Chron: what to really expect out of the new offense

Will the Steve bashers take notice of this article, which is consistent with everything JVG has been saying thus far? Or will they ignore it and repeat the same mantra? I'm betting the latter:

Rockets guards still part of mix
Inside-out game goes beyond Yao
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle



PORTLAND, Ore. -- Steve Francis had heard the talk. With Jeff Van Gundy coming in, Francis and Cuttino Mobley would have to give up the ball even if it took a crowbar to pry it loose. More specifically, they would finally notice the 7-foot-6 guy in the middle.

It was an easy theme to repeat. And when Van Gundy's briefest summary of his offense was described as "inside-out," the criticism of the Rockets' outside brothers seemed to have been confirmed.

There were, however, a few problems with that logic. First, Van Gundy is absolutely convinced that Yao Ming did get the ball as much as he could handle as a rookie last season. And second, his description of "inside-out" does not take the ball from the guys on the outside that have led the Rockets in scoring the past three seasons.

"Everybody was saying, `they're taking the ball out of Steve's hands,' they're doing this or that," Francis said. "I wasn't worried one bit.

"We talked about it. It was more that outsiders wanted to bring scrutiny to me, coach or Cuttino. We'll find out how much we've adjusted in these preseason games. But really, it's not much to adjust to."

In the first test run of the new offense, the old problems seemed as evident as ever.

Details aside, if a team can't shoot or pass, it probably doesn't matter what offense it runs.

After a sharp start in their first preaseason game, the Rockets offense bogged down rapidly, particularly when Van Gundy went to his bench. In a seven-minute stretch to end the first quarter and begin the second, the Rockets committed eight turnovers and scored two points. The Blazers went on an 18-2 run. Moochie Norris collected seven turnovers in eight minutes.

Through much of the night, the Rockets moved quickly but rarely seemed comfortable with where they were going. In the first half alone, the Rockets committed 18 turnovers, accounting for 17 Blazers' points.

But Tuesday's first look at least showed what Van Gundy has in mind.

If the Rockets' often-horrid offensive play last season proved anything it might be that "open" shots are not necessarily "good" shots.

If Van Gundy drove home any points about his offense in his four days of full-squad workouts in Galveston it might be that he wants smart, unselfish execution working toward shots they can make.

The Rockets hoped to improve their often-misfiring offense with the additions of slick shooters Jim Jackson and Eric Piatkowski. But to get the sorts of shots the Rockets can make more consistently -- the Rockets' 44-percent shooting ranked 19th last season, but included some of the worst offensive games in franchise history -- Van Gundy will want the ball inside no matter how it gets there.

"Inside-out is probably one of the least understood terms as far as fans and maybe players," Van Gundy said. "I think the fear is when you say inside-out is that you'll just go to the post every time. You can get it inside five ways. You can get transition layups, second shots, you can drive it, you can cut and you can post. We hope to play inside-out using all of those.

"I think what wins is well-balanced teams. That may be offense to defense, but on offense, it's using your great low-post force, your perimeter players to have creativity to use their skills to the best of their advantage. When you play inside-out it can maximize their abilities."

The Rockets did move more without the ball on Tuesday, using more screens, than in past seasons. And in four days, they have been given a staggering array of new sets and plays to master.

But in many ways, the strengths of their offense is unchanged, making their offense more similar to their offense of past seasons than it is different.

"I think to a great extent that's how they played in the past," Van Gundy said. "No one drove the ball more than Steve. He lived at the free throw line. Cuttino is a driver and a slasher. It's not like any of this is new to them as far as concept, at all."

But so great is the emphasis on working to ball inside, that it took only a few hours of training camp for Van Gundy's priorities to be clear. Even Tuesday, of the Rockets first seven shots against the Trail Blazers, only two were outside of the paint, and one of those -- a Francis 3 -- was taken to beat the shot clock.

"I saw it in one practice," forward Maurice Taylor said. "I had a lot of opportunities down there. We play inside-out. That doesn't mean just throw it in to the post. We work for layups first. We work for cutters. We work for post position. We work for easy baskets. Then we pass it out to our jump shooters."

The offense rarely worked so neatly on Tuesday. Without Taylor and Yao inside, the Rockets could not draw low post double teams inside. Their guards worked more on hitting shooters coming around screens than breaking down defenders off the dribble.

But after a struggle Tuesday reminiscent of last season, what the Rockets do offensively did not seem to matter as much as finding a way to do it better.

"I don't care," Francis said. "I just want to win. I wasn't worried. Good players will find a way to get it done."