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Insider: Revamped Rockets work in constant progress

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Gatorfan76, Nov 24, 2004.

  1. Gatorfan76

    Gatorfan76 Contributing Member

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    http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/7925472


    Insider: Revamped Rockets work in constant progress
    Nov. 24, 2004
    By Mike Kahn
    SportsLine.com Executive Editor
    Tell Mike your opinion!


    Last season was a seven-month trial period for Jeff Van Gundy after he was handed the reins as coach of the Houston Rockets, presumably for five years.


    A Ming dynasty could eventually happen for the Rockets now that Tracy McGrady is aboard.(AP)
    He poked and prodded the race-horse backcourt duo of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to see if it could possibly work over the long haul around prodigal center Yao Ming. Sometimes it did. Sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it was spectacular. Other times, it was awful. Most important, they made the playoffs for the first time in five years, and the groundwork was set.

    But it wasn't good enough for Van Gundy. Although only 42 and the younger brother of Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, Jeff is actually an entire generation older. He is the proverbial old soul. Rumor has it he was an adult at age 5. His dress, his demeanor, his droll commentary on the game and the Rockets bring to mind former Knicks coach Red Holzman.

    That, if anything, explains why he decided it was best to unload Francis, Mobley and power player Kelvin Cato to the Orlando Magic for Tracy McGrady, Tyronn Lue, Juwan Howard and Reece Gaines. His old school approach wasn't going to work with those two guys in the backcourt, and he figured McGrady's spectacular talent would suffice as he put more fundamental players around Yao.

    Struggling to get above .500 three weeks into the season wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but after last season's unequivocal collapse at Orlando, McGrady needed to find his way into the leadership role, not demand it from his new teammates. Just this week, McGrady has led them down the stretch to tough road victories in two of the past three games heading into Friday's showdown at Utah.

    "He's put more of his personality into the team and what we need personality-wise from him," Van Gundy said. "He's been driven the last two games, which is what you need your best players to be. And I thought Yao was much more driven, too. We did a lot of good things to win down the stretch of both games.

    "(But) we have a lot of improvement to make. In the NBA, you're always day-to-day. That's just how it is."

    In other words, if you are expecting jubilation from Van Gundy for anything short of an NBA title, you are sadly mistaken. He is a defensive coach by nature; that's why having superlative offensive talents like McGrady and Yao work as cornerstones to build around. The Rockets set franchise records for defense a year ago, now he's trying to figure out how to make an offense work.

    In Lue and Charlie Ward, he has one young and erratic point guard and one aging but fundamentally strong point guard on his last legs. They had a decent shot at signing free agent Derek Fisher last summer -- a seemingly perfect fit -- but Fisher opted for Golden State instead.

    In Sunday's victory at Portland, Lue had eight assists and one turnover. Still, it was McGrady, with 11 assists and the game-winning shot, who served as the primary playmaker.

    "Ty's done a good job ... he had eight assists, pushing the ball and creating shots," Van Gundy said. "You sometimes need other people who can create and get (McGrady) a catch-and-shoot shot instead of him always exerting so much to create his own shot. It's not the point guard necessarily, just somebody else to set him up."

    Not that McGrady's complaining. He's just finding his way with Van Gundy, the team, Yao and in his new surroundings. He has already signed a maximum contract extension and is thrilled to be the yin to Yao's yang, so to speak.


    Taking over games will come more often in time. Forcing the issue immediately just wouldn't have worked for McGrady, still only 25; Yao's just 24.

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    "A couple of games back I was a little hesitant in my game," McGrady said. "A little hesitation because I didn't quite know what my role was. But I see now that I can just be myself. These guys just want me to be the T-Mac that I've always been, and they're just following my lead.

    "It's taken a little more time than what I expected, but we're all professionals, and we're going to get it together."

    That's the plan, anyway. Yao is excited about the possibilities, too. He also realizes this is far from a finished product. Just as the native of China has now made the advancement to answering questions in English, once his interpreter Colin Pine explains them in Chinese, he is gradually making the transition to a complete package as an NBA center.

    "A lot of people said Tracy and the other guys had to adjust to a new team," Yao said. "But it was also for us, adjusting to him coming to make a new team, too. We both need to adjust to each other. That takes more time. Also, it was about how important it was for Tracy is for us coming here. Some new players, Coach can put them on the bench and let them watch a couple of games. But we cannot put him on the bench. He's a very good player, that's why it's different.

    "We still have to grow up. We have some good times right now. We also have some bad times. We need to always keep playing the right way. When that day comes, we will be a good team."

    They're getting there, but this is no easy task. They're still at the stage with each other that they don't want to offend anybody, and Van Gundy is laced in the middle, deftly putting the pieces together so they fit. The players appear patient with the process.

    That's not necessarily the case with him.

    "Players, by nature, are patient," Van Gundy said. "Coaches, by nature, are impatient. This league is a fine line. It's one possession away from us being 4-7 and a possession away from us being 4-8 if we had lost both instead of 6-6. The flip side is we had three straight home (losses) that we were in it until the last minute. That's just the nature of this league. We're going to have to play well down the stretch of games. We don't have a cushion or a margin of error like some teams do."

    Thus we have the consequences of putting a new core of players together and expecting them to excel. It virtually never happens immediately and can require weeks, months or even a full season.

    Rockets swingman Jim Jackson, in his second season with the club, would know. He's in his 13th NBA season and the Rockets are his 10th team. He has gone deep into the playoffs at both Portland and Sacramento.

    "It starts with learning how to close out a game," Jackson said. "It's a matter of making the right plays at the right time. We had only 10 turnovers (at Portland), but three of them were at the end of the game, and that could have cost us a win. Again, happy with the win, but we've got to steadily improve.

    "Really, honestly, it takes a year or two to get the consistency that you want to have in a championship kind of team. Look at San Antonio, it took awhile, but they've got it together now because their core group has been there. And that's the hardest thing. It's not like you're playing cupcakes, you're playing teams that can play. You're steadily trying to find your groove and momentum in spacing and where everybody likes the ball while trying not to lose. If I had a crystal ball and could make this team jell today, I would. It's just not like that."

    Bringing in Ward and Clarence Weatherspoon from Van Gundy's six-plus seasons as coach in New York gives him some comfort in players understanding him. Veteran center Dikembe Mutombo gives them plenty of quality depth and leadership behind Yao. They're all pining away for the time when versatile Bobby Sura comes back from back surgery, giving them a slasher and ball-handler to take the heat off of McGrady. But Howard, Maurice Taylor and young small forward Bostjan Nachbar don't do them any justice when it comes to helping on the boards, and that's a problem.

    "Our rebounding is just ... it's just hard to imagine (how bad it is)," Van Gundy said. "But we're playing better. When you're so used to seeing (your) team turn the ball over all the time, you have just 10, it looks good. That's because that's how it's supposed to be. You're supposed to throw it to yourself."

    His sarcasm is unmistakable. He isn't running out of patience. He wants it right, and he wants it right now. The Rockets don't have good rebounding forwards and they don't have a top-notch point guard. To depend on Sura to be the guy to turn things around is wishful thinking at best. He's 31, and his career numbers show that he's just as inclined to play 50 games as 80 with his history of injuries.

    And let's be honest, the depth of talent in the Western Conference has spread to Seattle and Phoenix, making a guaranteed slot in the playoffs for anyone beyond maybe three or four teams wishful thinking.

    "It's not just wide open, it's deep," Van Gundy said. "Some very good teams are not going to make the playoffs. That's why wins in November are just as critical as wins in April.

    "Hey," he added emphatically, those sleepy eyes widening, "it's going to be close. You've got San Antonio, Minnesota and Phoenix and Utah probably and Dallas. And then you've got very good teams trying to fight it out for the final three spots."

    Will that include the Rockets? One would think so considering the expectations of Yao and McGrady together. One thing's for sure, McGrady expects to be in the postseason, calling it an honor to play with Yao.

    "That's why I'm here," McGrady said. "He can take over the game just as well as I can. He's making my job a lot easier and the rest of the team. The sky's the limit. If we continue to work hard and compete, we definitely can build a dynasty and a legacy here."

    First they need one championship before even the concept of a McGrady and Ming Dynasty can be considered. Yao, McGrady and the rest know it will take time. But Van Gundy? He's not thinking about them playing the right way next week, next month or next year. This is about now. The margin of error is shrinking every day. They have now made it past Square 1. Square 2 is next.
     
  2. olliez

    olliez Contributing Member

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    :eek:
     
  3. pradaxpimp

    pradaxpimp Contributing Member

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    Great find!
     
  4. Lionheart

    Lionheart Member

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    Good read.
     
  5. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    Outstanding read. Thanks for posting that.
     
  6. mogrod

    mogrod Contributing Member

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    For all those who worry too much or feel like this team is under achieving right now, needs to read this article. It is so spot on it isn't funny.

    Bottomline:

    It will take time to completely gel and become a cohesive unit

    Need better rebounding from the forwards

    Need a better solution at PG

    Once Yao & TMac learn how to play with, and through, each other they will be VERY hard to stop.

    I know these are things alot of us already know, but there are many posters who overlook these facts and believe the sky is falling or that it's time to make major roster or coaching changes. It is really nice to read an "insider" article about the Rockets that speaks to what is really going on rather than "Yao is unhappy and may leave" or "TMac, Yao and JVG are not getting along".
     
  7. Rockets10

    Rockets10 Contributing Member

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    best line of the whole article. great stuff.
     
  8. MrRolo

    MrRolo Contributing Member

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    Finally, a good "Insider" read by someone other than the guy with the last name Ford.
     
  9. saleem

    saleem Contributing Member

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    A very good article with real inside information.
     
  10. franchise23

    franchise23 Contributing Member

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    yeah that was pretty funny. took a cheap shot at Cat and Steve.
     
  11. isoman2kx

    isoman2kx Member

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    thanks for the read :)
     
  12. smoothie

    smoothie Jabari Jungle

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    well last summer the big trade was made and other players were braught in for a simple job. keep TO's down. it's worked so far. and it will only get better ocne they learn how to play with eachother.

    next summer i expect moves to be made to help our poor rebounding at both foward spots. then we will be able to really jump ahead of the pack.

    rebounding is the key to basketball. look at how the sonics changed now that they have fortson.
     
  13. jediknight94595

    jediknight94595 Contributing Member

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    Another meaningless feel-good article that we will all forget about tomorrow. :D

    We all know what needs to be done: get 3 new starters and a new coach. :D
     
  14. ucansee2020

    ucansee2020 Contributing Member

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    Sonics are doing well because they have great shooters not Fortson. Allen, Lewis, Radmanovic and Daniels all shoot extremely well. Rox will be OK if our guards can shoot like Sonic's.
     
  15. mulletman

    mulletman Member

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    while mcgrady and yao will be together a "year or two" from now, theres a possibility that not many other players on the team will be. mutombo, ward, jackson will be older -- and probably not "produce" like they are now. one or both of taylor and howard will be gone. and theres no guarantee that the rockets will re-sign nachbar.

    so is getting this consistency/chemistry that jackson is talking about going to be a problem with this team?
     
  16. darkwarrior

    darkwarrior Member

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    mulletman, that's why jimmy said realistically and honestly.

    THat's why we need to keep the bokis and padgetts and taylors. They're not the best players in the league but they've all got familiarity. Boki by all my accounts knows how to pass to yao inthe post and actually cuts to the basket. RIght now he's shooting well so all is good for him. Padgett is a hustle guy whose been with us for a year or two already. Lue will make a fine backup if he decides to stay.

    And jackson, well, depending on what managment wants to do during the offseason or how boki will *hopefully* step up and be starting calibur, could just be an off the bench spotup shooter and vocalist.

    The mutumbos and wards come and go, and i dont think we need a backup center to have any familiarity except with being familiar with rebounding and blocking shots.

    Right now we need a powerforward for the future, and hopefully a trade or MLE signing will get us one.
     
  17. smoothie

    smoothie Jabari Jungle

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    of course those guys are important, but last year they had all of those guys and sucked.
     
  18. jopatmc

    jopatmc Contributing Member

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    One point about Seattle. I think they have probably benefited the most from the rule changes regarding handchecking on the perimeter. Because they are moving, setting picks, and slashing, it forces the double team to the dribbler and opens up shots for their spot up shooters. The rest of the league should take note of their style of play and their record.
     

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