The start to a great rivalry?

MSNBC.Com / WashingtonPost.Com ^ | HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2003 | By Rachel Nichols THE WASHINGTON POST

[babaloo999]

Rockets 71-69 -- starting 4th qtr.

[Bobby777]

thanks ... I've got the ESPN live update going now ... wondering how that match-up between Yao and Shaq was going ... what does it look like?

[babaloo999]

He's hanging in there pretty good. Started off blocking a couple of Shaq's shots but of course he's not going to do that the whole game.
Actually, I went ebaying for most of the fourth but just caught the end of regulation. On to overtime!

[Bobby777]

cool ... I've got Houston 102, LA 98 with 1:10 to go it looks like ...

[Bobby777]

Houston 108, Los Angeles 104 - ! YESSS!!!

[hole_n_one]

FINAL

Los Angeles 104
Houston 108

Shaq: 31 Points 13 Rebounds

Yao: 10 Points 10 Rebounds

[babaloo999]

Amazingly, the Rockets pull one out. The last 33 seconds took about ten minutes to play. Good OT-- Shaq doing some monster jams, finally. Bad flagrant foul call on him, but hey, I'm Rockets fan. Stevie Franchise over 40 points.

[hole_n_one]

.....that is an OT Final

[Bobby777]

yea, looks like Steve Francis was HOT tonight ... 44 pts ... missed a few free throws but he and Cuttino Mobley came through ... good game guys ... actually I like the Lakers too ... just, well, you know ... looks like Fox is shooting as good as Horry these days ...

I'm sure the pendulum will swing back and forth some more this season ... thanks for a good thread ...

[babaloo999]

No problem. If this keeps up the Rockets may just make the playoffs.
Early day tomorrow. Buenos nachos and good nite.

[fnord]

When Yao learns that in the NBA he can take 4-5 steps without dribbling, he will become a major force ... as it is he is a very versatile athlete.

[hole_n_one]

Tuesday, January 21
 
NBA: Shaq's foul was not worth a flagrant call

---

ESPN.com news services

The NBA on Monday reclassified a controversial flagrant foul call made against Shaquille O'Neal during the Lakers' 108-104 overtime loss to the Rockets on Friday night.

On the play in question, Steve Francis drove to the basket, where O'Neal made contact with the point guard. A flagrant foul was called by referee Monty McCutchen. Lakers coach Phil Jackson was subsequently hit with a technical foul for arguing the call. The technical foul was also reclassified by the NBA.

The sequence helped the Rockets increase their lead from one point to four points.

"The unfortunate thing is it had to be decided by them,'' O'Neal said after the game, referring to the the officials. "A whole bunch of people who paid a lot of money had to see a game that was decided by someone who doesn't make a lot of money. That's unfortunate.''

When told of the NBA decision to overturn the calls, O'Neal clapped lightly on Monday, but did not comment otherwise, according to the Los Angeles Times. However, O'Neal was saved a point in the NBA's system of overseeing flagrant fouls. When a player accumulates six points, he is suspended for one game.

The game featured the first matchup between O'Neal and Houston rookie center Yao Ming, and lived up to its billing, even though Shaq dominated Yao at times. O'Neal finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds and four assists while Yao had 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

The star of the game, however, was Francis, who led the Rockets with a career-high 44 points.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

ESPN

[Bobby777]

wish I could have seen it ... I believe the article but the Lakers are known for hitting pretty hard on the other team when they're behind and the time is short ... I guess that's basketball ... (doesn't mean I still don't think Horry and Kobe are good players ... and Fox is a bit of a "pretty boy", hehe, but he's definitely become a good player ...)