit a bunch of them, which kept us in there," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We just couldn't sustain it all the way through."
I still can't believe he said that on record. I just really can't. But hey, he's got immunity for the rest of the season, right? (Ah, TD. Guh.)
Jan 28, 2012, 16:23
Sprewell-Houston
The thought of Douglas and Shumpert starting together is frightening.
On the positive I can see big games from Chandler and Stoudemire. Scola should be a good matchup for Stoudemire and Chandler just wants it more than Dalembert who's at the tail end of his career.
Maybe a Knicks win?
Jan 28, 2012, 17:35
LeFlume
Good job Dzw....
Nice chick and I like the pic of Amare. Thats exactly what he is right now...down and out (almost) :afro:
Lets kick some Rockets ass.
Jan 28, 2012, 17:38
WNY_Knickfan
Yeah nice thread indeed man, especially since like fender mentioned, it's hard to find the motivation to invest alot of time beyond simply watching the games right now. Oh well... as is always the case regardless of the situation... let's go Knicks!
Jan 28, 2012, 18:12
StEpHoN_mArBuRy
Here's to MD being tossed after tonights loss.. LEGO!!
Jan 28, 2012, 18:26
tiger0330
Love the Chill Machine segment in your game threads, she has got some natural talent, who is she?
Check out Luis Scola's post game, Elton Brand said he has the best under the basket game in the NBA. Amare should have worked on a game like Scola's when he was younger as a go to when that face up game is ice cold like it is now.
Jan 28, 2012, 18:38
WNY_Knickfan
Quote:
Originally Posted by tiger0330
Love the Chill Machine segment in your game threads, she has got some natural talent, who is she?
Check out Luis Scola's post game, Elton Brand said he has the best under the basket game in the NBA. Amare should have worked on a game like Scola's when he was younger as a go to when that face up game is ice cold like it is now.
Ehh, who needs a post game, you can always fall back on the threeeeee
Jan 28, 2012, 18:51
iSaYughh
Predictions:
*we win, even w/o Melo, following through on the various positives we saw in the MIA game
*MDA isn't fire, even if we do not
*STAT has a monster game
The chill-out chic is painfully hot in this thread.
Jan 28, 2012, 18:56
LeFlume
Prediction: First shot of the game - a three ball by Douglas
Jan 28, 2012, 19:00
CA7
Predictions
We lose because we make the offense easier for guys like Fields and not STAT
Tyson gets in foul trouble early
Kyle Lowry destroys Toney Douglas
We get 50 replies in the thread saying we play better without Melo yet we've lost every game he hasn't played since he's been with us
D'Antoni doesn't play Balkman which he should
Jan 28, 2012, 19:01
nyk_nyk
Tina S: coach, what do you need to do to get Amare going early on?
Antoni: Aahhhh Aahhhhh... We need to move the ball and Amare needs to pick his spots and play with a lot of energy.
So basically Antoni is saying he doesn't know how to strategically help with that problem. It's incredible how much Nash did for this guy.
Jan 28, 2012, 19:03
CA7
Fields just missed a lay up in warm ups, this guy is pathetic sometimes
Jan 28, 2012, 19:09
nyk_nyk
Clyde: Amare needs to be more assertive. He can't go 5 minutes without getting a shot.
Thanks Clyde, the more knowledgable fans here understand that while some others believe that as long as the ball is moving its ok.
NO. At some point your best players need to put pressure on the defense. You need stars to win in this league and if your stars are too passive then they are no different from role players.
With that said, I'm hoping for a win but more importantly a much more interested Amare.
