Even with many Oregonians paying less attention to the NBA playoffs due to the Blazers first round exit, former Oregon point guard Aaron Brooks has once again excited the Northwest basketball community because of his dynamic postseason play for the Houston Rockets. Who would have thought the Rockets would take the #1 seeded Lakers to 7 games without the services of their two best player, T-Mac, and Yao Ming? Aaron Brooks, that's who. The diminutive point guard from Seattle has been on a tear in recent weeks, posting a career high 34 points in a game 4 Rockets victory, as well as 26 points on only 13 shots last night, forcing a game 7 back in Los Angeles Sunday.
I'm not ready to put Aaron Brooks in the elite point guard class yet, but he is quickly climbing the latter. Taken with the 26th pick in the 2007 NBA draft, the national media expected little from Brooks, saying that he was a second round talent, and that Houston reached taking Brooks that high. Houston obviously had other ideas, as they traded veteran point Rafer Alston midseason, entrusting the team to the second year Brooks. That move has paif off, as AB has proven he can lead a team to victories, even with a depleted roster. I think, along with everybody else, that the Lakers will advance Sunday night, but with AB, Yao, McGrady, Battier, Artest, Luis, and an extremely underrated bench the Rockets could make some serious noise next season. It has been a blast watching the 5'10" Brooks glide through defenses, cross defenders over, and connect on half court lobs. Brooks was overlooked his senior year at Oregon, and throught the draft process...but now it’s his time to shine in the national spotlight!
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