Chron: Sura to try for next season comeback

no mention of whether mac is playing tonight or not.
sounds like bogans will have a good game.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3686042.html
Feb. 25, 2006, 10:31PM
Rockets span the ages
'Team Jurassic' unit of reserves from last season loses touch of gray


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

RESOURCES

KEVIN FUJII: CHRONICLE
TALK IN OUR FORUMS
ROCKETS


ORLANDO, FLA. - When Dikembe Mutombo started collecting blocks, Chuck Hayes was playing with them. When Jon Barry started knocking down 3s, Luther Head turned 3.

Yet, this is what the Rockets' bench has become, a collection of players that can greet the hotel staffs by name and others who fight to get to push the buttons on the elevator.

"We're either near death or near birth," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said.

But somehow, in the Rockets' on-the-fly rebuilding and February revival, the mix has worked largely by changing its bench from last season's proud "Team Jurassic" — as it enjoyed calling itself — to a kiddie corps.

Mutombo still gets an occasional call when opponents play full-sized centers and particularly with Stromile Swift now out with a sprained ankle. But generally, the Rockets have moved toward their kids. Derek Anderson was sent to Miami in exchange for rookie Gerald Fitch. Barry makes only occasional cameos.


Bogans close to sixth man
In their place, rookies Hayes and Head have carved out key roles while Keith Bogans, six games into his Rockets tenure, is about as close to a sixth man as they have.

When Tracy McGrady was out Friday because of a death in the family, Bogans started. But even in Wednesday's win over the Clippers, Bogans played through most of a tight fourth quarter. Head came off the bench to handle the final six minutes on Friday.

Hayes briefly supplanted Swift as the Rockets' first big man off the bench. Though Swift had moved back up in the rotation until he turned his ankle in the last minute of the last game before the All-Star break, Van Gundy usually found time for Hayes, too.


Two rookies on bench
"Our bench is obviously inexperienced," Van Gundy said. "We're playing two rookies off of there. We're either really inexperienced or really old off our bench."

Having declared that there is nothing worse than "losing old," Van Gundy has chosen a youth movement. He insisted, however, that he is not giving away minutes in an apprenticeship program.

"If it's not best for tonight's game, you don't do it," he said. "I think the biggest misguided notion on the development of players is to give them something they don't deserve.

"If you start giving guys minutes they have not earned, you're teaching them you don't have to earn it to get something. It's the worst possible thing you can do for a young player. The only thing you give them is what they earn."

Van Gundy lamented having to give Head playing time he had not earned after the backcourt was overrun by injuries. But Rafer Alston, the starting point guard, and Barry have since come back, and Anderson could have. Head, however, has continued to get consistent playing time.

"Coach has had the confidence to put me in," Head said. "I'm trying to go out and bring some energy."

Head, who had played early in the season because of injuries, has struggled with his shot. In the 10 games prior to Friday, he had made 19 of 46 shots. But he made 4-of-11 on Friday including two fourth-quarter 3-pointers.

"My only frustration is he's not making (shots)," Van Gundy said. "He's sitting out there wide open game after game and he's not making. But as long as Luther competes hard, I have no problems. I think there have been too many valleys in his competitive nature this year, some very high moments and some very low moments.

"He's got to have an edge to him. You can't be a midget guard and not be of great competitive spirit and fight."


Conditioning needed
Bogans does not have that problem. But after falling out of the rotation in Charlotte and missing 11 games with a sprained knee, Bogans has to work himself into condition for the minutes he is getting now.

"We're asking him to play 41 minutes (on Friday)," Van Gundy said. "He's not in condition to play 41 hard minutes. But I do love his tenacity. I really do love Keith's competitive nature. We sorely do miss those type of personalities. We need guys that have an edge to them."

He has hoped to find that by bridging a generation gap. But even if that fails, they can try for the children's or senior citizens rate at the movies.

jonathan.blinebury@chron.com


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ROCKETS SUMMARY
Sura out for season
The Rockets no longer hope to get guard Bob Sura back this season from surgery on his right knee.

Soreness in the joint has pushed back Sura's rehabilitation to the offseason, Rockets trainer Keith Jones said Saturday.

"He tried to come back, and he did everything the right way, but he's still sore," Jones said. "We shut it down for the season. He's resting it now, and we'll give it a run in the summer and see how it goes. We just wanted to give it more time. By summer, I think he will feel completely differently."

Sura has had two knee surgeries since 2004-05 and has not played this season. Including back and knee operations, he has had five surgeries since signing with the Rockets in August 2004. But Jones said the latest setback does not mean Sura, 32, will not be able to play next season.

"It just takes a lot of time when you're trying to heal bone," he said. "We just have to wait and see. Look at Adrian Griffin. He had the same kind of surgery (a microfracture procedure). He came back, and he's doing really well. But it took him 18 months."


No announcers
Today's game will be presented without the usual blaring music or screaming arena announcer. Those watching on NBA TV will not hear announcers at all.

As part of the NBA's Hardwood Classic Nights, the Magic and Rockets will not only wear throwback uniforms, but the usual game presentation will be replaced by organ music, simple announcements and limited sound effects.


Magic changes
The seven-player trade that brought Tracy McGrady to the Rockets triggered widespread changes in the Rockets, but the Magic have not stopped changing.

With the Rockets' addition of Keith Bogans, the Rockets have as many players off the last Orlando team before the trade as Orlando does. The Rockets still have McGrady and Juwan Howard from that deal. The Magic have since dealt away Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato, replacing them with Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo and Darko Milicic.

"I know I moved on to bigger and better things," Bogans said. "Hopefully, one day they'll get their thing straightened out down there.

"I look forward to going back to Orlando. I think every time I go back there I'm pumped up. That's the first team I played on when I got to this league. It's a lot of fun to go back there and play."

JONATHAN FEIGEN