Who would have thought that a rookie coming off the bench on the other team could be so heavily relied on in his debut and put on such a dazzling performance?
Jeff Van Gundy looked toward Bickerstaff, wondering how could the old man be so lucky?
On the other side, Rondo returned to the bench, receiving enthusiastic affection from his teammates, with high-fives and playful head rubs.
2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, Rondo still had his poker face, but he had already earned the trust of both the coach and his teammates in his debut!
…
The Rockets substituted Luther Hayes for Alston, with no other changes, while the Bobcats made no adjustments to their lineup.
After the timeout, McGrady made a quick stop and hit a jump shot, stemming the bleeding for the Rockets.
When the Bobcats had the ball, Luther Hayes gave Rondo a step to prevent the drive, but it was to no avail, as Rondo blew past Hayes with lightning speed and penetrated the lane.
