Rockets Force Game 7 With Stirring Win

Scola and Brooks help life Houston to 95-80 victory

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Houston - There are two ways to view the incredible, amazing, too good to be true story that is the Houston Rockets right now.

Either:

1.) They have more lives than a cat, are harder to kill than a cockroach and stem from the same family tree as Lazarus.

Or...

2.) Maybe, just maybe, everyone needs to put aside the tombstones, stop penning eulogies and open their eyes to the fact that, yes, this team is in fact very good and never should have been written off in the first place.

Then again…

On second thought, forget it. Go ahead and proceed with the funeral talk, columnists. Keep chanting, ‘Beat LA!’, Denver fans. Do everything possible to bury, ignore and utterly disregard the Rockets. They don’t mind. Really, they don’t. For they have no witty retort; no clever comeback at the ready. In fact, they have only one response to those with shovel in hand. As it turns out, it’s the only response that matters.

They simply keep winning.

It should come as absolutely no surprise then that the Rockets reprised their resurrection routine once more Thursday night before a capacity crowd of raucous, euphoric witnesses at Toyota Center. Written off and left for dead by seemingly everyone, Houston went wire-to-wire in a convincing 95-80 Game 6 win over the Lakers, forcing the series back to Los Angeles for a decisive seventh game. It was the sort of virtuoso performance which perhaps came as a shock to many around the country, though not to those who had seen the way this club has responded to adversity all season.

“For the last two days all I've heard is that we weren't going back to L.A.,” said Rockets’ head coach Rick Adelman. “Guys in our locker room didn't believe that.

“This team, the way they listened and the way they went about the game plan and the way they executed it was really fun to see because they’ve grown during these last 30 games of the season and the playoffs. They just keep growing. This team has so much heart and they don’t care what people say. Yao went down and we haven’t blinked an eye. We’re just playing to see how far we can take it and you’ve got to give them credit.”

First among those deserving to take a bow Thursday night was Luis Scola, whose scorching start propelled the Rockets to a 17-1 lead right out of the gate. The second-year forward from Argentina finished with terrific numbers - 24 points and 12 rebounds – but just as important were the energy and confidence he instilled in his teammates with the passion, hustle and desire he displayed right from the opening tip.

“Luis has played a lot of big games in his career,” said Shane Battier. “More than most people know. He set the tone tonight and he was awesome.”

He wasn’t the only one. Aaron Brooks was a revelation once more, utilizing his incredible speed and shooting skills to wreak havoc upon the Lakers’ defense throughout the evening. Meanwhile, Carl Landry played as if propelled by rocket fuel, exploding off the floor for several highlight reel plays, none more jaw-dropping than his fourth quarter jam which seemingly witnessed him take off from somewhere near Sugar Land.

“That’s what we need out of (Landry),” said Brooks, who finished with a team-high 26 points. “He’s our sparkplug off the bench. He’s one of our best finishers – if not the best – and he went back to the old Carl tonight. I was impressed. He had that fire, it seemed like he got his groove back and that’s what we need. He needs to keep playing like that because we’re going to need that in LA.”

Anyone contemplating whether or not the Rockets are simply satisfied to have exceeded expectations need only look at Brooks’ final statement as proof that this team is fully aware that there’s still more work left to be done. This series has not just been a fight for respect or attention. In fact, those are merely bi-products of the greater goal – to win once more and to advance. And having come so near now, the players and coaches realize this is no time to lose focus.

“This group has been so special,” raved Adelman. “And after the game the other night, losing the way we did, I really did not want to see them go down like that because they don’t deserve that. But I also knew that they pushed it aside and it was over with yesterday. They moved on. And now we’ve got to move on from this game because it’s over with. I’m going to enjoy it tonight but then we’ll move on, and then we’ll come out with a good effort in LA.”

To be sure, Houston will enter Game 7 as significant underdogs yet again. Countless critics will view Thursday’s result as nothing more than a mere postponement of the inevitable funeral. The Rockets will be surrounded by a congregation of doubters gathered together to watch this team get buried once and for all. There will be shovels, there will be tombstones and there will be pre-prepared eulogies. In other words, it’s shaping up to be precisely the sort of setting the Rockets relish.

“I believe in us,” said Scola. “I think we can go out there and play our game, be ready to play and see what happens. I believe in this team.

“Now, probably a lot of people think the Lakers are going to win and that’s OK with me. I think we’re going to win. Nobody needs to be offended in LA because I think we’re going to win – it’s just an opinion.”

An opinion which need only be shared by the other 14 players occupying the Rockets’ locker room. Because as long as that collective belief burns bright within those men, no amount of external doubt, however large and however foreboding, will ever be able taint them.

“I've stopped trying to figure this team out,” said Battier. “I just think when we are down and out, this team comes together. We gave an unbelievable effort. I don't care if we don't have the most talented team but there's not a team with more heart in this entire league. We've shown it again and again.”

And win or lose, rise or fall Sunday afternoon, one thing is certain: The Rockets will show that heart once more.

QUOTES

RICK ADELMAN

(On the win) “For the last two days all I've heard is that we weren't going back to L.A. and guys in our locker room didn't believe that. The way that they came out, there's two things: the way they started the game, Luis Scola, was incredible. What can you say about him? He just got us going. Then they made that run and cut it to 2 (points) and that's probably the biggest part of the game. Then we got it back up to 8 (points) going in the 4th (quarter) and then maintained a solid game in the 4th quarter.

I just can't give our guys enough credit. After the game the other night I knew we were going to come out, I didn't know if we were going to win the game, but I knew we were going to come out and play with intensity and lay it all out there and that's what we did.”

(On the Rockets play) “Like I said, I didn't know if we were going to win the game, that's a very good team we are playing. But I knew that that was not us the last game. It's just a game that snowballed on us and they (Lakers) played great and we just never got our feet on the ground. Tonight we did some things that we talked about and we executed and they were trying to do the same thing but we played at a higher level and I think that's what we have to do.

We have to do it in L.A. now. It's a totally different atmosphere and we have to prove that we can do it there but at least we have a couple of days to get ready and in the 7th game anything can happen and that's what we want to do. We want to take it one more game and take it to 7 and see what happens.”

This team is a special team. We have special guys. The thing that really impressed me is that I knew they were going to play hard and I knew we would defend better – that wasn’t us in the last game – but, again, our offense led to a lot of stuff they did the last game.

But this team, the way they listened and the way they went about the game plan and the way they executed it was really fun to see because they’ve grown during these last 30 games of the season and the playoffs. They just keep growing. This team has so much heart and they don’t care what people say. Yao went down and we haven’t blinked an eye. We’re just playing to see how far we can take it and you’ve got to give them credit.

We needed Aaron Brooks to get going and he got going. Luis was unbelievable in the first half and Carl in the second half. That’s what you have to have. If you’re going to beat a team like this in a game like this, you have to have people step up. Last game I can’t think of anybody who stepped up. But it does not surprise me. I have seen these guys time after time, when someone goes out, someone else steps in – that’s what they’ve done all year.

(on Landry): It’s huge for us because he’s the one guy from our front line who can (finish) like that. You get him the ball and he’s going to attack. He’s just got that ability and his energy is just off the charts when he’s playing like that.

(on Hayes): It’s great to see guys like that. Chuck has not had that much chance to play, but here he is stepping up with Yao going out and he’s been a huge factor for us.

(on this team): This group has been so special. And after the game the other night, losing the way we did, I really did not want to see them go down like that because they don’t deserve that. But I also knew that they pushed it aside and it was over with yesterday. They moved on. And now we’ve got to move on from this game because it’s over with. I’m going to enjoy it tonight but then we’ll move on, and then we’ll come out with a good effort in LA.

(on Kobe): I’ve gone against him a lot and I’m tired of him taking over. I always expect it. Some people forget that Chuck is not just a factor against Gasol, but he’s also a difference-make with Kobe. He shows quicker, he gets out there, he helps Shane out. And Shane Battier’s been incredible. Kobe is going to score. You can’t stop him from scoring, but Shane’s going to make him work every possession. And that’s all we can do.

Again, the difference is we were able to execute offensively and it made them a half-court team. We can do things in the half-court that we can’t do when they’re just coming at us.

AARON BROOKS

(On the Rockets play) “Let's talk about the beginning. Luis (Scola) started off and opened it up for us. We got a good low post game. In the 2nd half it was open and there were a couple of times where I was attacking it big and I was able to get my shot off.”

(On the win) “We did a good job. We knew the circumstance. We knew that we were coming back home. The fans were great, the energy was there and we just came out and played basketball. We played Rockets basketball.”

(fun being the underdog): I think it’s fun. We enjoy it. We got them on their heels a little bit. The pressure’s on them going back to LA so whatever we did today we’ve got to bring that to LA. We’ve got to be aggressive again, be smart and play Rockets basketball.

This whole series it’s been different people stepping up at any given time and that’s the way it’s been all year – somebody different stepping up to keep this train going. We want to continue to do that and we don’t know who it’s going to be next game.

(on Carl): That’s what we need out of him. He’s our sparkplug off the bench. He’s one of our best finishers – if not the best – and he went back to the old Carl tonight. I was impressed. He had that fire, it seemed like he got his groove back and that’s what we need. He needs to keep playing like that because we’re going to need that in LA.

CHUCK HAYES

(On winning the game) “We're surprising a lot of people. I'm sure a lot of people had us written off but if you did that then you really haven't been watching basketball for the past month because we're underdogs and we surprise people. People least expect it but somehow we get the job done.”

(On a 2 point game) “I was not worried because we still had the lead. We still had the lead. They (Lakers) came out hot in the 3rd quarter. They picked up their intensity but in the playoffs when you dig yourself into a hole like that, it's just as hard to get out of it, even though they were cutting the lead down. Like I said, we still had the lead but we had to be patient, we panicked a little bit. We were kind of caught off guard which we shouldn't be. Guys play great. Luis (Scola) was on fire today early in the game. Carl (Landry) played great. We had everybody playing great.”

LUIS SCOLA

(On the win) “It's huge. It was a win or go home situation and I think that we approached it the way we should have approached it. We approached it the way that it was. We played with a lot of energy and we played team basketball. We did the right things and we followed the game plan. We also made mistakes but when you play that way and you approach the game that way you get away with a lot of things. It is 3-3 and we've got to go back to L.A. which is what we wanted to do. Let's roll the dice and see what happens.”

I believe in us. I think we can go out there and play our game, be ready to play and see what happens. I believe in this team.

Now, probably a lot of people think the Lakers are going to win (Game 7) and that’s OK with me. I think we’re going to win. Nobody needs to be offended in LA because I think we’re going to win – it’s just an opinion.

A seventh game, just like the playoffs are different from the regular season, a seventh game is (also) a completely different story. What we’re going to see, nobody knows, but it’s a completely different story and it’s a final. And that’s how everybody’s going to take it.

(Brooks): He’s very, very good. It’s no surprise, he’s been doing it all season. It’s hard (to stop him); he’s very small, very quick and very talented. If the play is broke he can find people and he’s also a great finisher. He’s not afraid. He’s got everything. Hopefully he’ll get a chance to make a lot of those plays the next game, too.

(On the effectiveness of the Rockets offense) “ Yao (Ming) is out and there are a lot more shots for everybody else. We know there are going to be open opportunities for everybody. If we play the way we play then somebody will have shots. Some days it will be me and some days it will be somebody else. We played team basketball. Today I took a lot of shots in the beginning and we just have to try and be ready.”

SHANE BATTIER

(On his thoughts on the Rockets) “I've stopped trying to figure this team out. I just think when we are down and out, this team comes together. We gave an unbelievable effort. I don't care if we don't have the most talented team but there's not a team with more heart in this entire league. We've shown it again and again. I'm just really proud of the effort we gave tonight.”

(On the play of Luis Scola) “Luis has played a lot of big games in his career, more than most people know. He set the tone tonight and he was awesome.”

(going to Game 7): We have to look at the formula for success in this series. When we have low turnovers and we rebound the basketball, it gives us a much better shot to win. We had low turnovers tonight, we moved the ball beautifully and made enough shots.

(on Carl): Carl really got the crowd going with that dunk. It was a momentum changer for us because we were really reeling at that point. The young fella’s so explosive and it’s so fun to watch him.

KYLE LOWRY

(On taking the series back to L.A.) “We honestly play for each other. When our guys went out, everyone said we wouldn't be going back to L..A. They said the Lakers would win tonight but we played well again at home.”

(On what changed when the Lakers made it a 2 point game) “Our ability to make shots. We got back to what we were doing the whole game. Once we started playing our basketball and moving the basketball and playing, we were a good team.”

CARL LANDRY

(On the Rockets aggressiveness offensively) “(Luis) Scola did a good job being aggressive. Today Aaron Brooks got into the paint and finished. I got a couple of buckets around the hoop and that's what we need. We need to continue to be aggressive. We are not going to back down. As long as we continue to be aggressive the sky's the limit.”

(On the play of Chuck Hayes) “Chuck Hayes has been sitting the bench pretty much the whole year and he comes through and does a great job on Pau Gasol tonight and actually the last game as well. Defense wins championships and defense wins games. We have to keep playing defense in order to have success.”

(get tired of hearing the Lakers have better talent but that they don’t show up sometimes?): No, that’s good because if they don’t show up to play on Sunday, they’ll lose. So if people want to say that, then say it.

(on Denver fans chanting ‘Beat LA!’): Everybody in the world expects us to lose and that’s fueled our fire and that’s motivation for every guy in this locker room. When we go out to LA for Game 7 and beat them, hey, they can still cheer, ‘ Beat LA.’ They can cheer that for next year.

(on his explosiveness): I’ve got it all back. It’s been back for probably about three weeks now. I’m feeling well, no pain at all, don’t think about what happened. I’m back to feeling like the old Carl.

(on his dunks): It felt good. I kind of surprised myself like, ‘Whoa!’ It got the crowd involved, my teammates and it got me going.

LAKERS COACH PHIL JACKSON

(on the team’s play in the first quarter ) “We never had anything to get to a score in that period of time. Nobody stepped up and got a score. We had some open looks, Kobe had a couple of running shots, a couple of tough ones, and we had some other guys that had some open looks but we really came at them and they were able to convert. They were able to convert early and we made some turnovers to give them easy run-outs again and set ourselves right back on our heels again, like the Sunday game, it was very similar.”

(on being worried about game seven ) “No, I’m not (worried). There’s nothing to worry about, it’s just a game and we are just going to go out and play and it’s our home court and it’s what we play for. In the last game (at Staples Center) we beat them by whatever (the score was) and we play a different game on our home court and that is pretty obvious to see.”

KOBE BRYANT

(on the Lakers slow start tonight ) “We did not start the game off the way that we should have, obviously, and we did not execute right. They jumped on top of us. They made shots like they did in game four. They jumped out to a big lead.”

(on the Lakers getting back into the game in the second half) “We did a better in the second half of getting back into the game in the second half and they just made big plays and big shots. They kept a cushion and we could never get completely back in control of the game. We made a game out of it and then they made some tough shots at the right time. They made a couple of three point baskets and kept their cushion.”

PAU GASOL

(on his outlook for game seven) “I think we are going to respond to this loss and we are going to prepare ourselves. We are going to be mentally ready and with a game plan. We are going to execute it and come out with a win in game seven. That is the only thing that is going to be in our minds for the next two days.”

LUKE WALTON

(on the Laker’s play and the series) “We became a tougher team after last year’s loss in the finals but we didn’t show that tonight. If we can’t win a game seven at home than we are not a championship team and don’t deserve to be.”

JORDAN FARMAR

(on the game) “They came out swinging from the start. The energy in the building was great and they feed off their crowd. Every time we got close, they pulled away.”

(on game seven) “I expect the same kind of play from Houston. They don’t have anything to lose. They play hard every game and we must match their intensity.”

LAMAR ODOM

(on the series) “Home court is big but playing well in the first quarter is even better. We can’t give up big leads early in the game. It’s not the way, of course, the way we wanted to play. You can’t give a good playoff team that kind of spread and expect to win. We’re not playing well here like they are not playing well at our house. It will all came down to one game and we will be ready.”

(on the game and his health) “When you put yourself early then everything has to go just right and obviously it didn’t. It’s not about me. I’m hurt but I’ll be playing. This is basketball and where champions are made. They played with a lot of energy and at a high level and they are doing a great job. They had a great start.”

TREVOR ARIZA

(on the key to the game) “Slow starts. That’s been hurting us on the road. Turnovers, mental mistakes and we weren’t focused and ready to play. They wanted it and we were not doing a good job. We have to come out ready to play from the beginning.”

(on the series) “They are a good team and play very well at home. This series has woke us up and we have to be ready to play from the beginning.”

ANDREW BYNUM

(on his play in the series) “I just try to stop the ball and grab rebounds. I don’t know what happened in the second half because I wasn’t out there. We need to win, it’s that simple. They just hit their shots tonight. Sunday we will be at home and we’ll feed off the crowd.”

NOTES

Tonight’s attendance of 18,501 marks the 10th straight sellout for the Rockets dating back to the regular season (3/28/09-5/14/09). Houston has had only two other crowds at Toyota Center larger than that total, both of which came during the regular season: 18,557 vs. the L.A. Lakers (1/13/09) and 18,525 vs. Boston (3/18/08). The Rockets also drew an attendance of 18,495 for Game Three vs. Los Angeles (5/8/09).

The Rockets forced a Game Seven with a 95-80 win tonight over the Lakers. Houston scored the first six points of the contest and never trailed the rest of the night. The Rockets also led wire-to-wire in a 99-87 victory in Game Four at Toyota Center . It marked the first time this season for Houston to go consecutive home games without surrendering the lead.

Including this year’s playoffs, Houston now holds a record of 13-2 in games following a double-digit loss in 2008-09.

Houston has now held its opponents below 90 points in six of seven playoff wins. The Rockets have also limited opponents to an average of 82.8 points in their five home victories this postseason.

The Rockets again limited the Lakers to just 36 points (13-42 FG) in the first half of tonight’s game. Houston also held the Lakers to 36 points (16-35 FG) in the first half of Game Four (5/10/09), which marked Los Angeles ’ lowest scoring half of the entire season.

Despite this series marking the eighth time the Rockets and Lakers have met in the postseason, tonight was the first time these two teams played a Game Six.

Aaron Brooks registered a team-high 26 points (8-13 FG, 3-4 3FG, 7-7 FT), four assists, three rebounds and two steals tonight. Brooks, who has reached double-digit scoring in five of the six games in this series, now has four 20-point performances in this year’s playoffs.

Luis Scola notched a playoff-career-high 24 points (10-17 FG, 4-5 FT) and 12 rebounds tonight. Scola, who now has four consecutive double-doubles, actually netted 14 of his points in the first quarter (6-9 FG). He recorded his previous postseason best with 21 points (10-13 FG) in Game Five at Portland (4/28/09), which also included 15 first-quarter points (7-9 FG).

Carl Landry posted 15 points (6-6 FG, 3-6 FT), nine rebounds and two blocks tonight, recording 13 of his points in the second half.

Kobe Bryant, who had just 15 points (7-17 FG, 1-4 3FG) in the last visit to Toyota Center , had a game-high 32 points (11-27 FG, 9-10 FT), three assists and three blocks tonight. Including the regular season, Bryant has now posted 30-plus points in four of his five visits to Toyota Center in 2008-09.

Pau Gasol recorded 14 points (7-15 FG) and 11 rebounds tonight. Gasol topped the Lakers with 30 points (11-17 FG, 8-13 FT), nine rebounds and two blocks in Game Four at Houston (5/10/09).

Jordan Farmar scored 13 points (5-10 FG) behind a 3-of-5 performance from beyond the arc tonight. It marked Farmar’s best scoring output of this year’s playoffs.

Lamar Odom had a game-high 14 boards tonight, leading the Lakers to a 45-39 edge over the Rockets in rebounds.

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