[CHRON] Don't expect any bold moves from Rockets/Monday Practice

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5551107.html

Feb. 18, 2008, 11:23PM
Broad changes remain unlikely for Rockets
Improvement within is likely as other top West teams deal


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


CLEVELAND — The Rockets by now would seem accustomed to feeling left out.

They have spent most of the season just on the outside of the top eight in the Western Conference, and even with the eight-game winning streak they carry from the All-Star break, they are still fighting for membership. More recently, they have been left out of the trading frenzy atop the Western Conference.

In a way, though, they said the winning streak and their prospects might be tied to changes, too. Their changes, however, came from within, with a tweak to the starting lineup, a revised rotation and the expected progress in adopting and adjusting to their version of Rick Adelman's offense.

Coming together
"Whenever you get a new coach, new coaching staff, new philosophy, it's going to take a grace period for guys to find their way," guard/forward Bonzi Wells said.

"Over the last 20, 25 games, guys found the way to understand their roles in the offense and on the defensive end, what we're supposed to do and what we cannot do. We know everybody's tendencies on the offensive end, and guys are starting to pick up what coach Adelman wants.


"We have our two All-Stars and all-NBA players in T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) and Yao (Ming) and some pretty good pieces around them. I feel good going into this last run with what we have against any team. I can put our team against any team and feel we have a great chance. I'm excited to see how it ends up."

While the Suns added Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers Pau Gasol and the Mavericks are close to adding Jason Kidd, the Rockets have not made a roster move and do not seem likely to beat Thursday's deadline. Much of general manager Daryl Morey's work has been in trying to find a home for rarely used Kirk Snyder, who has said he would welcome a trade.

The Rockets, however, went through an off-season overhaul of much of their roster. Even with only one change among their starters, with Luis Scola replacing Chuck Hayes, they had changed half their rotation with the addition of rookies Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry, the trade for Scola and return of Wells.

The Rockets are left hoping their growth, the adjustment to Adelman's offense and the radical changes off the bench to their rotation will be their version of the midseason transformations sweeping the Western Conference.

"We're looking to improve," Morey said, "but adding those four guys to our rotation is probably where we're going to end up."

There are things to discuss. Memphis is willing to consider more housecleaning, but no longer will settle for just taking expiring contracts having already moved Pau Gasol's contract. Shooter Mike Miller, as opposed to the excess of point guards, will be an especially difficult get.


High-priced Artest
Sacramento is weighing offers for Ron Artest, but unlike the deal that sent Mike Bibby to Atlanta largely for expiring contracts, the Kings have sought an impact player for Artest, who has said he would opt out of his contract after this season.

Those teams' positions could change if talks bump up to Thursday's deadline, but for now, their initial moves have raised the price on subsequent deals. Either way, eventually there would seem a limit on the blockbusters.

"I think this is really unusual to have these types of trades," Adelman said. "You might have one team do it, but now there are three teams in the West with major, major players, with Gasol and Kidd and Shaq. I don't remember that ever happening in one year. There are so many good teams, they all think 'we better do something if we have the opportunity.'

"If there's players out there, somebody who can help us, you've got to look at it. But there hasn't been anything. You need a combination of stuff (to offer)."

Failing that, the Rockets will try to build on their run heading into the break. They turned things around with a sense of urgency after their Jan. 16 loss to the 76ers and have won 12 of 13 games since. But they said the battle for a playoff spot will keep them as determined.

Eyes on the prize
"You want to pick up where you left off," McGrady said.

"I think collectively what we want to accomplish, our ultimate goal is to make it to the playoffs and see whatever happens after that. But we're still behind. It's not time to relax. We have to keep on pushing and trying to make up some ground. You have nine, 10 teams that are right there pushing for the playoffs. You have the top teams, if they slip, lose two or three games, that could put us up four, five spots. So we have to keep playing great basketball and stay motivated."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5551106.html

ROCKETS NOTES
Adelman runs vigorous workout after break


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


After five days spent on everything from Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier heading to beaches to Bonzi Wells getting a pedicure, Rockets coach Rick Adelman put the Rockets through a particularly tough, scrimmage-style practice as is customary for the first workout after the All-Star break.


"Today's practice was real good for us," Wells said. "After having three or four days off, your legs and conditioning are the first things to go. Everybody needed it. It's a long grind, 52 games. Guys took advantage of those days off, and maybe didn't do much at all. Today we came back in and got our rhythm back. We weren't as crisp as we wanted to be early, but late, we started getting into a rhythm.

Battier said it was helpful to get winded again, but that it is just as important to regain the mental edge the Rockets had before the break.

"It was good to blow the pipes out and get that first good sweat after a couple days of inactivity," Battier said.

"The toughest thing is to get it mentally sharp again. Especially for the guys who weren't at the (All-Star) Game, you shut it down mentally for a few days. You have to. The season is such a grind. If you don't, you get really worn down. So you come back after the break with a really good mental break and feel fresh mentally, but you need to ratchet it up to get to the level we were before the break.

"We were playing really good basketball. We have a tough stretch right away. But we know times a ticking."


Head OK
Rockets guard Luther Head went through practice with no difficulties after missing five games with a strained groin muscle, and said he thought it was wise after all to allow the injury to fully heal before coming back.

"All to the good," Head said. "It was hard, but it was worth waiting."