HOUSTON -- Dwight Howard knows the best way to stop teams from using the "Hack-a-Howard" defence is to make his free throws.
Jonas Hector Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25
points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute
stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. "I just kept
telling myself go up there and knock them down, make them pay," Howard said.
Chandler Parsons added 20 points for Houston and James Harden had 17 for the
Rockets, who never trailed and led by as many as 23. It was a welcome change
from several of their recent games when they built big leads only to see them
evaporate in the second half. The Nuggets tried to get back in it with about 5
1/2 minutes left by intentionally fouling the centre every time Houston had the
ball. The plan backfired and Howard, who entered the game shooting 49 per cent
from the line, finished 17 of 24 on free throws. Howards 24 free throw attempts
were the most by a Rocket since Sleepy Floyd went 22 of 27 in February of 1991.
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw lamented using the tactic after the game. "That goes
against everything Im about," Shaw said. "I dont believe in that and I dont
think its in the spirit of the game. So that is exactly what I get for doing
that. Im glad he made his free throws and it shows me to just be true to who you
are." They were too slow in fouling him one time and Parsons dunked on a fast
break on the other end. The play was reviewed and Houston got the basket and a
foul shot by Howard. Denver finally scrapped the defence with about 3 minutes
left, to wild applause from the home crowd. Harden took advantage of the change
to immediately knock down a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 118-101. Howard was
surprised when they stopped fouling him, standing with the ball for the couple
of seconds waiting for them to do it. He said he doesnt get irked when hes
intentionally fouled, but he knows its not very popular with the crowd. "Its
annoying to the fans," Howard said. "I know they dont want to see that. We dont
want to have to go through that. But its a part of the game." Ty Lawson had 28
points and a career-high 17 assists to lead Denver. "We just didnt come out
ready to play," Lawson said. "It was our defence and our effort. We just didnt
play any defence in the first half." Lawson started despite sustaining a corneal
abrasion to his right eye on Friday night after taking a hand to the eye.
Lawsons eye was almost swollen shut after Fridays game, but Shaw said before the
game that only a little swelling remained. Terrence Jones tied career highs with
14 points and 12 rebounds for the Rockets. The Nuggets outscored Houston 11-0
during a 2 1/2-minute stretch early in the third quarter to cut the lead to
66-59 with about 8 minutes remaining. Lawson got things going, hitting the first
two baskets and Randy Foye added a 3-pointer during the run. Howard went to the
bench near the end of that run when he picked up his fourth foul on an offensive
charge. The Rockets rediscovered their offence after that, and used a 14-2 spurt
to push the lead to 80-61 a couple of minutes later. Jones was great in those
minutes, with two dunks and six points. Houston led by 15 entering the fourth
quarter. Howard, who sat out the last eight minutes of the third, was back on
the floor for the start of the final period and immediately went to work. He was
fouled when he made a nifty reverse layup and made the free throw to push the
lead to 93-75. The Rockets led by 10 points with 10 minutes left in the second
quarter before scoring 12 straight points to push the lead to 50-28 with about 5
1/2 minutes left in the half. Donatas Motiejunas scored seven points in that
stretch and Harden capped it with a 3-pointer. The Nuggets used a 13-7 run at
the end of the first half to whittle the lead to 63-46 at halftime. NOTES:
Former Rockets star Yao Ming watched the game from a courtside seat. He received
a standing ovation when he was shown on the video boards during a timeout in the
first quarter. ... Houston C Omer Asik, who has been the subject of recent trade
rumours, was not in uniform for the game. Coach Kevin McHale said it was because
he was "under the weather" but he didnt elaborate.
Matthias Ginter Jersey .In a statement released Friday, the Catalan club said the Brazil stars recovery would be
monitored to determine when he can begin training again.
NGolo Kante Jersey . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week
honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from
Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and
tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday.MONTREAL -- Montreal
Impact defenders Karl Ouimette and Wandrille Lefevre were selected Wednesday for
the inaugural Homegrown Game as part of MLS all-star festivities next month in
Portland. Toronto FC defender Ashtone Morgan, a Toronto native, and Vancouver
Whitecaps midfielder Russell Teibeert of Niagara Falls, Ont.
Jeremy Mathieu Jersey. , will also play on the 20-man squad of top MLS homegrown players against the Portland Timbers U23
side at Providence Park on Aug. 4. The MLS all-star game is set for Aug. 6
between the top MLS players and German champions Bayern Munich.
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