--G Tracy McGrady stuck to his minute-rationing, playing just 31. From the start, he seemed tired, with little interest in doing much of anything away from the perimeter. He made just 2-of-7 shots for six points, his fifth game in 15 scoring in single digits and he was unsure if he might have to stop playing to rehabilitate his sore left knee.
"I told myself I was going to give myself this road trip to see how things were going to go and when it ends, I was going to talk to everybody and make a decision," McGrady said. "I think I need it (time off)," McGrady said. "I felt like I had to be out here for the start of the season because our schedule was so tough. I didn't want us to get in a hole. But looking forward, I think we have enough talent on this team if I was to sit out and we get Shane (Battier) back, I think we'll be fine.
"My mentality is to try not to play the whole season the way I am now. If it takes some sitting down, that's what I'm going to have to do. I have confidence in my team to get some wins and get us to the playoffs without me."
--G Brent Barry has largely been unable to do the one thing he is thought to do best: shoot. He has made just 29.3 percent of his shots. But Rockets coach Rick Adelman is so convinced that Barry runs the offense well, he played him for 25 minutes in Orlando and 27 in Miami.
"It's been very frustrating for me," Barry said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well. I think there are some other things on the court that I am doing well, moving the ball and cutting and trying to communicate. Those things don't show up necessarily statistically. But yeah, I've just (stunk).
"Some of that was my (sprained right) thumb has not been good. I'm not going to make excuses because when I get on the floor, I'm there to play. I just have to find the rhythm and understand where the shots are going to come.
Barry had made 2-of-19 shots in six games before going 2-of-4 in Miami.
"One thing about him is you expect him to make shots," Adelman said. "He's done that his whole career. I'm not worried about him missing shots. He makes the extra pass for us. He spaces the court for us. He understands what we're trying to do. When he's out there with Ron (Artest) and Yao (Ming) and Rafer (Alston), that's a huge factor. He doesn't have to score."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're definitely looking to go to Yao. They've got to guard him. If he keeps making good decisions, we're going to be OK. Our guys, for whatever reason, since we've come on this trip, we hit a groove." -- Coach Rick Adelman.
