2010! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Aaron Brooks lead the Houston Rockets to a 97-94 victory over the Mavs on New Years Eve @ The Toyota Center.

The Rockets had an outstanding first half on offense and they held Dirk Nowitzki, who made just three of 12 shots overall, to two missed shots and two points in the first half. Didn't matter, because this night belong to Rockets guard Aaron Brooks. Brooks lit the Mavericks up for 30 points! The Rockets zone was in a zone - everything clicked right.

However, the Mavericks got off to a slow start. Offensively they struggle shot went up but sisn't fall in. The Rockets defensive zone plays were to much for the Mavs on this New Years Eve night.

“The zone itself allows you to shoot 3s, and I pretty much wanted to shoot 3s,” said Brooks, who led the Rockets in scoring. “We did a great job on defense. I think that was one of the best jobs we did on Dirk. We held them under 100 points. I think that was one of the first times we did that.”

Rockets coach Rick adelman seems to think differently about the zone defense; "The zone is not a great defense if you attack it right, and I thought we stood way too much,” coach Rick Adelman said. “I don’t like standing and just taking standstill 3s. We have to go inside, outside. We have to have cutters going through. It’s something we have to talk about, but I’ve never had a team that’s struggled against the zone, and we shouldn’t either with the people we have inside.”

This win is the Rockets 6 straight at home and 11 for December '09.

Rockets All Star Tracy McGrady seeking trade deal

Houston, Tx.... Tracy McGrady trade rumors are circulating,. Sounds pretty factual, fans. Tracy has struggled since returning back from knee surgery, his playing time reduced his feelings are hurt.

Unhappy, disgruntle former all-Star, Tracy McGrady has been cleared to take an indefinite leave from the Houston Rockets after his representatives and Rockets management agreed to disagree and work together in search of a trade for the unhappy guard, according to sources close to the situation.

McGrady ask coach Adelman for increased playing minutes (keep in mind, McGrady is coming back from a microfracture knee surgery) and was denied. Ouch! So, coach Adelman allowed him to return to Houston while the team continue a weekend road trip.

Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that multiple communication between Rockets GM Daryl Morey and coach Rick Adelman in conjunction with McGrady's agent, Arn Tellem, led to a mutual agreement that would try to work something out before the the trading deadline on Feb. 18.

When McGrady's agents pressed for commitments about when his playing time would increase -- he has averaged 8 minutes in his six appearances this season with the Rockets. The Rockets aren't making any commitments, leading both sides to conclude that combining their efforts to try to facilitate a trade is the best option.

"Whoever gets me is going to get a hungry ... player. I don't care if I go to the damn moon. It doesn't matter. I've been hungry since I came back from my surgery. ” -- Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said.

Sources say, sides have agreed that the best thing to do is to allow Tracy to leave the team to work out on his own and stay ready in case a deal can be made. Ouch! sounds like Tracy won't be a rocket much longer. NBA All-Star break is next month and trades usually take place during that time. Meanwhile, the Rockets hope that McGrady's departure will spare his teammates and coaches from the distraction of daily questions about the two-time scoring champion's status.

Rockets guard Aaron Brooks told the Houston Chronicle, "We just keep going." "Everybody has a job to do. It's the same old story. Nothing changes. "We always wish the best for Tracy. We can't do anything about what goes on with them. You [media] guys are about the only ones talking about it. We don't talk about it. We let that happen. We let it play out. We might joke about it. We might joke about the media talking about it. That's about it."


"I don't blame any player for saying I want more, and that's basically what [McGrady] wants, and right now I'm not sure how to do that," Adelman told reporters in Jersey during a weekend roadtrip. Rick, why not?

Tracy was healthy enough to play in only 35 games last season, he insists, his next team will be getting a steal no matter what his numbers say and in spite of concerns about his surgically repaired knee.

"Whoever gets me is going to get a hungry ... player," McGrady told the Houston Chronicle. "I don't care if I go to the damn moon. It doesn't matter. I've been hungry since I came back from my surgery. "I rededicated myself, refocused, moved to Chicago, worked out the whole summer there. It was every day just grinding, just pushing. I'm not even supposed to be playing right now, so that really tells you how hard I've been working. I wasn't supposed to be playing until January or February. If you asked anybody who had [microfracture surgery] it probably took them a year to really feel full strength. I feel fine right now."

Hang in there T-Mac!