[Chron] Rockets lose T-Mac to stiff back, fall to Warriors

Rockets revisit bad days
With McGrady out with stiff back, Warriors roll to win

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

For those who longed for last season, when the Rockets suffered so long and lost so often playing without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, they revisited those dark days for bad time's sake Wednesday.

The Golden State Warriors took Yao out with an all-hands-on-deck defense around him. After seven minutes, McGrady went out for the night because of a stiff lower back.

Without them, the Rockets went from short-handed (in falling behind by as many as 16 points) to simply coming up short, with the Warriors pulling away for a 110-99 victory at Toyota Center.

But before the Rockets seemed condemned to a return to their short-handed struggles, coach Jeff Van Gundy insisted they can defeat such defenses, and McGrady repeatedly vowed he was "not concerned, not at all."

"My back has been stiff for about a week now, and it's just getting worse," McGrady said. "(Wednesday) was just one of those days where I felt like I didn't want to risk anything going out on the basketball court because it was tight.

"It's not related to my issues I had in the past. It's just a tight back. ... I have no concerns, no worries."

McGrady, who received treatment for his back Monday, said he was questionable to play Friday but certain to play on the upcoming trip, beginning Sunday in Sacramento.

For the Rockets, finding their way through similar surround-Yao defenses could be trickier.

The Warriors started 6-9 Al Harrington on Yao and kept at least one defender in front of him and one behind him. Yao took only four shots, making two. But the greater problem was the turnovers the Rockets racked up trying to force the ball to Yao through that defense. They had 20 after three quarters, more than in any complete game since Jan. 24. They finished with 24, one shy of their season high.

Four shots for center

"Listen, no matter what they did with Yao, we're standing wide open," Van Gundy said. "We don't have to throw the ball away. That has nothing to do with who the other team is playing. Yao can get an offensive rebound against any team.

"If you have this feeling that you can't match up against certain teams, then what you're basically saying is you're not good enough. ... Any team worth its salt can play against any type of team."

It took six minutes before Yao got his first offensive touch. He took that to a layup. His other three shots were jumpers.

"We knew that they're going to front me," Yao said. "We knew that from the first minutes. But sometimes we were hesitant in the beginning of the game on the shots, on the drives, on the penetration, on the pass, on everything."

The Warriors took their lead to as many as 16 points with seven minutes left. But with McGrady showered and ready to leave and Yao on the bench for the night, the Rockets fired away before they could turn the ball over and made a run.

When Luther Head hit consecutive jumpers, the Rockets were within 99-89 with 5 1/2 minutes left. Van Gundy even called Yao back from the scorer's table, opting to stick with small ball. After a Shane Battier free throw, Head drained another 3 — his seventh of the game to give him a career-high 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting — to reduce the Warriors' lead to 99-93.

Head finally missed, but Juwan Howard grabbed the rebound and scored, pulling the Rockets within four with 2 1/2 minutes remaining. They never drew closer.

Solution at hand

But they knew the game had been lost much earlier, when they lost McGrady for the night and might as well have been without Yao.

"Either get the ball in or recognize what they're doing and knock the (shots) down. Or get penetration, and penetration should lead to second shots," Van Gundy said of the solution. "At the other end, we can cover better than that. Guys don't have to be wide open."

ROCKETS NOTES

All eyes on Wells

With the season down to its final two weeks, Bonzi Wells said Wednesday that time is running out on his chances to help in the postseason. Wells has been inactive for the past 18 games, and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy indicated that no changes are planned.

"If I'll be active (in the playoffs), I'd rather be active now so I can get my rhythm together and start playing," Wells said. "It's tough to jump into the playoffs and be right where you need to be. Hopefully coach will call my number. If not, I'll be a really big cheerleader.

"I just come in and do my job, do my work and hopefully, he'll give me the OK. I love to play, but we're winning, and I'm all about the team. Hopefully we'll continue to win, and I'll try not to be a distraction."

Van Gundy said Wells has not been a distraction or caused other problems.

"He's done fine," Van Gundy said. "It's not an attitude issue. I'll let everybody know if I'm changing my mind. I've changed it back and forth throughout the year."

Wells agreed that on the limited role, he and Van Gundy agree. "We're on the same page," Wells said. "Coach, he likes to play a short rotation. He's got his guys that have been playing all year and have been healthy. ... Coach is an excellent coach. He knows what he's doing. Hopefully, it brings a championship."

Controlling emotions

Rockets forward Shane Battier was made the Southwest Division NBA Sportsman Award winner on Wednesday, making him a finalist for the Sportsmanship Award. Atlanta's Joe Johnson, Chicago's Luol Deng, Toronto's Anthony Parker, Utah's Derek Fisher and the Los Angeles Clippers' Elton Brand, Battier's college roommate, were the other finalists.

"It was a lesson I learned at Duke. Coach K ( Mike Krzyzewski) taught us never let your opponent see you're frustrated," Battier said. "Never let your opponent see you're tired or injured.

"One time, when I was young, Little League, it was the Little League city championship. I was pitching. I was the Big Unit of the Little League circuit. I gave up a home run. Josh Dixon, sixth grade, took me deep, and I probably said a four-letter word I shouldn't have with my mom standing right behind the dugout. She heard me and let me know right then and there, even though I was the Big Unit, that wasn't acceptable. Since that day, I try to control my emotions."

Battier had that philosophy tested when he did not get a charge call in the closing minutes Sunday against the Jazz.

"After that call, I smiled at Ronnie ( Garretson) and said, 'Ronnie, c'mon, we're better than that,' " Battier said. "He wasn't laughing. I was laughing."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

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