Scola's Big Night Helps Rockets Ruin T-Mac's Return
The Houston Rockets have been working on playing better in the fourth quarter.
The effort appears to be paying off.
Luis Scola had 35 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Rockets to a 97-83 win over the Detroit Pistons, ruining Tracy McGrady's return to Houston.
McGrady hit a 3-pointer with about eight minutes left to get the Pistons within one, but Houston scored the next seven points to stretch the lead to 85-77 with six minutes remaining. Scola made the last basket of that run and added six of Houston's next eight points as the Rockets built a 93-79 lead.
"We struggled early in the season closing these types of games and later on we were able to play harder and better when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter," said Scola, who scored 10 points in the last period. "We have kind of shaken out all of that fear that we were having at the beginning of the season and we are closing the games better."
Detroit's Ben Wallace was impressed with Scola's play.
