Rockets hoping Carmelo will provide liftoff

HOUSTON - Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta didn't waste any time telling Carmelo Anthony why he wanted the 6-foot-8 forward on his team.

"I'll tell you exactly what I told him," Fertitta said on Monday.

"I said, 'We couldn't win a championship without you last year. And if we win a championship with you this year, you're going to be the guy that got us over the hump. So it's all up to you.'"