chron: Rockets looking at seventh different starting lineup

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6159841.html

Tracy McGrady practiced. Yao Ming did not. Yao, battling a cold, will play. McGrady might.

Brent Barry, who also practiced for the first time in weeks, almost certaintly will not play. Shane Battier will play, but it’s not clear how much. Ron Artest did not practice and will not play.

Other than that, things are falling right into place.

"You (need to) have a consistent starting lineup and bench," Yao said. "Hopefully, I can stay in there and Rafer and a couple guys and make the team feel like a team."

If McGrady returns and starts Friday against the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets will likely have their seventh different starting lineup.

So far this season, Shane Battier has missed 15 games, McGrady seven and Yao one. Artest has played hurt, missed one game will be out the next two. Barry has missed eight games. Steve Francis has not played since last February.

As much as the Rockets have missed the players who have been hurt, they have lost chances to build continuity.

They had seemed increasingly in sync, with far better balance and ball movement, when they last played Warriors, scoring 131 points, their most since 1995. But that was with Artest going from dribbling too much and looking to carry the offense against Indiana and Denver, to leading the improved offensive flow. Then he went out and things bogged down again.

That has been the pattern of the season with a continuing series of changes, adjustments and improvements, only leading to more changes.

"I just feel bad for coach," Barry said. "I think the best Christmas present for coach (Rick) Adelman would be to give him his lineup. It’s not something we can wrap up and put in a package. To this point, through training camp and the first 22 games of the season, we still have not have a full complement of players for one regular-season game.

"Obviously, for the team it’s disappointing. For our fans it’s disappointing. It really falls on the coaching staff. I think coach has done a tremendous job adjusting the lineup. Guys have stepped up and played well and are keeping things afloat. But we’d really like to see everybody in uniform and on the court and see what we’ve got."

That is not likely to happen soon, but if they are to get McGrady back either in Oakland or against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Saturday, the adjustment needed will be a small price to pay.

McGrady was unavailable for comment after Thursday’s practice, but Adelman and others said he looked to still be battling the soreness in his knee.

"He looked better than me," Yao said. "He made some shots in the scrimmage. Tracy is still Tracy. It seems like the knee is still bothering him a little bit. He is trying to fight back.

"It’s good to have him be back. It will make playing a whole lot easier. I think it’s time for (Artest) to rest his ankle. He played with pain the last two weeks. We really need him in March and April in the playoffs. Right now, I think when Tracy comes back, we should rest (Artest) a little bit.

"I’m right behind him – just kidding."

The Rockets scrimmaged for part of Friday’s practice largely to give McGrady and Barry a test of their rehabilitations. Whether McGrady plays will depend on how he responds to Thursday’s work and if the flight leads to new swelling.

"If he plays, it’s not going to be extended time," Adelman said. "Obviously, he needs to work himself back to shape. But it was good to see him out there.

"He didn’t limp. I think it’s just conditioning at this point. He went through the whole thing. He didn’t go out at all. Of course, he couldn’t go out because we didn’t have anyone to put in for him.

"This is a day-by-day situation. It seems that way with everybody."

"Day-by-day" also describes Battier’s status. Though he has been playing, he has struggled to come back from his sore right foot more in some games than others, and especially had trouble in the second game of a back-to-back this week. With Artest out, the Rockets would likely need Battier more, especially if McGrady does not play. But they are also likely to limit his playing time.

"You do your job to the best of your ability until your body gives out," said Battier, who like Francis and Yao is also fighting a cold. "I’ve always been taught, if you can go, you go until something gives.

"You don’t like (all the changes and adjustments). But you get used to it."

If any team could be accustomed to lineup changes, it would seem the Rockets. Though they have been nearly as inconsistent through the season as their lineup, they have lost consecutive games only once this season, and not since Brandon’s Roy’s overtime 3-pointer Nov. 6.

"If you’re winning, it obviously softens the blow," Barry said. "We’ve done a good job of taking care of some business and getting some wins and having some good quality wins. At some point when everybody does get back it’s not as if you can spread some magic fairy dust and everything is perfect and your team goes on a roll."

If there were magic, the Rockets would likely have already used it. Instead, they rely on ice and a revolving door to the training room.