Recap (sort of): Hornets 88 - Rockets 79

I missed this one tonight - it's still the break, so it happens.  Didn't remember to TiVo it either, but from the looks of the stat line, maybe I'm better off having missed it after all.  Here's the stats:

Houston
Starters		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS		PF	Pts
T. McGrady	G	33:45	2-11	0-3	7-9	-11	0	5	4	3	0	0		1	11
R. Alston	G	31:14	1-10	1-5	0-0	-11	0	2	3	1	0	0	0	3	3
Y. Ming	C	34:00	6-13	0-0	7-8	-11	3	12	1	2	0	0	1	5	19
L. Scola	F	34:31	3-9	0-0	4-4	-10	1	8	0	1	2	0	1	5	10
S. Battier	F	29:12	2-6	1-5	0-0	-14	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	5
Bench		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
B. Barry		20:50	2-4	2-4	2-2	+4	1	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	8
C. Landry		20:37	4-5	0-0	1-2	-2	2	4	0	2	0	0	0	3	9
A. Brooks		16:46	4-6	1-2	0-0	+2	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	9
L. Head		12:13	2-6	0-0	1-2	+3	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	2	5
C. Hayes		6:51	0-2	0-0	0-0	+5	1	1	1	0	2	0	0	2	0
V. Wafer		DNP - Coach's Decision
Totals			26-72	5-19	22-27		9	39	13	13	5	0	2	22	79
Percentages:			.361	.263	.815		Team Rebounds: 7

New Orleans
Starters		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
C. Paul	G	37:28	8-18	2-3	8-8	+14	1	4	10	4	2	0	0	4	26
D. Brown	G	18:02	0-6	0-4	0-0	+7	1	5	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
T. Chandler	C	30:49	7-11	0-0	0-1	+6	5	12	0	0	0	1	0	4	14
D. West	F	43:02	8-19	0-0	7-9	+13	1	6	2	1	1	0	0	3	23
R. Butler	F	41:32	6-9	1-2	0-0	+9	1	7	2	0	2	1	0	2	13
Bench		Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
J. Posey		29:58	1-3	0-2	4-6	+2	0	5	0	2	0	0	0	3	6
M. Ely		16:15	2-3	0-0	0-0	+2	1	4	2	2	1	0	0	4	4
A. Daniels		10:32	1-2	0-1	0-0	-5	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	2	2
M. Peterson		6:28	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
S. Marks		5:52	0-2	0-1	0-0	-3	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
R. Bowen		DNP - Coach's Decision
J. Wright		DNP - Coach's Decision
Totals			33-74	3-14	19-24		11	47	18	13	6	2	0	23	88
Percentages:			.446	.214	.792		Team Rebounds: 4

From the looks of things, it's quite obvious that a few things went wrong:

• Tracy McGrady didn't show up.
• The real Rafer Alston showed up.
• Our combined number of assists was 13, the first game in which we hadn't combined for at least 20 assists since the Memphis loss.  Since that time, we had put up 100 points in 5 of our 8 games.
• Shane Battier still hasn't found his stroke.
• While Yao Ming had some good numbers, he once again struggled from the field, shooting 6 for 13.
• We let New Orleans's only two offensive threats in the game lead the game in scoring.  Ron Artest would've been the perfect person to guard David West.
  
• They out-rebounded us 47-39.
• Not sure if we can blame this one on fouls - they had 23 to our 22.  However, not having seen the game, maybe a few key calls didn't go our way.
• We once again had a poor showing in the fourth quarter, and according to the AP recap:

The Rockets were only 2-of-14 shooting in the fourth quarter and did not hit a field goal in the last 8:47 of the game, stayed within striking distance only because they hit 11 of 13 free throws in the period.

That's just some statistical observations.  If you watched the game, please leave a few comments on what you thought went wrong for us tonight and what you think we need to work on for the Utah game tomorrow night.  I'll be watching that one for sure.