|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
Saturday, Nov. 13 10:30pm ET
Francis leads Rockets with 27 points | |||||
|
| ||||||
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Rookie Steve Francis is fitting right in with the newlook Houston Rockets. Francis, at the center of a team makeover, scored 27 points and Walt Williams had 16 as the Rockets pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors 103-95 Saturday night. "He brings so much to the team, quickness, explosiveness," Hakeem Olajuwon said of Francis, the second overall pick in the NBA draft who was acquired Aug. 27 by the Rockets in a three-team, 11-player trade. "I think the situation is ideal for him and us. He has so much energy but at the same time he is under control," added Olajuwon. It was the Rockets' second straight win after opening the season 0-5. The Warriors have just one win in six games and have yet to win at home in three tries. Francis said the Rockets, who also traded away Scottie Pippen and released Matt Maloney, are still getting to know each other but back-to-back road wins are an encouraging sign. "It's going to take time for everyone to blend together," he said. "At the same time we don't want to rush it because we don't want to be a team that peaks early. We want to peak at the end of the season. As we take these gradual baby steps, we're just trying to get better as a team and I think it will work for the Rockets." Helping out the newcomer Francis were longtime Rockets mainstays. Olajuwon had 15 points and 15 rebounds and Charles Barkley, returning from his one-game suspension for fighting with Shaquille O'Neal last Wednesday, added 15 points and 16 rebounds. Antawn Jamison led Golden State with a career-high 27 points, 19 of which came in the third quarter. Chris Mills had 19 points and Donyell Marshall added 16 points and 15 rebounds. "It was a close game and we put ourselves in a position to get over the hump. But we kept making mental mistakes," Jamison said. "We had good shots, good looks but it just didn't come through. We just didn't capitalize on a lot of mistakes they made." Houston has now beaten the Warriors eight straight times in Oakland over the last three years. Golden State played the game short-handed. Jason Caffey did not play because of a sore right ankle and Mookie Blaylock sat out with a strained right calf. Trailing by nine at halftime, Golden State narrowed the gap to 75-71 behind Jamison's 19 third-quarter points. Jamison began the period by scoring 12 straight points, including three baskets to finish fastbreaks that began on blocked shots by Adonal Foyle. After Carlos Rogers followed a missed shot with a rebound and a dunk, Mills hit consecutive 20-foot jumpers and the Warriors pulled to 84-79. However, Houston outscored the Warriors 11-5 over the next four minutes, taking a 95-84 lead on Francis' fastbreak layup with 2:38 remaining. Houston had a 54-45 halftime lead after going in front 27-25 at the end of the first quarter. Mills' 17-foot jumper pulled Golden State to 32-31 but the Rockets put together a 15-6 run to go in front by 10. Barkley's driving layup began the run and Williams punctuated it with a pair of 3-pointers at the end.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Houston Clubhouse Golden State Clubhouse RECAPS Indiana 105 Washington 83
Houston 103
  | |||||