Serving as an understudy to seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady, doesn’t leave much playing time for Houston guard Luther Head. Tuesday at Verizon Center, however, with McGrady out of the lineup with a knee injury, Head made the most of his rare opportunity — scoring a season-high 24 points to lead the Rockets to a 92-84 win over the Wizards.
Head made 8 of 13 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, combining with point guard Rafer Alston (15 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) as the Houston duo out-played the Washington backcourt.
“When you have a center out there like Yao Ming, he can create shots for everybody else,” said Wizards center Brendan Haywood (13 points). “Luther can’t get his own shot so well, but when Yao is creating shots for him, he was very good tonight.”
Meanwhile Washington (17-16) struggled to get good looks for its top dogs. Forwards Caron Butler (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Antawn Jamison (14 points, 8 rebounds) hit just 9 of 29 shots as they combined for their second-lowest output this season.
After the Wizards took their only lead, 13-12, the Rockets went on a 12-1 run with the last seven points coming from Head, a third-year man out of Illinois. In the second half, the Wizards turned to backcourt reserves Nick Young (13 points) and Roger Mason (12 points), but never made a serious run.
In winning for the fifth time in seven games without McGrady, Houston (18-17) also received strong work from the 7-foot-6 Ming (21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks).
“They probably move the ball a little better without Tracy,” said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. “Tracy’s a tremendous player, but I’m sure they have a scheme without him. Their scheme was to push it, force the tempo, drive it and move the basketball.”
Wizards Notes
» Wizards starting guards DeShawn Stephenson (12 points) and Antonio Daniels (2 points) sat out the entire fourth quarter.
» “I thought we looked tired,” said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan, who gave his team the day off today. “They had good speed and quickness on the floor.”
» The Wizards’ next game is Friday at Atlanta (15-16), which has lost four straight. The teams have split two games, both winning on the other’s home floor.
