JrTips

BLAZERS vs.ROCKETS

The Houston Rockets defenders, Shane Battier and Ron Artest know they'll have to do a better job on Brandon Roy in Game 2. Portland's star guard scored 42 points to lead the Trail Blazers to a 107-103 victory Tuesday night. Brandon Roy, the NBA's 10th leading scorer was the first player to score more than 40 points on Ron Artest in his 10 year career. He made 15 of 27 shots, and went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line. The Houston defense also struggled with Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored 27 points with 12 rebounds in Game 2. Houston worked on getting the ball to leading scorer Yao Ming, who scored 24 in Game 1, then took only six shots and scored 11 in Game 2. Aldridge, Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden fronted Yao and hel him to one shot in the fourth quarter.The Blazers arrived in Houston on Thursday afternoon and had a short practice at the Toyota Center in the evening. Aldridge, a Dallas native, missed the workout to attend to a family matter but will play tonight. The Blazers have lost 10 of their last 11 games in Houston, and the Rockets have watched film which make changes to keep defensive pressure on Brandon Roy. The Rockets wil lmake other players have to beat them in order for the Blazers to win. Houston will move the ball around with patience tonight and make sure they go back to their leading Yao Ming, which was successful in game one. Both teams have made defensive adjustments and will increase the defensive intensisty makinf it tougher to score for both teams.TAKE UNDER 184 1/2