Chron:Mutombo tutors teammate in ways of the NBA on, off basketball court

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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3135665

Getting the ear of the Yao
Mutombo tutors teammate in ways of the NBA on, off basketball court
By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Yao Ming laughed as he stuck his elbows in the air and made them even with his shoulders.

"Elbows up," he said. "Elbows up."

He has heard those words so often from Rockets teammate Dikembe Mutombo that it's almost a constant chatter in his head when he's on the court, which means Mutombo's plan has worked.

Ever since Mutombo arrived in Houston last offseason, his goal was to contribute in more ways than just with his renowned defense.

He wanted to be a mentor for Yao.

Mutombo, 38, never has forgotten the roles Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning played throughout his career, and he wanted to have a similar impact on Yao, 24.

Mutombo was hesitant at the beginning of the season to say much to his younger teammate though. He didn't want to overstep his bounds.

But with only three games left in the regular season, Mutombo has started feeling more comfortable ?and Yao has listened.

"I've been talking to him lately a lot," Mutombo said. "At the beginning of the season, I was more reserved. I wasn't too sure if I should be talking to him because we have a coach and a bunch of assistant coaches.

"But since we got close to the playoffs, I've been trying to share with him my experience and the approach of the game and, depending on how the game is going, what you've got to do out there."

Live a little
The biggest impact Mutombo has made has had nothing to do with tweaking Yao's skills on the court. But it might be just as important.

Mutombo was more concerned with how Yao mentally approaches games. He realized early on that Yao typically spends an entire road trip in his hotel room. Yao flips channels on the television constantly and spends most of his time just waiting for tipoff.

Others have urged Yao to get out the past two years, but Mutombo is the one who got through to Yao.

During the Rockets' last road trip, Mutombo made sure Yao left his hotel room by taking him out to dinner several times.

"What part he's helped me most is that he's gotten me out of my room," Yao said. "Most of the time, I sit in my room when we go on a road trip. And this road trip, he took me to dinner most nights. He said, 'Yao, get out. Leave your room. Don't stay there all the time.'

"I tried to do that and had two or three meals with him and just tried to relax. Maybe you're too tight if you always stay in your room."

The change might seem minor, but Ewing, an assistant coach for the Rockets, and Mutombo hope it helps Yao approach games with a clearer mind-set.

"Dikembe is an easygoing kind of guy," said Ewing, who has been an assistant to Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy for two years. "Everybody loves him. And I think Yao needs that. I've been telling Yao since last year, you can't just spend most of your life in your room.

"You've got to get out. I think Dikembe has definitely helped him to do that."

Mutombo, 7-2, has focused on helping Yao with mental aspects of the game, but he is still pushing Yao, 7-6, to improve physically, too.

Mutombo's ability to challenge Yao on the court originally attracted the coaching staff to him. The Rockets needed a backup center and wanted to find someone who would make Yao work hard in practice.

"He's another big body," Ewing said. "He's going to challenge Yao. He's going to make Yao work. I think it was good for Yao. (Mutombo) wasn't just going to defer to him."

Mutombo also has set a good example for Yao on how to rebound. There have been some games this season where it seems Mutombo is putting on a clinic for Yao.

Those nights are often the ones Yao replays over and over at home, trying to see what makes Mutombo so successful under the basket.

"I look at film on how he is going to get rebounds and how am I going to get rebounds," Yao said. "How can I do better? I'm looking at that."

A good student
Yao also is accepting Mutombo's advice on how to approach the games better mentally, which might be even more critical next week when the Rockets begin the playoffs.

"He's a good student," Mutombo said. "He listens. He's learning a lot. If you look at him from the beginning of the season to now, I think he's made improvement. I know there were times earlier in the season when he was a little bit tired. He was a little bit affected by his legs.

"But it seems like he is picking up his momentum right now. And we're hoping that he can carry this momentum he's got with him right now into the playoffs."

megan.manfull@chron.com
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Rockets Summary

Deep threats
With Mike James going 4-for-4 from 3-point range Wednesday night in the 100-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Rockets started to look like a threat from the perimeter again.

The Rockets converted 42.1 percent of their 3-pointers against Memphis, making it only the second time in their last 15 games they have shot better than 40 percent from long range.

Jon Barry leads the Rockets and is tied for eighth in the NBA, hitting 42.1 percent of his 3-point shots.

"Guys are starting to get more confidence now and guys are stepping up," James said. "It's just time to play basketball. Now is the time to get focused and prepared."

Playoff tickets
The Rockets will start selling playoff tickets at noon Saturday. Even though the opponent and dates are unknown, fans can purchase tickets for the first two Rockets home playoff games.

Those tickets can be purchased at the Toyota Center box office, select Randalls locations, by phone at 713-627-3865, or online at www.rockets.com.

A maximum of eight tickets per game per person may be purchased.

How could you don't love Mutombo after reading this article?