RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) -- In a matchup of last season's co-Rookies of the
Year, only one of them admitted it made any difference. The other
one won both the battle and the game.
Steve Francis outscored Elton Brand 28-16 as the Houston Rockets
beat the Chicago Bulls 110-83 Tuesday night.
"Last year, (the rookie award competition) mattered to me but
not this year," Francis said after scoring a season-high and
getting a season-best eight assists. "That's way behind me now.
I'm pretty sure Elton is looking for bigger and better things this
year and I know I am looking for bigger and better things."
Brand, who had a game-high nine rebounds, hasn't totally
forgotten the close competition between the two, who each garnered
58 votes in the rookie voting last year.
Though one is a center and the other a guard, Brand knows the
competition exists.
"We've known each other for a long time," Brand said. "It's
just pride when we play against each other. We're both trying to
help our teams win.
"I thought he played well tonight. When I play against Steve, I
have to be careful to try and not do individual things but to try
to stay within my team flow."
Chicago coach Tim Floyd said the two play very different games
so they're impossible to compare. But he thought the Rockets' guard
play, with Cuttino Mobley adding 20 points, made the difference
Tuesday.
"I thought their guards broke us down in the second half. They
are very talented, quick and explosive. With these rules, it's
important to defend one-on-one. Mobley and Francis' play was the
difference tonight."
Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich liked what he saw in Francis.
"Steve played a great game," Tomjanovich said. "We want Steve
to shoot more. I just wanted him to hear it from my mouth. We want
him to look for the open shot."
Maurice Taylor scored 12 and Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Thomas
added 10 each as Houston won its fourth straight at home.
Corey Benjamin added 13 points and Ron Artest 12 for Chicago.
Houston jumped to a 13-0 lead as the Bulls missed their first
five shots and had two turnovers to start the game. But Brand
started bringing them back by scoring eight of the Bulls' first 11
as Chicago pulled to 17-11.
Taylor and Francis helped the Rockets regain control, and the
lead reached 15 at 30-15 on an alley-oop play from Taylor to
Francis with 1:33 to play in the first. Francis had 11 and Taylor
10 as the Rockets settled for a 33-22 lead at the end of the
quarter. Brand had 10 at that point.
Houston scored the first six points of the second quarter to
take its biggest lead of the half, 39-22.
The Bulls scored the first six points of the second half to
close the margin to 59-54, but Francis with six and Olajuwon with
four led a 10-0 run that gave Houston a 69-54 lead.
The Rockets expanded the lead to as many as 19 as Francis scored
13 in the period. Houston led 81-64 after three quarters.
Mobley scored 13 the final quarter as Houston's lead reached
27.
Game notes
Rockets rookie Jason Collier went home before the opening
tip-off with flu-like symptoms ... The Rockets are 0-4 on the road
this year, their worst road start since losing their first seven
away games in the 1982-83 season ... The Bulls are the youngest
team in the NBA with an average of 22.9 years of age.
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NBA Scoreboard
Chicago Clubhouse
Houston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Atlanta 99
Portland 97
Cleveland 96
Golden State 86
Miami 89
Charlotte 86
Sacramento 96
Orlando 82
Houston 110
Chicago 83
San Antonio 86
Utah 79
Seattle 96
New York 75
LA Lakers 119
Denver 103
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