Latrell Sprewell is Still Not in a Rockets Uniform (Day 36)

Back in Houston for the holidays and to kill birds with less stones, working on a story about Houston summer league legend Dwayne Rogers--who, incidentally, is now running with those ambassadors of red, white and roundball, the Globetrotters of Harlem.

Train, Duke and Co. scored tix to the New Year's Eve game tomorrow evening against the Warriors... actually, they weren't so hard to get. On the other hand, my littler brother, the A-train (a nickname given him during a bout of unoriginality), scored VIP tix to the game... a little harder to get. But a due reward for his recent acceptance to local Rice University. I will be going with the little train.

Spree, come through.

Stro' Show Finally Opens... In Previews

After weeks of calamitous test screenings and costly re-shoots, the long awaited Stro' Show opened to a preview screening Wednesday night against the Hornets.

With 26 points and 13 rebounds, Swift gave Rockets fans a little taste of what it might be like to live up to the hype. But matched up mainly with David West and Chris Anderson, it was still only a preview. Stro' still had that adorable lost puppy dog face for the duration.

And the Rockets lost, despite an additional 38 points from T-Mac. But they didn't lose from lack of want. They lost because... there's no one left on the roster who can shoot and teams aren't playing the Rockets so much as playing McGrady. Stro' tried to burn the Hornets for that but he would miss a chance to garnish his breakout performance with a shot to tie when his running baby hook fell short in the final seconds (a shot he says is easy for him) after a misdirection play drawn up with Mac as a decoy. To his credit, Mac didn't pull a Pippen. But this isn't the playoffs.

We tease Stro, but honestly, we want him to be his hype. We want him to live up to that 2nd pick in the draft. We even think he has the talent to be a star--we like Stro'... but give Mac the ball when the game's on the line. Double-teamed. Triple-teamed. Just get him the ball. Please.

Fists of Sanctified Fury: Nike Teams With God and Jay Chou to Bring Celebrity Basketball to Taiwan

Taiwan's only basketball correspondent, Chris Wang (Gizzoogle it, he's the only one), shows us that celebrity basketball is just as popular in Taiwan as it is here, 'cause international pop star and occasional rapper, Jay Chou--roughly the equivalent of an Asian Justin Timberlake--loves to ball, especially for Christ. And just what good is it, if Nike doesn't sponsor Jesus, too?

But what exactly does "promote human transformation" mean?

She's Having a Baby

Rockets are finding new and exciting ways to lose...

Utah 82, Houston 74. Yet another L at home.

So Mac left to be a good father--we can't hate him for that. Can we?

Welcome, Baby Mac... to the outside.

Rockets Beg for Mercy... and Kobe Gets No Love

With Rockets casualties mounting, Van Gundy and Co. seek mercy from the NBA brass during this the season of giving.

Rockets lost badly... as in never had a chance.

Ryan Bowen's gettin' all gangsta with that goatee and shit. Rockets.com interviews The Hammer and Hammer plugs the PSP. Hells yea... gangsta.

Just finished watching the Lakers-Heat Christmas classic. Kobe gets no hug.


And so goes the holiday spirit. Merry merry... whatever the occasion.

Holiday Fists of Fury... DJ's Back

Just in time for the holidays, our favorite Battlegrounds king of the court, Darren Jiang, is featured again on AsianWeek.com.

DJ's been here a few times... if you haven't noticed... so it's good to see him back for the holidays.

Kobe Gets Over Loss to Rockets

Each one game removed from the first T-Mac v. Kobe contest (really a lethargically played bore until the final seconds), Kobe goes cuckoo for cocoa puffs while Mac learns what it feels like to be Yao Ming.

2-11 for 7 points and on top of that a blowout L to the Raps? To his credit though, Mac should have had about 20 assists if the Rockets been able to make buckets down the stretch. And accordingly, the Chronicle wants Mac to take tips from the Black Mamba.

The Rockets' casualty rate has risen enough to play Lonny Baxter and Stephen Graham.

So another big road win for the Raps in a Houston and even bigger for Mike James who never wanted to be traded--a less than well-kept secret down here is that Mac wanted him out.

Somewhere, Mike James is smiling.

(NBA.com/Photo)

New BPR is Up, Rockets Up

We're a little a late with this week's BPR Power Rankings, last minute holiday shopping and all... but here it is. No, here.

Rockets up to 17. We had 'em at 15.

Yao Watch '05-'06: Rogue Band of Dermatophytes Topple Great Yao of China

Break out the Lamisil 'cause Yao's big toe is acting up (in graphic detail), sidelining him not only for last night's squeaker against the Lakers, but... indefinitely. Indefinitely... I remember when Vernon Maxwell was on leave indefinitely back in '95. I wasn't sure what the word meant back then, all I knew was he never came back.

If everybody's favorite toenail monster has his way, Yao won't either.

T-Mac is a Golden God and Yao is His Fleece

We can't put last night's win any better than Jonathan Feigen at the Chronicle. Another Mac classic.

What we can say is that two of these five wins (@ Sac & @ Sea) are more indicative of serious decision-making time for the Kings and Sonics.

Sactown Royalty is already making a serious plead for Luol "Do Dat" Deng.

As for Seattle... a friend of mine, who is admittedly only a desultory basketball fan--though strangly, she worships Clyde Drexler--told me that while visiting Seattle on business and partaking in a Sonics game she noticed that Seattle had the worst home crowd she had ever seen. Too many of them waiting in the lobby for their tall decaf lattes, we guess.

So go ahead and send Rashard home to us. We still feel bad for taking Mirsad Turkcan ahead of him in '98. He's not coming back to you anyway.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Yao Watch '05-'06: Yao Most Popular Player in the World For Third Straight Year

Yao is once again leading the all-star ballot in votes this year... which only bolsters our suspicions that China's Red Guard has been converting prisons into sweatshops and forcing criminals of the state and Falun Gong to vote for the Big Red 11 at gunpoint in makeshift computer stations.

Zhu Rong-ji and the Red Guard at it again.

Stop... Hammer Time

We didn't want to write anything to jinx the little run Houston has mustered on the west coast, but after a grueling overtime comeback and what looked like an ailing second-half Mac, we don't really expect the Rockets to win tonight in Seattle. So, we'd like to take the time now to pontificate on last night's bizarre game.

The contest went from an elegant, efficient offense effort in the first half to... well, let's say brusque shot selection by Houston in the second (which received long range bombs by the Warriors in rebuttal).

The Warriors basically held the Rockets off in the fourth, too. But somehow the Rockets managed to win on a little reversal of fortune. Warriors couldn't convert late in the fourth and our main man, Ryan "The Hammer" Bowen, sparked the Rockets in his distinctive way, finishing with a season highs of 13 points and 8 boards (Rockets.com has a feature on Mr. Hustle). It was enough to get Mac to break out of his funk (which may have been a little karma for his "I can get any shot I want" remark at the half) by setting up Wesley for a three, and hitting one himself, late in the game giving the Rockets a shot. One that went to everyone's favorite rookie, Luther Head, who tied the game with a three with 2.7 left.

Yao, who was steady, with a quiet 30 and 16 in the manner in which only he can do, was big in OT.

Despite both Houston stars pulling Caspers until late, Rockets win--brutal but fairly entertaining (anyone see that oop from Richardson to BD? Gangsta).

Few things are more satisfying in televised basketball than watching Tim Legler and Greg Anthony eat at little crow. Houston's won four in a row.

Rockets in Seattle tonight, 9:30p CT.

(AP Photo)

Steve Nash Is GQ's Cosplayer of the Year

Steve Nash is Gungrave's Brandon Heat. Click it.

Cosplayers... your leader.

We didn't learn much from reading Joel Lowell's recent interview with our favorite Canuck, Steve Nash. We already knew he was with his wife in New York City, we knew he played pick up in Tribeca, we knew he played for Phebe's at the "crappy soccer field" in Chinatown (which is Shangri-la compared to the crack vial and syringe paved concrete slab that used to be there), and we even knew Nashy would be named GQ's Baller of the Year.

What we didn't know was that Nashy was into cosplay. Already pandemic in Asia, it's been sweeping weekly RPG nights and comic conventions stateside for years. But to Nashy's credit (and GQ photographer Michael Thompson), we haven't seen cosplayers so tastefully rendered since Cao Fei's mushroom fuzzy, Asian milieu. And never has cosplaying had such a celebrity proponent.

We suggest that cosplayers around the world drop their game controllers, papier mache swords, shoulder rockets and/or dice and endorse Nashy as their official figurehead to further their cause... whatever that may be.

Actually, some of these cozzies are kinda purty... and then, some of them really aren't.

T-Mac Handles the Truth

Van Gundy has tried to tell us the truth since training camp. The Rockets are too slow. But we ignored him as visions of Skip to My Lou and Stro-Show sugarplums danced in our heads and our expectations were... borderline delusional.

But after going 4-12, including a home debacle against Memphis where the 90-75 final score wasn't early indicative of how the Rockets got handled, we all began to see the light.

But last night against the Celts, as T-Mac often does, the truth became a bit easier to bear.

Van Gundy went big going with T-Mac at the two, while Bowen got the nod over Luther Head in the starting five. And as expected, "The Hammer" (as one reader has branded our favorite hustla) brought his leather-tough accrued of floorburn hide to the Toyota Center, sparking a far livelier as compared to previously dead defensive rotation that limited the Celts to just 34% shooting.

Mac torched the Celts despite Ricky "Get Buckets" Davis' best attempts to distract with modern dance.

Rockets show some of that early season promise last night.

(AP Photo)

Still Bonafide!

New BPR is out... Week 3.

Here's our poll.

Fists of Fury... Darren Jiang: The Interview

Our favorite Chinese American streetball star... okay, our only recognizable Chinese American streetball personality... is online at Chopblock.com in an interview with one of our own.

Recently, DJ sat in with King James in Cleveland as his translator during a live webcast to fans in China. Kid got a pair of limited edition LB3's for his trouble.

Incidentally, Cavo at YAYbasketball!, if you're interested in a DVD copy of the webcast, I can burn you a copy. Holler at me.

Latrell Sprewell is Still Not in a Rockets Uniform (Day 10)

We admit we may have been a bit delirious with sentiment in our last post. We forgot that we're the ones that were laughing our asses off, lobbing alley-oops over the age-induced torpid of foot in church league, who for all intents and purposes play the game "the right way," even using this "play" they call a "backdoor cut."

It stands that we love our guys... but we still want Spree.

Rockets are 4-12.

Reaffirming Our Faith... Loving the Players, Hating Their Games

We're keeping a concerned but distant eye on tonight's game against the Hawks via NBA.com's Live Stat Tracker. We can't make it back to the crib with League Pass so here we are online Christmas shopping and watching...

Needless to say, the 0-2 Turkey Day weekend has lessened our zeal to motivate to the F train, but Yao did show some signs of life in Chicago dropping 30 on the Bulls Saturday night. We thought boycotting the game might effectuate this kind of response. Yao knows when we're not watching and it gets him pumped, but not enough to get the W.

My girl, Dot, keeps repeating Jake Gyllenhaal's line, "I wish I could quit you!" from the upcoming movie adaptation of Brokeback Mountain. She likes the book but finds the delivery of those words hilarious. And herein, we find the sentiment fitting. Sometimes, we wish we could quit the Rockets... but we know we can't.

Here's the problem... we like the Rockets. We like this team, this group of guys.

They're veterans for one... who at least try to adhere to Van Gundy's system. David Wesley would have been a prize fighter 30 years ago. Less Ali than Frazier, stocky and powerful, full of heart with a dome made for headbutting. He would have been the underdog hero of America's dispossessed. The son of Rick, Jon-boy, has got the savvy and flair that makes him every fan's favorite--just ask Sacramento and Detroit. Deke Mutombo the consummate professional... Juwan Howard the same... Bobby Sura... heart... and Ryan Bowen... every team needs a Ryan Bowen. Even Luther Head has the kind of game and facial expressions to be a truly beloved fan favorite.

Then there's Yao... who this off-season quietly negotiated his contract extension without even dangling his talents elsewhere trying to up his worth. He actually displayed... loyalty.

So they're not athletes.

They embody the work ethic, ball IQ and integrity that critics say is missing in today's NBA. Honorable gentlemen all of them, and thusly, they're 3-11. So what does that say about today's NBA?

What does it say that we'd give them all away, guiltily, ashamedly but eagerly nonethless, for one crazy-ass Ron Artest?

Maybe we don't deserve these Rockets... these gentlemen of the hardwood. So-called fans gripe about the purity of the game, its degradation, its corruption, its celebration of stars over team play, and yet here we have a real team, who by all accounts get along like family on and off the court, and they can't win. Over on Detroit's Free Darko, they have a saying, "Love the Player, Hate the Game..."

Like Motown itself, we second that emotion.

But with all that said, we counted the days until T-Mac's return. Ten. Without him, the Rockets are like Devastator without the headpiece, going nowhere. Unlike the entire city of Houston (or what seems like it), we haven't lost faith, not in Yao, not even in Derek Anderson... yet. Swift and Skip on the other hand... the grip is slipping.

Surely, with Mac back tonight, we can beat the Hawks?

Oh wait, page refresh, we won...

Latrell Sprewell Is Still Not in a Rockets Uniform (Day 2)

Latrell is watching you. And wondering why his rims aren't on your ride.

Lakers make their bid for Spree.

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays...

Since we can't be home for the holidays--in fact, we're headed to my girlfriend's parents' house for Thanksgiving Dinner... which should be... interesting--we here at Globetrotter have decided to honor some of our hometown hardwood heroes in a little where are they now...

The Glide is the original Gulf Coast Legend, the pride of Sterling High. And now after a brief stint having it up to here with knuckleheads and NBA spawn George Gervin, Jr. and Moses Malone, Jr. at U of Hou, Clyde's found a nice cushy desk job as the new color commentator on FSN Houston next to good 'ol Bill Worrell. Hope he fares better than predecessor and fellow hall-of-famer Calvin Murphy.

It's no secret that we love TJ, Mo City's finest. Though he's slowed down a bit from his fast start, we stand by our prediction that he will make Milwaukee a playoff team this year, that is if he stops risking another spill trying to dunk all the damn time. We've seen it, we have video of it... please stop scaring the hell out of us.

'Shard is solid, despite our personal biases, and we do shake our collective heads every time we remember that the Rockets passed on him for Mirsad Turkcan. But he's the pride and joy of Alief and touts a fanclub full of little white girls (click here, here and here). To be honest, we always thought his Elsik teammate Shea Whiting was a better forward. But what do we know? At least now, we can say anyone he dunks on got "'Sharded on."

The second half of Mo City's finest backcourt and TJ's prep-mate in the Eagles' silver and blue, Daniel Ewing played the four in high school. But he's getting solid minutes now, showing a little bit of that Duke shooting touch in LAC, backing up Houston's favorite Alien.

DJ's got a sweet deal. Just sit back, hit open jumpshots, collect a paycheck. He doesn't even have to handle the ball like he couldn't do in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. That's what Lebron's for--to do everything. But it's just not sweet enough. DJ does his best TO.

This is Jake Voskuhl. Jake went to Strake Jesuit in Houston, a private school that supposedly breeds basketball players, but Jake is the only one to turn pro. Jake was a softy in high school and we enjoyed throwing floaters over his head. He was a good passer though, good enough to be a throw-in for teammate and All-American prep-star Mike LeBlanc to sign with UConn. Voskuhl would help lead the Huskies to a National Championship. As for LeBlanc... we have no idea.

Got Milk?'s 2004-05 Rookie of the Year, the Prince of Bellaire put up solid numbers last year, and with Sean May and Gerald Wallace, Charlotte's front court is looking a little decent. Funny anecdote: One of Train's friends back in Houston, we'll call him George, went to Bellaire High with Emeka. Every summer, Bellaire hosts HYCAC, a Chinese-American Christian youth basketball tournament. It's half-court 3-on-3, nothing special, but every team is allowed one non-Asian player. George chose good buddy Emeka. Needless to say, they won the tournament.

Here's a recent chat with Emeka... you can hear about his experiences on Wheel of Fortune, what video game he plays and why he hasn't opened his iPod yet.

According to ESPN, The Little Green Monster hasn't touched the hardwood yet. And he would have last night, had he not gone and hurt himself again showing off for the Lil' Phunk dancers.


For all you concerned fans, especially Eagle Cheng out there serving our country somewhere, no, Ndudi Ebi is not dead, though the Houston Chronicle likes to make it sound like he is.

We haven't been able to track down Ansu Sesay... he was the first basketball star we knew, taking his Willowridge team (yes, the same Willowridge that produced TJ Ford and Daniel Ewing, and Thurman Thomas for that matter, they're prolific) to their first State Championship and effectively crushing our freshman hopes of advancing in the playoffs. We haven't been able to find him on an NBA roster (we're a little lazy on Turkey day), but someone in Sierra Leone wishes he would return to his roots.

The most memorable thing about Alton Ford was hearing about him in high school. The Milby alum and former Texas High School Player of the Year was 6' 9" 260 lbs... when he was 14. After brief stints in the NBA, he has since been waived by the Polish as well. The Polish... that can't be good for the soul.

Happy turkey stuffing, folks... if that's what you're into. We'll holler.

Clyde pic courtesy of www.chez.com

Latrell Sprewell is Still Not in a Rockets Uniform (Day 1)

We have nothing to say about last night's game.

Spree is still not in a Houston Rockets uniform despite widespread discussion that he would be a suitable fit, despite his past with Jeff Van Gundy who has always liked him, and despite a likely starting position at small forward/shooting guard.

Perhaps it's because he and agent Bob Gist are completely delusional.

Why haven't the Rockets even talked to Spree yet? The Mavericks, Magic and Heat have all lost interest.

Come on, Spree. Take the midlevel. For the children... do the Rockets even have a midlevel?

Head in Fear Despite Mavs Laying Down on D

Ah hell, it wasn't so bad. It was actually an entertaining game. The Rockets showed a little heart out there finally. Head had his best game... Anderson, too. Swift showed some signs of something... until late. Moochie got some minutes and contributed. I think we still love Moochie.

But we'll always love Jon Barry... and hope he never gets discouraged throwing ridiculous alley-oop passes in traffic despite both Swift and Yao blowing them.

They started Head... like we suggested... and Derek Anderson came out of his shell... as we believed he would. But Yao, on the other hand, was Yao... he's really kinda making this hard on us. But keep the faith. Mo' City's already lost.

Luther Head played well and has a good attitude, but what we saw was a guy that has never had to play point guard in his life. He's not a natural ball-handler--maybe I'm spoiled out here in New York where every five-year-old can put it between your legs and bounce it off your ass--but Head dribbles like he's trying to get away from a court full of flesh eating zombies... But I'd still rather have him starting at the point than anyone else.

Mavs win 102-93 without Stackhouse and Van Horn (who Duke maintains is poison).

Other notes:

Early in last night's broadcast on NBATV, Dallas commentators reported that Bob Sura will not be returning due to back surgery to repair a ruptured disc. And there may be a reason why Rafer Alston's been in slo-motion after all.

Anyone see Stromile Swift hoist (and subsequently airball) a three-pointer late in the fourth when the Rockets were trying to make a run? We call this stupidity based on fear of failure/success... Here's how you do it: throw up a shot that is completely beyond you because taking a shot within your range and missing it would mean you failed... but make the impossible shot and you're a hero... miss it and well, you were never supposed to make it. Airball it, and you get a nice comfy spot on the bench next to Patrick Ewing.

Suns in Houston tonight... ESPN 7:30p

(AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Yao Watch '05-'06: Yao... Who Me?

............... So... uh... it's been awhile since our last post... because...

Well... we've had a hard time coping with what is growing increasingly factual, that the Rockets are awful. Derek Anderson and Rafer Alston are fool's gold so far... fool's copper anyway. I knew Skip wasn't fast, but he just looks slow out there. Anybody see the sequence in the Spurs game last week when Skip picks Tony Parker's pocket and races for the layup only to have Parker beat him down court and virtually take the ball back from him. It was almost like when Parker essentially pantsed Rod Strickland twice in a row last year in the fourth quarter en route to a Spurs victory.

We've never been fans of Parker though we do like his speed. Actually, we like his arrogance, too. But that's because we enjoy mocking him... Duke does a dead on impression... hilarious... and off the subject...

The subject is Yao Ming. Duke's talking trade--which is ridiculous, Duke's NBA is a personal rotisserie, but even the consideration is telling. Is it time to throw in the towel on Yao? My brother Train in Houston admits that the hush hush on the Gulf coast is that most fans had given up on Yao last year. Even The Cavalier at YAYbasketball couldn't resist officially losing faith in our demi-god. We've had a roundtable discussion and some conference calls and this is what we came up with...

• It's not time to give up on Yao. Remember that run during the second half of last season? It wasn't that just that his numbers were good--everyone knows his numbers are decent--he was a presence. Granted, he couldn't bring it into the playoffs, but it was still a nice run. Right now, he's a ghost. T-Mac should sit until he's 100% (and if he's gonna look like he did against Detroit). I don't even know if he's gonna play in tonight's game. I didn't bother to check, but he shouldn't. Yao needs tough love--some time without Mac will put the onus on him to be a leader and a presence.

• Despite his complete lack of confidence in himself. We're not ready to give up on Derek Anderson either just yet. But Sura... get well soon.

• How about a look at Earl Watson who's unhappy in Denver. We'd probably have to give up Ryan Bowen or Juwan Howard. We need Howard. Old and slow as he is, he's a pro. He gives all he can night in and night out. And Stro' still looks like a little boy out there who's lost his lollipop. In the meantime, start Luther Head at point. Like everyone else in Houston, we love Head.
  

• Lastly, T-Mac is at his best with a good wingman... literally. He was never better than when he had Mike Miller as his sidekick... they can't get Mike Miller... but there is Latrell Sprewell. Yea, he's an old fart, but Spree can take up the slack on the scoring end when Mac's out and he could still be a good defender. And he's played for Van Gundy before.
  

One or all of these things may not be likely or even a fix, but they would be more interesting than watching David Wesley try to push the ball up in a one man fast break... God love him, he tries...

So Spree... keep calling. We need you. Your kids need you. Rockets @ Dallas... where are the Hawks when you need them... 8:30p EST

Tony Parker courtesy of Cyrille Grobost Blog

We're Bonafide!

After getting blurbs about our Yao coverage and the Luther Head fanclub from YAYbasketball!, we've been asked to join the YAYsports! BPR. Week 3 Rankings are up.

Game Follows Through On Flight of Fancy, Wasn't Kidding After All

Rapper, The Game, has bought a significant percentage of the ABA Inglewood Cobras and has named himself the starting shooting guard, effectively emulating and consummating the hopes and dreams of every overweight desk-bound fantasy leaguer with a chip still on his shoulder from getting cut off his high school team.

We know, we know... Michael Jordan was cut from the Varsity, too.

But it's a benevolent deed for The Game--who shared the backcourt with Baron Davis in high school--and he intends to make the most of the team, giving locals the chance to fulfill their dreams in the NBA and getting a little run for himself. You'd do it too if you could. I would anyway.

McGrady Decides Once Is Enough

T-Mac toyed with the idea of another 13 in 35 comeback, hitting a couple of improbable threes late, but ultimately he felt the Spurs had seen enough last year...

It's no secret, Big Shot Bob's distaste for Houston after the trade to Phoenix, but honestly, we never wanted you to leave... you were our hero, and we always wanted you back. But if you don't come home, can you stop hitting such timely threes against us all the damn time? For the fans...

Rockets lose 86-80.

Shit, Pistons tonight... are you serious?

Everybody Loves Head

My brother Train down in Houston got wind of this a few days ago and has been lobbying for a Houston based fan club ever since. All I could find was an alluded fan club during his Illini days. Then there was this t-shirt on eBay. But dAGO's comment on Train Deux shows how Head's come on in H-town:

I went to a Rockets preseason game last month. We were up by 15 points late in the 3rd qtr. and Luther Head had yet to see any playing time. All of the sudden a large echo of fans began chanting " WE WANT HEAD, We want head!". Van Gundy didnt realize the humor behind it until after one of our players kindly explained what the underlying meaning was. I agree, I will be buying a Head jersey in the near future.

Posted 11/16/2005 at 2:28 PM by misterdAGO

There's a self-annointed "President of the 'I Love Head'" fan club somewhere on Clutchfans.net.

Rockets in San Antonio tonight... 9:30p EST

TJ Tracker '05-'06

Clips-Bucks last night... reunion time... Cassell v. Milwaukee, Maggette hollers at Bobby Simmons, TJ reunites with fellow Willowridge HS alum D Ewing... TJ's lack of size again exploited in final minutes... Clips' best start in franchise history... blah blah blah... TJ FLUSHES CHRIS KAMAN!!!

Ewing finally gets double figures... maybe we should consider a Ewing watch.

T-Mac Saves

T-Mac does it again. Howard attempts new DDT hold. Rockets don't win so much as Timberwolves lose says Minnesota. Despite Mark Madsen's best petit jete, Swift still doesn't make a Sportscenter Top 10?

(AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)