T-Mac’s Back: Rockets down Bulls in 2-OT

Chicago, IL (Basketball News) - Tracy McGrady returned to the lineup after missing five games with back spasms and poured in 35 points while grabbing nine rebounds, as Houston defeated Chicago, 109-108, in a double-overtime thriller at the United Center.

Juwan Howard added a season-high 30 points and grabbed seven boards for the Rockets, who put an end to a seven-game losing streak. David Wesley netted 17 points and Chuck Hayes added 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

Luol Deng scored 19 points and Ben Gordon had 18 for the Bulls, who have lost four of their last five games. Kirk Hinrich added 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists while Darius Songaila also scored 16 points and hauled in 10 boards in the loss.

This was the first game at the United Center since Wednesday night when Knicks forward Antonio Davis ran into the crowd with 1:04 remaining in overtime. He allegedly saw his wife being threatened by a fan, but the forward threw no punches and seemed to remain calm throughout the encounter.

Davis was eventually suspended for five games without pay.

Trailing by two points in double overtime, Hinrich hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line to bring Chicago within one with 2:01 left. McGrady then nailed a long jumper to make it 106-103, but Deng quickly tied the game with a three- pointer moments later.

McGrady, though, countered with a three of his own and this one put Houston ahead 109-106 with 42.8 seconds left.

Songaila pulled the Bulls within a point, and after McGrady missed a three with 15 seconds remaining, Chicago had a chance to win the game. Hinrich, though, badly missed an off-balanced runner in the final seconds and Rafer Alston grabbed the rebound to seal the win.

In the first overtime, Houston got two early three-pointers from McGrady and Wesley to stake the club to a 96-92 lead with 3:45 remaining. Chicago did eventually tie the score, but the Rockets then quickly regained the lead on McGrady’s hoop.

The Bulls then tied the score again, this time at 98-98, on Songaila’s basket with 35 seconds remaining in overtime.

McGrady, though, quickly countered with jumper with 15.3 seconds to go, but the Bulls had an answer. Songaila received a feed from Hinrich and dunked the ball to tie the score at 100-100 with 6.5 seconds to go in overtime.

On the last play, McGrady missed a three and the game went into double OT.

Chicago claimed a 90-88 lead on Deng’s basket with 50 seconds left in regulation, but Houston responded. McGrady took a shot with just under five seconds left in regulation, but the ball bounced off the rim. However, McGrady followed his miss and corralled the long rebound where he quickly put up a step-back jumper from the left corner that dropped through the hoop with 2.1 seconds to play in the fourth.

Gordon’s long three-pointer was then off the mark and the game went into OT.

Chicago enjoyed a 25-14 lead after one period and held a 50-42 edge at the intermission. The Rockets, though, fought back in the third quarter and pulled within 70-65 after 36 minutes.

Game Notes

The Rockets shot 47 percent from the field, while Chicago made 41 percent of its tries...Houston held a 53-45 edge on the glass...Houston has won three straight in the Windy City...Chicago’s Tyson Chandler left in the second quarter with a finger injury.