--Von Wafer was ruled out for Game 6. He had been tested on Wednesday. A bulging disk was found in his back, causing back spasms. He was out, and listed as day-to-day to play in a Game 7 on Saturday or Game 1 of the next series on Monday.
Wafer, however, would not accept the ruling. He felt better as the afternoon brought him closer to game-time, and then put himself through a strenuous pre-game workout to prove that he was able to play. He was cleared about an hour before tip and played 16 minutes, scoring five points, putting in a key jumper when the Blazers cut an 18-point lead heading into the fourth quarter to 13. "I felt good in the workout," Wafer said. "It's not really tough. I just want to be out there with my teammates. I was home today. I thought I wouldn't be able to play. I just thought about my teammates. I wanted to be there. I just want to play.
"I think this is Game 7. That's what kind of approach I'm taking into it, like this is Game 7."
--On Wednesday, Rockets guard Ron Artest said that he considered Portland's Brandon Roy to be the finest player he has ever faced. By Thursday, he was not so sure.
This was not, he said because on Wednesday he was heading to another game against Roy and that by Thursday night, Kobe Bryant was up next. He said he was showing respect for Roy hitting him for 42 points in Game 2.
He had already backed off the comment before the Rockets clinched the first-round series and moved on to the second round against the Lakers. When asked on Thursday what makes Roy better than Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, Artest went a different direction.
"I don't know, that was yesterday," Artest said. "This is a new day. I feel I'm the best, so this is a new day.
"He's a good player. He might be better. I don't know. I don't know how to judge who's better. It's not like everyone was taken off their teams for a year and all the role players had to show what they got, so you don't know who is as important to their team. There's no secret he's a good player."
In an interview with TNT on Wednesday, Artest said, "Roy is probably the best player I've played against. To me, he is the best shooting guard. Not on defense now; defense is kind of suspect. He's the best player I've played against."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I know it's been a long time coming. I've only been here three years, but you feel the frustrations of the fans here and they love a winner here. We are glad that we could get a win for them. This one is for the fans and the people of Houston." -- Shane Battier.
