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The Rockets heard the criticisms. Many of them came from within the walls of their locker room.   The frustrated head coach delivered the harshest assessments.   The Indiana Pacers had just delivered a 133-102 whipping, and it was fair to wonder how a team that had just defeated the Boston Celtics on the road could lose to such an awful outfit.   Wednesday night, Rick Adelman’s squad responded.   Struggling to piece together consecutive quality efforts, the Rockets ...

The Spurs brass waited. And waited. And waited. General Manager R.C. Buford wondered if he would ever get the answer he wanted. The untimely nature of Manu Ginobili's injuries—two years worth—punctuated early playoff exits. As the calendar flipped to 2010, it became increasingly possible the San Antonio Spurs' most popular player would earn a paycheck as some other franchise's most popular player next season. Then, he rediscovered the indefensible game that helped the team win multiple championships in the ...

Every time the Rockets lose at home, Journey's "Don't Stop Believing'" follows the final horn. As Houstonians head for the exits, Steve Perry's impassioned wail blairs from the speakers, urging anyone who will listen to keep hope alive. Leave it to a sports franchise to ruin a rock classic. The Rockets last lost 17-plus home games when boy bands ruled the popular music landscape. The crowds at Toyota Center have seen the city's pro hoops squad break ...

No one finds high-scoring D-Leaguers quite like the Golden State Warriors. Don Nelson summoned undrafted rookie Anthony Morrow and then watched him drop 37 points on the L.A. Clippers in his NBA debut. Clippers call-up Mike Taylor also went bananas from the field in his first NBA regular season showing. Wannabe scoring champs are a dime a dozen, and you can find an anxious shot jacker at any college, or on any D-League ...

Phil Jackson wanted to make another abrupt sideline interview all about the struggles of his Lakers, instead of the gritty, relentless play from the visitors. He cracked a joke about finding a rabbit's foot for the Easter Bunny and then went after Bennett Salvatore and a play that caused the lead official to "T" up Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant. "The referees turned against us," he told ABC's Lisa Salters. The winningest coach in NBA history ...

His assigned mission complete, Michael Finley did what many in his shoes would have done.   All but locked out of the rotation thanks to a youth movement at his dual positions, he asked the Spurs brass to waive him. Doc Rivers promised the extra key Gregg Popovich could not.   Finley plays sporadic reserve minutes in a Celtics uniform, but nothing he does can resuscitate Kevin Garnett or keep Paul Pierce from dancing ...

Mere minutes after the San Antonio Spurs selected little-known IUPUI off guard George Hill with the 26th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Coach Gregg Popovich made some stunning predictions about his team's newest acquisition. He told the San Antonio Express-News  Hill would become the team's backup point guard and improve the roster's athleticism immediately. Hill then abused the rims at the Las Vegas Summer League, clanging 23 of his 25 attempts. He connected on a paltry ...

Kobe Bryant has battled ankle ailments, back spasms, a sore hip, and the flu en route to an MVP-caliber season rife with clutch shots and ass-saving plays. He remains the biggest reason the Lakers will prove a tough out in the playoffs. I want competitors like Bryant, Manu Ginobili, and Chauncey Billups leading my battle charge. This list, however, highlights the opposite brand of NBAer. Call them wimps and mental midgets. When the going ...

Manu Ginobili raced in from behind and sent a would-be layup and an All-Star into the first row. His victim, this time, was Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett. Sunday's box score did not credit Ginobili for any blocks, but anyone who watched the San Antonio Spurs crush the Celtics 94-73 should remember the play. Mere weeks ago, Oklahoma City Forward Kevin Durant sprinted down the court for what looked to be an uncontested slam. A ...

In baseball, a team with a late lead asks its closer to take the mound and pitch a shutout inning or two. In pro football, a quarterback usually leads the winning charge, driving his team down the field with accurate throws for first downs. A kicker can also ice a game with one fluid motion of his foot. In basketball, a closer is asked to perform a variety of tasks—from putting the ...