Mchale launches new Rockets vs Pacers
Houston coach evin McHale found the right combination as the ockets routed the Indiana Pacers, 11 - , last night in an NBA pre-season match before an enthusiastic crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.
James Harden fired 21 points by going fourof-five from the field, including a pair of threepoint shots and spiked it with four assists, four steals and two rebounds in just 2 minutes as the ockets bounced back from a close 11 -11 defeat to the New rleans Pelicans last Sunday in Texas.
McHale started Patrick Beverly at point guard and Terrence Jones at power forward in favor of Taiwanese-American star Jeremy in and ithuanian onatas Motiejunas.
Beverly, in, Jones and Motiejunas, who will play for ithuania in the 2 1 FIBA orld Cup in Spain where Gilas Pilipinas will also see action, all ended up playing solidly.
“I told Jeremy ( in) I will alternate him with Patrick (Beverly) because I want to see what comes out of it and the synergy between -Mo (Motiejunas) and mri Casspi looked pretty,” he said.
wight Howard was held to just nine points and was saddled with fouls early, also committing four turnovers in his second game since signing a four-year, -million deal with Houston in the off-season.
He had 1 points and nine boards in the ockets pre-season debut.
Filipino fans, who consider basketball a religion, got a treat as they finally witnessed the real NBA experience.
A total of 12, paying patrons attended the event, which is a historic first for the country.
Pacers coach Frank ogel said the ockets just played better.
“ e arrived on the same day. e had an equal share of practice so we can’t say it’s the jetlag. The ockets just played better than us,” said the -year-old ogel.
f all, in drew the loudest cheer being an Asian. in’s biopic titled “ insanity” was shown at the nearby M A cinemas more than a week back.
NBA pre-season game notes: KC Concepcion, the pretty daughter of Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion, was also in the crowd. She and Parsons dated... The Philippines’ Megan Young, the newly crowned Miss World, was among the crowd... NBA legends Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, Robert Horry, Ron Harper and Jalen Rose were introduced to the crowd right after the first canto... Omer Asik, who started last year but who’s status this year is uncertain after the arrival of Howard, sat it out due to a calf injury. He is reportedly seeing action in their next stop in Chinese Taipei... Marcus Camby, one of the NBA’s oldest player at 39 who is with Houston now, will be out for two weeks with a foot injury.