Going to go get me some weights

(also from Des Moines?)
Eric Musselman relays some helpful tips on his blog in this post: "Lift weights if you want to be competitive on the basketball court"

Statistical thing

(from TrueHoop)
Type HOU into your search/find field on this site and check out the Rockets that have led the league in different areas. Lots of Yao "the MVP" Ming on the '08-'09 leader board. Some highlights from years gone by include...

...#44 Chuck Hayes in '07-'08:

Defensive Rating

1. Kevin Garnett-BOS 93.8
2. Tim Duncan-SAS 96.6
3. Chuck Hayes-HOU 96.7

and Chuck in '06-'07:

Offensive Rebounds

14. Amare Stoudemire-PHO 222
15. Erick(a) Dampier-DAL 217
16. Tim Duncan-SAS 213
17. Chuck Hayes-HOU 204

Defensive Rating

1. Tim Duncan-SAS 94.5
2. Ben Wallace-CHI 94.8
3. Marcus Camby-DEN 97.2
4. Yao Ming-HOU 97.7
5. Manu Ginobili-SAS 97.9
6. Chuck Hayes-HOU 98.0

and "the old" T-Mac ('06-'07):

Free Throw Attempts

16. Dwyane Wade-MIA 535
17. Kevin Garnett-MIN 498
18. Tracy McGrady-HOU 488

Defensive Rating

15. LeBron James-CLE 100.3
16. Shawn Marion-PHO 100.4
17. Tracy McGrady-HOU 100.5

Defensive Win Shares

8. Kevin Garnett-MIN 4.9
9. Rafer Alston-HOU 4.8
10. Kirk Hinrich-CHI 4.7
11. Shane Battier-HOU 4.5
12. Tracy McGrady-HOU 4.4

Depressing or encouraging?

p.s. (from NBA.com)

"Francis, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard, did not appear in a game for Memphis or travel with the Grizzlies, though he did occasionally practice with the team.

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace announced last week that the team was working on a buyout of Francis' contract. The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that Francis was leaving."

Mike Harris & Bonzi Wells

Here is a link to the Asia-Basket website. If you look at the league leaders on the right, you'll see Bonzi and Mike averaging something like 30+ points. (Harris: 32 pts. 15 reb.)

nba.com recap mia vs. hou

Alston didn't realize Yao didn't miss and criticized himself for not getting him even more looks.

"That's a bad job by myself. I took too many shots,'' said Alston, who went 9-for-17 from the field. "But that's tremendous. I wish I could have a day like that.''

Thanks to...

Wafer for having a name that impossibly rhymes with Rafer and for the game winning three @ Boston.

Aaron Brooks for improving his game and playing with passion.

Tracy McGrady for taking some of the pressure off of Yao during this crazy first half (or so) of the season.

Yao Ming for being in-shape and injury free.

Carl Landry for sticking around and maximizing his role at back-up PF/C.

Ron Ron for playing hard against 'bron 'bron and everything else he's tried to bring to the team - especially grabbing teammates by the shoulders on the bench when they're pissed off.

Rafer for being Rafer. (p.s. please do not take any more buzzer beater/last play attempts even if you have a mismatch. please find your teammates)

Luis for not shooting the referees.

Brent Barry for improving his shooting from the beginning of the season.

Luther for hitting some threes and playing good D on Chris Paul in a win over NO.

Dikembe for re-signing as a cheerleader/shot blocker.

Daryl for sticking to the plan.

Rick for maintaining his sanity.

Sikma for making his wild and angry faces from the bench.

Elston for always talking to Rick during timeouts with his eyebrows raised and his hand over his mouth and his arms crossed.

Hope I didn't forget anyone.

Chuck on Garnett

from chron.com & clutchfans:

By the time Chuck Hayes was given one of the NBA’s toughest assignments, matched up with Boston’s Kevin Garnett on Wednesday, the job had become even tougher. Garnett was already on a roll before Hayes got in the game. Hayes, however, slowed Garnett long enough for the Rockets to turn things around in a performance they later called a key to the win.

“He came in in the second quarter, and he just battled Garnett when he really had it going,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “I can’t give Chuck enough credit. He hasn’t been playing, and he took on the challenge. He kind of set the tone in that first half for us.”

Though Hayes has often been used as a defensive specialist against the top-scoring power forwards, Garnett is a particularly tough matchup because the shots Hayes usually forces opposing big men to take — jumpers often a step or two deeper than usual — are the shots Garnett covets.

“He does such a good job of not bringing (the ball) low so I can’t swipe it down,” Hayes said. “He has a high release and a fade to his shot. My best position is if he is going to fade and shoot that shot, try to get him as far away from the basket as I can and try to do what Shane ( Battier) does so well and get a good contest of his shot.

“I did my best. He started off the game tremendously hot. He had them on fire. He was in rhythm. When I got in there and got on him in the second quarter, they tried to get him going again. I did everything in my power to try not to let that happen again.”

Ron Artest - Celtics Post Game

It was left to noted hoop mind Ron Artest, who got in a couple of good whacks on Pierce before fouling out, to deliver yet another blow to the Green.

“Yao Ming is the best center in the league surrounded by some good players,” he said. “But sometimes we forget that hard work is more important than talent. Last year Boston had hard work and talent. That’s why they ran through everybody.”