HOUSTON – Bobby Jackson might have moved a few times since leaving Sacramento, but the lean-back three-pointer hadn't gone anywhere.
He caught the pass along the left baseline with none other than Brad Miller lunging his way, rose in reverse and made the long look that put Houston ahead 46-37 Monday night at the Toyota Center.
There has been more of that since Jackson rejoined his old coach in Houston. Traded from New Orleans at the Feb. 21 deadline for Bonzi Wells and Mike James, the 11-year veteran has been the same sort of potent backup point guard for Rick Adelman now that he was before.
Jackson, who was with the Kings from 2000 to 2005 and is with his sixth team, entered play averaging 16.9 minutes, 7.1 points and 2.1 assists in 15 games with the Rockets. He had hit 42 of 101 shots (41.6 percent) from the field, including 14 of 41 three-pointers (34.1 percent), as Rafer Alston's backup.
"It's good to be back around coach Adelman and (former Kings assistants and current Rockets assistants) T.R. (Dunn) and Elston (Turner)," said Jackson, who had eight points in 13 minutes in the Rockets' victory Monday. "It's been really good for me.
"It was good for me (in New Orleans), but here they run plays for me. I get to be a little bit more assertive on the offensive end and finish games."
Jackson said he was surprised by the trade, mostly because the Hornets were atop the Western Conference at the time and change didn't appear necessary. What's more, he said Hornets management had told him in the days nearing the deadline that he would not be traded.
"But the last day of the trade deadline, I was informed that Houston wanted me real bad," said Jackson, who retains a house in Sacramento. "I was thrilled because I was going to play for somebody I know and respect, and I know his system. If it was somebody else, I would've been mad."
Rockets' big-man search continues – As if there weren't enough Kings-Rockets connections already, the search for a backup for Dikembe Mutombo has added another.
After big man Justin Williams was waived by the Kings on Feb. 16 to make room for the players acquired in the Mike Bibby trade with Atlanta, the second-year player signed a 10-day contract with the Rockets. Yet Houston opted not to give Williams a second 10-day deal, instead signing 7-foot Loren Woods to a 10-day deal Friday.
The 29-year-old journeyman center was in the Kings' training camp last season. Although was cut before the regular season, he walked away with $300,000 as part of his partially guaranteed contract.
Read Sam Amick's Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
