Nets 103 – Rockets 98
HOUSTON – The Nets officially earned Byron Scott a weekend in Philadelphia.
And he’s grateful.
There will be no W.C. Fields-like cracks from Scott, who last night clinched the right to coach the East All-Stars in three weeks when the Nets, behind Kenyon Martin’s 28 points, which included a huge jump hook at :26.0, averted a total collapse after halftime and completed their first season-series sweep of the Rockets in 18 years with a 103-98 victory here.
The Nets, who led by 19 in the first half, trailed twice in the fourth quarter, but two put back scores by Todd MacCulloch (11 points) at 3:14 and 2:10 boosted them back up four. After falling behind 96-95, a Kerry Kittles (20 points) leaner at :58.4 reclaimed the lead before Martin’s jump hook gave some breathing room. The Nets then withstood a 3-point chance by Cuttino Mobley (41 points) at :14.0.
Scott, in only his second year, actually earned the honor earlier in the night when Milwaukee lost to Seattle, thus making George Karl’s chances null and void.
“I would more than happy to give up my weekend in February,” said Scott, who will take his assistants as well to the Feb. 10 game. “As a coach, when you make up goals for your team, you never – at least I didn’t – think about being the All-Star coach. It wasn’t something that was high on my list.”
No Net coach ever has been the NBA All-Star coach, of course, because the selection always has been made on most victories by a team by the cutoff date – not defeats, injuries or bonehead decisions. In his 14-season career, Scott’s only appearances at All-Star weekends as a participant were two trips to the long distance shootout. But he also went in years when a guy named Larry Bird also showed up and rarely missed.”
The Nets (29-13) certainly made matters interesting, despite Martin’s 13-of-17 shooting. Unable to stop the penetration of Mobley and point guard Steve Francis (23 points, 11 assists, 12 rebounds for his fifth career triple double), the Nets saw their once-proud lead crumble. But they stood firm in the endgame to win in Houston for the first time since Dec. 8, 1989. Richard Jefferson (13), Keith Van Horn (10) also scored in double figures for New Jersey. Jason Kidd had seven points and seven assists.
“I’ve never been able to send a coach to an All-Star game,” said Kidd. “I’ve never been on a team that has had success like this so I think it would be new for everybody. It’s a great accomplishment for the guys in this locker room. It’s a reward to be able to send your coaches to work.”
The Nets were on the verge of a total blowout, riding Martin’s inside superiority, Kittles’ all-around solid play and Houston’s transparent defense to a 19-point lead, 49-30. The Nets broke from a 15-15 knot and slammed in 14-of-18 shots. But then they relaxed a bit and the Rockets, instead of capitulating, strung together a 16-4 burst that included a pair of trifecta jumpers by Mobley just 33 seconds apart. Mobley checked into halftime already assured of a 20-point game. Martin had 17 at the break for the Nets.