Ward’s overtime three-pointers lead Rockets over Kings

By The Associated Press     Nov 6, 2004

? Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady needed someone, anyone to give them a little help in the Houston Rockets’ shootout with the Sacramento Kings.

Charlie Ward came through just in time.

Ward made two 3-pointers in overtime, Yao scored 33 points, and the Rockets rallied late for a thrilling 104-101 win over the Kings in their home opener on Saturday night.

“Yao and Tracy were playing a great game and doing their job and I let them down on a few of the shots,” Ward said. “I’m just grateful I had the opportunity to redeem them.”

Ward finished with 14 points, going 4-of-11 from behind the arc.

McGrady added 23 points in his Houston debut, giving Rockets fans their first glimpse of the inside-outside combination that many believe could replace former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant as the NBA’s most dominant duo.

Yao scored 16 points after the third quarter, making nearly all the key shots down the stretch to help the Rockets hold off Sacramento. He converted only 2 of 6 free throws in the final minute, however, keeping things interesting even as the Kings went cold in overtime.

Chris Webber missed a couple of layups, Mike Bibby clanged a 28-foot jumper, and Bobby Jackson came up short on a tip under the basket that Yao rebounded to seal the Rockets’ win.

Yao “was just imposing his will on those guys,” McGrady said.

Bibby led the Kings with 31 points and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from going winless during their season-opening, three-game swing through Texas. Peja Stojakovic added 23 points, and Webber had 20.

Bibby and Brad Miller opened overtime with a couple of quick scores, but Yao made a basket to cut the Kings’ lead to 2. Ward then nailed back-to-back 3s to give Houston its first lead since midway through the second quarter, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

“Their two main guys got it going and we couldn’t do anything to win,” Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. “We just have to do something to get a win.”

Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and San Antonio’s Tim Duncan each had 30 points against Sacramento in the Kings’ first two games.

Yao did that and a little more on Saturday, even as he deferred to McGrady early.

McGrady was the last starter introduced during pregame introductions instead of Yao, who usually gets the honor. The sellout crowd of 18,003 responded with its loudest cheers, and a rocket was set off as McGrady skipped onto the court.

However, McGrady and Yao were just barely the best combo at the Toyota Center on Saturday night.

Bibby repeatedly weaved his way into the lane, and Stojakovic knocked down jumpers from all over as the Kings finally found their rhythm.

The Kings led 39-37 at halftime despite shooting just 31 percent from the field. Their lead twice swelled to 14 in the third quarter, once on Bibby’s 3-pointer from more than 30 feet out.

But Yao scored 12 points during the Rockets’ fourth-quarter rally, including two free throws to tie it at 93 with 1:23 left. The Rockets had one final chance to win in regulation, but McGrady slipped on his drive to the basket and Tyronn Lue missed a 3 from the corner as time expired.

“We showed character in the way we came back,” McGrady said. “We played hard and executed great down the stretch. Even when we were missing, we didn’t hold our heads.”

Certainly not the 11th-year veteran Ward, who was probably Houston’s least-celebrated offseason acquisition.

Ward was 1-of-8 from the field going into the fourth, but never hesitated to take big shots in the final minutes. It was his final 3 that gave Houston a four-point lead with 89 seconds left.

“One thing I love about Charlie is he’s got poise and he’s got courage,” Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. “Whatever Father Time has taken away, they can’t take those two things away.”

Notes: The Rockets ended Sacramento’s five-game winning streak in their series. … Yao and McGrady each finished with double-doubles. Yao had 12 rebounds and McGrady had 13. … Houston improved to 29-9 in home openers.

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