Anyone who considers the comparison laughable did not watch Bonner drill seven consecutive treysin Oklahoma City a week ago

The Spurs owe that paramount road victory to second-half defense and his shooting.Lakers starting center Andrew Bynum has not played in a game since June 17, and when healthy, he can demolish pillow-soft frontlines by himself. The Hornets overcame uncertainty and a front office upheaval in speeding to an 11-1 record. Did anyone expect a lineup with Emeka Okafor, who looked washed up and disengagedat times last season, and Smith, Belinelli and Willie Green to win at a pace that portends more than 55 victories?The Nuggets limped into Houston Oct. 30with key big menChris Anderson and Kenyon Martin out until January. Harrington, who dropped 28 points, had been playing through discomfort and some minor injuries.The Rockets, much like the Portland Trail Blazers, could Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
compare their luck over the last five years to Hurley from the now defunct TV dramaLost. No matter how many times Morey seems to win the lottery in a trade or with a draft pick, the house keeps falling down just after his pants do. Forgive him if he feels like the emperor with no clothes or Clarice Starling battling a sicker, cruelerenemy than Hannibal Lecter.Beyond the caustic defense, other obvious issues have plagued this last-place outfit. Chase Budinger, the team's best spot-up shooter and dunker, is hitting just 15 percent of his three-pointers and has thrown it down just four times. He was scoreless Friday in his return from injury. What is it with the Rockets and left ankle sprains?Kyle Lowry established himself as one of the league's best change-of-pace point guards last season. He took charges and made remarkable hustle plays. Now, he's just taking bad shots and making 29 percent of them. Back spasms and similar ankle issues do not excuse his paltry selection.Fans groaned when referees removed his lateoff-balance trey and leaner in Wednesday's loss. Replays showed the ball was still in his hands when the shot clock expired and the red light appeared. Instead of berating blatant calls, the Rockets' faithfulshould have bemoaned an offense that could not muster better attempts.Good luck winning with those numbers.Shane Battier and Chuck Hayes can still administer brutish, intelligent and admirable defensive performances, but they still can't score with a pencil. Budinger would merit more praise Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
for thetime hespent working on defensive fundamentals if he was not abusing the rims. Then again, Raptors forwardLinas Kleiza beat him to a pulp and treated himlike a rag doll in Friday's loss. Courtney Lee's minute ration is not the only thing in fluctuation. His game alsocomes and goes. Adelman needs a lot more from Lee than he's getting.Jordan Hillhaslooked like a lost mountain climber in need of a Sherpa. Ishmael Smithhasheart and grit, not to mention superb court vision,but he would not have gone undrafted if he was destined to take over fourth quarters the way Rose did during the Bulls 18-0 spurt toopen Wednesday's final period. Brad Miller has given Adelman everything he could want as a role player who can pass and knock down uncontested jumpshots, butgiving himstarter's minutes exposes his flaws. His ability to protect the rim has not aged gracefully.Martin earns nine free throw attempts a game, a fabulous number on paper, but hecannot manufacture enough points when the pressure-packed moments arrive. If Kobe Bryant is the NBA's best looking bride in the clutch, Martin is its mostperplexing example of a bridesmaid posing as the wedding'sstar attraction.Heimpresses during the rehearsal dinner andinterlude, but when it comes time to walk down the aisle and say "I do," you might as well sing "Here comes the brick."Scola, who still has not located Harrington, gets by on effort much more than talent. He has been the best and most consistent Rocket thus far, and that is another problem. The best teams boast No. 1 options who can slack off and still rank asplus players. Scola would be nothing more than a benchwarming body if hiscompetitive juices did not fuel him so.Sheer talent beats depth in a head-to-head race. Morey thought he had assembled a roster with plenty of both. Instead, the guys with the finest physical gifts too often appear sluggish and disinterested, and the workhorses cannot jump any higher or move any quicker.Few in Houston, including this writer, ever imagined the Rockets would start 3-9. Now, many once jubilant fanswonder if the team will ever win again. Houston did not roar out of the gates when Brooks and Yao started. No one can expect the future re-additions to the lineup to transform this defense into an adequate one, especially when Yao's peak abilities following reconstructive foot surgery remain unknown.Brooks and Yao, 20 points-per-game scorers at their best, can help the offense late in Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
games, but can either approximate a superstar?So much for liftoff.The Rockets were supposed to fall into the NBA's abyss in the 2009-2010 campaign sans Yao's interior presence. They would take that 6-4 start in a heartbeat now.The atrociousdefense has beenthe worst of the myriadproblems. If they want to stop a painful slide tonight, they must first stop somebody on the Sunswith the game on the line.After that, all Morey and Adelman have to do is worry about everything else. Forget lift-off. Mere engine noise in Houston might pass for beautiful music these days.