Originally published April 21, 2009 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 21, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Houston's Aaron Brooks feels right at home

Some fans in Portland cheered for him before Saturday's playoff game. The 6-footer is a graduate of Franklin High in Seattle.

By ANNE M. PETERSON

The Associated Press

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Aaron Brooks is starting at guard for Houston.

PORTLAND — The warm applause that greeted former Oregon standout Aaron Brooks at the Rose Garden in the first game of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers might not be repeated.

Second-season guard Brooks, a graduate of Franklin High School in Seattle, had 27 points, seven assists and four rebounds to help Houston beat the Blazers 108-81 Saturday night.

"I hope I didn't lose any friends out there," the 24-year-old Brooks said.

While teammates Yao Ming and Ron Artest were loudly booed during player introductions for Game 1, Brooks got a welcome.

The 6-footer was promoted to a starting role when Houston sent Rafer Alston to the Orlando Magic in a three-team deal Feb. 19.

Brooks averaged 13 points and 3.7 assists in 35 starts during the regular season for the Rockets. Overall, he averaged 11.2 points and 3 assists this season.

In his senior season at Oregon, Brooks was the Pac-10's leading scorer, with an average of 17.7 points. Houston took him with the 26th pick in the 2007 draft.

Many Washington fans will remember Brooks for striking Huskies guard Ryan Appleby in the face with a forearm during the 2006 Pac-10 tournament. Brooks, who later apologized, was ejected from that quarterfinal game and suspended for the next one by the conference. Oregon officials suspended Brooks for two games the next season.

Against the Blazers, Brooks made 10 of 17 shots, including 5 of 8 three-pointers.

"When Aaron shoots it like he did, they are in trouble," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "They'll make adjustments, but we want to continue to keep attacking."

Looking ahead to today's Game 2, Brooks said, "We have a big game on Tuesday. I think the pressure is on them now because we just have to go out there and play free and play smart."

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