The Houston Rockets' new team-featuring ballyhooed ex-Knick sensation Jeremy Lin-is looking good heading into the opener of the new NBA season, much to the New Orleans Hornets' chagrin.
The Rockets' Kevin Martin's 17 points and Omar Asik's 15 rebounds proved too much for the Hornets to overcome as the Rockets beat New Orleans 95-75 Friday night.
Jeremy Lin put the Rockets up 15 at 64-49 with two free throws with 4:32 left in the third after being fouled hard by Lopez on a drive to the basket, the Associated Press reports. The foul was initially ruled a flagrant but turned to a regular foul after the officials reviewed the play.
Lin, an undrafted Harvard point guard, made headlines worldwide last season with his sensational stretch of games that saved the New York Knicks' season before signing with Houston for a cool $28 million over four years.
On his SI.com blog, Paksoy Melih writes that Lin could be even better than his dynamic play last year, which means only good things for the Rockets.
"Jeremy Lin was showing good signs for the upcoming season for Rockets fans that he is going to be better than last year," Melih writes.
Around The League
The young Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, 20, put up a solid overall performance with 11 points, 8 rebounds, an assist and a steal as the Raptors beat the Pistons 82-75 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
The Indiana Pacers were led by guard Gerald Green's 18 points as they topped the Minnesota Timberwolves in a closely contested 96-91 contest at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Bulls by a narrow three-point margin, 86-83 at the Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill., behind Cavs guard Dion Waiters and his 18 point, 3 assist performance.
Danilo Gallinari's 19 points, six rebounds and three assists made the difference for the Denver Nuggets, who beat the Western Conference finalist San Antonio Spurs 97-91 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, despite a 21 point, 8 rebound showing by the Spurs' Tim Duncan.
The Utah Jazz had the Oklahoma City Thunder singing the blues as they routed the 2011 Western Conference champions 97-81 at the Energysolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.
And at the Us Airways Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dargic was the top performer for the Suns as they beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-93.
For boxscore details on each preseason game, visit ESPN.com.