Magic 102 – Rockets 87

This game was lost midway through the 3rd quarter when Trevor Ariza inexplicably tried to create for himself off the dribble on three consecutive trips down the floor.  Spanning from the 7:05 mark of the 3rd, up until a Jameer Nelson ‘3′ a few minutes later, the lead ballooned to 12 and the Rockets never recovered.

Dwight Howard was quiet offensively but snared 20 boards while Houston was led by Carl Landry with 20 points.

The Magic jumped out to an early 34-22 lead after 1, but the Rockets used a 30 point 2nd quarter to bridge the gap to 55-52 heading into halftime.  The Magic put the game away in the 3rd as the Rockets managed only 13 points, running much of the offense through Ariza.

Trevor finished the game with a +/- of -23, hitting only 1-10 from the field.  Kyle Lowry was solid once more with 13 points as the team looked noticeably better with him on the floor.

The Magic featured a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures, led by Vince Carter’s 18 points.

Brian Cook entered the game with under 2 minutes remaining, prompting me to turn my attention away from said game and towards this recap.

Random Musings

• The biggest story tonight was Trevor Ariza.  On the first play of the game, he opened up with a contested jumper driving to his right that left me dumbfounded.  At the 7:05 mark in the 3^rd, he chucked up another jumper of this variety.  The next trip down the floor, Trevor drove to his left, got trapped by his defender, picked up his dribble (shocker), turned back towards his right and faded away with a hand in his face, naturally airballing the attempt.  As if this weren’t enough, he somehow managed to receive the ball yet again on the next trip down the floor.  He then dribbled into the paint, came back out, and shot again going to his right, missing once more.  I could only laugh in appreciation at this point.  The Magic pushed the lead to 12 during this sequence and the Rockets never recovered.
• Late in the 2^nd, Matt Guokas remarks that Trevor is “best suited as a 3^rd or 4^th guy.”  I have decided that henceforth, this will be my new litmus test for broadcaster intelligence.  I’m no longer going to even attempt to take seriously anyone who trumpets Ariza as this team’s best player.  So Guokas makes my ‘good’ list for tonight.
• As far as Ariza, I’m not sure what is taking place.  That he went 1-10 and has been struggling with the shot isn’t my concern.  It’s the type of shots which he’s taking which are the cause of my frustration.  He’s just not a guy who can create off the dribble.  He’s not nearly skilled enough to even attempt some of the shots he’s taking.  I explained this in depth in November.  I said at the time that I had no problem with experimentation, but this has become ridiculous.  It just won’t happen in-game for Trevor so I don’t understand why the leash hasn’t been shortened yet.
• Tracy entered the game at the 7:30 mark in the 1^st to a heavy chorus of boos.  This came as a surprise.  I didn’t think he was relevant enough to garner such a reaction.  On this night, despite the appearances given by the box score, I thought he looked very good.  The Rockets looked to him every trip down the floor, bringing him across the baseline from side to side.  Once more, as I noted earlier, we didn’t see him used at all as a motion cutter as he was in his debut.  It’s become painfully clear that the staff hopes to, at the least, see what ‘The McGrady Offense’ can bring.  Tracy looked a step quicker on his drives, even making his way all the way through at the 1:35 mark before missing at the rim.  At the 2:06 mark of the first, he actually got caught in the air with no space, and effortlessly found an open David Andersen.  His body control/passing are almost unparalleled in this league.  However, for McGrady, the highlight of this night came on a play that probably went without notice.  With 2:55 remaining, he made a sudden burst backdoor, completely losing his defender.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t spotted by David Andersen and didn’t receive the pass.  Up until that point, I hadn’t yet seen Tracy make a move that explosive in his five games since the return.
• Unfortunately, the lowlight for Tracy probably needs its own bullet.  With 20 seconds remaining in his stint, McGrady didn’t even attempt to contest a Ryan Anderson ‘3’, and the lead swelled to ten.  It’s difficult with McGrady.  He can look so good at one end, exhibiting all-world talents, and then appear to not even have the slightest interest on the very next play.  Like I have been saying, the metric that considers the net effect of his impact on “The Chaos Effect” against his passing contributions will determine his future in Houston.    
• Funny side story in the 1^st as Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter were matched up with one another.  Sorry, that they were both in uniform was the funny side story.
• Aaron Brooks was brought off screens to hit two back to back 3’s early in the 2^nd.  I hadn’t seen much of this play before tonight.  Most of his 3’s are of the spot-up variety. 
• Carl Landry looked very bothered by Marcin Gortat in the 2^nd but then went to work on him in the 4^th.  Another good game by Carl.  With 54.2 seconds remaining in the 1^st, Landry faced up on Howard and blew right around him, putting it in off the glass.  I don’t think it’s possible to stop him off the dribble with a ‘big.’
• Landry and Lowry are the two best players on this team right now.  I think I am now confident with making that assertion.  I don’t know if the fact that they both come off the bench, in light of the fact that the team struggles in the 1^st, is necessarily problematic, but they are our two best players.  Aaron Brooks is more dangerous, but Lowry and Landry are better. 
• I was very, very impressed by Marcin Gortat tonight.  He was very active in the 2^nd and seemed to get a hand on every loose ball. 
• I was also impressed by Reddick.  He made a play where he drove to his right and pulled up and another where he pump faked and baited a gambling Trevor Ariza (shocker) into a foul.  There aren’t many ‘specialists’ in this league that can do those things.
• Strangest play of the game, aside from the lone Ariza basket, came with 2:08 remaining in the 4^th.  Aaron Brooks actually grabbed Dwight Howard’s leg and then bumped him in protest after Howard had fallen on top of him.  I wasn’t too sure what was actually taking place and I don’t think Howard was either.