Aaron Brooks News

The 2008-09 Rockets took us on a magic carpet ride, didn't they? Without Yao, T-Mac, Deke and an established star on the roster, they took the eventual champion Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Semis last May.

It remains to be seen whether the Rockets' sizzling start will translate into a playoff appearance this season, but tonight they'll look every bit the part of an NBA champion.

Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry scored 21 points apiece and the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak over the Oklahoma City franchise to 11 games by beating the Thunder 105-94 Friday night.

Field goals: 6-14. Rebounds: 6. Assists: 1. Trevor Ariza Points: 15. Field goals: 5-21. Rebounds: 9. Assists: 5. Rockets update Wednesday: Laker 103, Rockets 102 Record: 3-2. Friday: Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center, 7:30 p.m. TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM and 850 AM .

Aaron Brooks #0 of the Houston Rockets shoots over Brandon Roy #7 and Joel Przybilla #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers during Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2009 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.

Rockets forward Chase Budinger will miss tonight's game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of a sprained left ankle.

When/where: 8 p.m.; EnerySolutions Arena. TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM, 850 AM . Key players: Guard Trevor Ariza averaged 23.3 points in his first week with the Rockets, nearly averaging his previous career high, 26 points.

Saturday: Rockets 111, Trail Blazers 107. Record: 2-1. Monday: at Jazz, 8 p.m. TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM and 850 AM .

After playing the Houston Rockets 24 times the last three seasons -- 11 regular-season games as well as first-round playoff series in 2007 and 2008 -- the Jazz might be in for a case of mistaken identity tonight.

When/where: 9:30 p.m.; Oracle Arena, Oakland, Calif. TV/radio: FSH; 610 AM, 850 AM .

Yao is gone. T-Mac out of commission. Artest in a new uniform. The season for the Houston Rockets is gone.

Houston Rockets guard Aaron Brooks had his fourth-year contract option picked up, the club announced on Friday.

Live from the Rose Garden as the Portland Trail Blazers meet the Houston Rockets and kickoff the 2009-10 season.

Aaron Brooks never figured he'd take a ferry to a game. Not in the NBA , anyway.

RECORDS: Warriors 0-0, Rockets ROCKETS UPDATE: Houston will be without two All-Stars as center Yao Ming and swingman Tracy McGrady are injured, with Yao likely out for the season.

Perhaps this wasn't what the NBA had in mind. Sending the Rockets back to Portland, to begin the season where the postseason began six months earlier, might have offered a nice bit of symmetry, a way to renew a budding rivalry between two of the Western Conference's emerging teams.

Every year around this time, you're so uptight about how the Rockets are going to do in the playoffs that you can't even enjoy the journey.

With Monday's roster deadline looming, the Houston Rockets on Thursday cut two of the necessary four players, guards Romel Beck and Garrett Temple.A This comes at no surprise, considering Beck and Temple were two of the four Rockets' players in camp without guaranteed contracts for this season.

The Houston Rockets on Friday waived veteran guard Brent Barry. Barry averaged 3.7 points, 1.4 assists and shot 37.4 percent from three-point range in 56 games last season, his lone campaign with the Rockets.

All Trevor Ariza wanted was a chance to grow. Now the Rockets need him to sprout right through the roof.