ROTATION: Starters -- Point guard Aaron Brooks, Shooting guard Tracy McGrady, Small forward Ron Artest, Power forward Luis Scola, Center Yao Ming. Bench -- Guard Brent Barry, Guard Aaron Brooks, Guard Luther Head, Forward Chuck Hayes, Forward Carl Landry, Forward Shane Battier.
PLAYER NOTES: --G Tracy McGrady took 16 shots in two games in Los Angeles, making just one, the 3-pointer he made in a 1-of-11 shooting night against the Lakers. He scored five points in the two games combined after averaging 22 in the season's first five.
--F Ron Artest continued to struggle just to get good shots, making 2 of 11 to drop his shooting percentage for the season to just 33.3 percent. Artest is shooting better from beyond the arc, making 42.5 percent, than inside the arc, where he has made just 27.7 percent of his shots.
--G Aaron Brooks was the Rockets' only reliable scorer, making 8 of 15 shots and scoring 20 points and keying the Rockets' first-half surge to a short-lived 15-point lead.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--F Shane Battier (bruised right foot) has resumed workouts but still has no timetable to practice or play.
--G Steve Francis (knee surgery) has yet to go through a full practice while rehabilitating after last February's knee surgery.
