Fans with Houston Rockets tickets to the Toyota Center expected to see Tracy McGrady leading another Yao-less team against all odds. The odds seemed to get worse when he too went down with injury. Now he is healthy but not playing because the Rockets seem to abide by the addition by subtraction rule. They play better without a star on the court. The Rockets are playing great team-oriented basketball and are 22-17. Houston is in third place in the Southwest Division and has a good chance of playing in the Western Conference playoffs.

The Rockets score 100.5 points and give up 100, adding to the mystery. Point guard Aaron Brooks, back up power forward Carl Landry, shooting guard Trevor Ariza, small forward Shane Battier, and center Luis Scola have become leaders on this team. Landry does not even start and he has the second most points on the team.

They play good defense (despite giving up 100 points a game) and simply find the right players on any given night to win. Rookie Chase Budinger is playing well after everyone questioned his toughness, Kyle Lowry is making the best out of talent after never really being given a chance in Memphis, and many other role players are making big plays at the optimal time.

This is the professional equivalent of a mid-major college basketball team making a run in the NCAA Tournament. The fans are behind these guys 100 percent and are stuffing the All Star Ballot boxes trying to make the rest of the league recognize these players.

Meanwhile, the team is looking to trade McGrady for the good of the team. It seems nobody has any bad will for the shooting guard. It is just that he does not help this unlikely team win.