Didn't see these articles posted anywhere... http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3060287 James likes what he sees in Rockets Point guard notices similarities between new club, last year's Pistons By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle NBA: Houston 92, Utah 99 FINAL SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE STANDINGS Team W L PCT GB San Antonio 42 13 .764 --- Dallas 37 17 .685 4.5 Houston 32 24 .571 10.5 Memphis 31 25 .554 11.5 New Orleans 11 44 .200 31 As of Feb 27 2005 11:13 p.m. CT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMING UP Tuesday: at Chicago, 7:30 p.m. TV/Radio: Listings; KILT (610 AM) The talk at Mike James' locker seemed unlikely. The Rockets had just lost their third consecutive game after being defeated by the Jazz, a team 19 games below .500. Yet there James sat, talking about how much the Rockets reminded him of the NBA champion Detroit Pistons. Last season, James was part of a last-minute trade that landed him — along with Rasheed Wallace — in Detroit. The Pistons lost three games after the trade and then regrouped to win the NBA championship. James, who made his Rockets debut in Sunday's 99-92 loss, said he could see the same turnaround happening in Houston. "I see a lot of (similarity) in this team as I did in Detroit," said James, who finished with 19 points, three assists, three steals and four turnovers. "Everybody counted us out last year, and I remember after the trade we lost three straight before everyone got a feel for one another. I see that same talent, and I see that same drive here. It's just a matter of us believing it and getting it all together." Pressure mounting If that's to happen, James will have to play a significant role. He was a key reserve for the Pistons last season and was also a reserve for Milwaukee before Thursday's trade. Despite practicing with the Rockets for only two days, James started and played 34 minutes. It was only the fourth time this season that James clocked more than 30 minutes in a game. His playing time was no surprise, though. With three point guards on the injured list, James was the Rockets' best option. Moochie Norris, who also was acquired Thursday, had practiced only once with the team. Norris played nine minutes and finished with two points and two rebounds. Nerves got the best of James at the start. He picked up two early fouls and missed four of his first five field-goal attempts. He relaxed in the second half and found his shooting touch. "My nerves were going crazy in the beginning," James said. "I won't say I was nervous. I just had nerves. At halftime I came out and just continued to relax. My coaching staff just told me to relax, and it just started coming to me. I felt real good with these guys. It's an easy team to play for. I don't have to do much but spot up and try to get the ball to our superstars." Fitting nicely There was little question around the Rockets' locker room that James fit in. With Bob Sura on the injured list for at least four more games, the Rockets felt confident they landed a quality replacement at the point. "I think he's going to give us a lot, especially by Bobby being out," Dikembe Mutombo said. "We're just lucky to have someone like him. He's a very talented point guard. He's been in the league so long that he knows the game." James said the more time he has to familiarize himself with the Rockets, the better everything will run. He wants to be more aggressive on the boards and continue to try to get the ball to Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady as much as possible. "I just know the more I play, the more repetition I get, the more comfortable I get with the style of play coach Jeff Van Gundy wants me to play on both ends, it's going to come easy," James said. Meek Rockets inherit nothing Jazz control game; Van Gundy blames third consecutive loss on lack of toughness By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Jeff Van Gundy, so angry his eyeballs almost popped, made himself clear. He loves this team, just loves it. What's not to love? The Rockets are a bunch of lovely guys, nice guys. And such wonderful hosts. So the Utah Jazz, who never have been called nice in a Houston arena, did what they do even during a season of struggle. While the Rockets were nice, the Jazz were tough until gritty beat pretty 99-92 on Sunday, sending the Rockets on the road with a three-game losing streak since the All-Star break. "I love my team," Van Gundy said. "I hate the (lack of) toughness we're playing with. They have no idea where they're heading right now. "We're just getting outworked, and they don't even realize it. It was easy for Utah tonight, easy. I mean, I love the team; I hate the toughness. I absolutely love the team. And they're going to pay the ultimate price if they can't get it going in the right direction, and that bothers me because I really do love the team." Van Gundy did not use the damning label "soft." But the Rockets were whipped in the battles on the boards, giving up 17 offensive rebounds. The Rockets' 31 rebounds were their fewest this season; their 22 defensive boards matched a season low. They were gentle on defense, letting Utah catch-and-shoot so effortlessly that until the last minute, every Jazz field goal came off a pass or offensive rebound. Even in their slide this season to 18-37, the Jazz run their offense precisely around a maze of screens. But the Rockets' defense was so mild, the Jazz could go through it without slowing to dribble. Utah's Matt Harpring, starting with Carlos Boozer out with a sprained right foot, had a season-high 28 points. The Jazz made 40 of 84 shots, and their 32 assists matched the most against the Rockets this season. "It's definitely showing on the basketball court; we're too nice," Tracy McGrady said. "It seems like when things are getting tough for us in the game, nothing changes for us as far as our mental toughness, our physical presence. We don't seem to tough it out. "We let these guys today jump all over our backs, hold us, push us and get second chances on the offensive end. "Bobby (Sura) ... is that tough guy ... that doesn't really care about anything. Now that he is out, we're just a bunch of nice guys out on the court." The Rockets also ignored much of the defensive game plan. Asked what his team could have done to interfere with the Jazz's shooting drills, Van Gundy said: "Do what we're supposed to do. And do it as hard as we can." Fourth-quarter collapse But the Rockets' most obvious failing came in the fourth quarter when, for the third consecutive game, an opposing team turned up the intensity and the Rockets fell apart. The Rockets were within four with six minutes left. But with the game on the line, Raja Bell and Harpring each sank virtually uncontested jumpers, and Bell tipped in a Mehmet Okur miss. The Jazz scored on eight of their last 11 trips down the court. Against the Spurs on Wednesday, the Rockets were within three with six minutes left and lost by 18. Against the SuperSonics on Tuesday, they led by five and lost by two. "To be manhandled in the fourth quarter during the last three games — that's basically what it's come down to," guard Jon Barry said. "When the chips are down, we've wilted. We just haven't been tough enough. When a team 20 games under .500 comes in here and acts like they want it more than we do, it's inexcusable. It's a joke." The addition of Mike James at point guard worked well enough for the Rockets. He had 19 points, making seven of 15 shots while the Jazz sent extra defensive attention to McGrady, who had 23 points, and Yao Ming, who took just 10 shots and finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Defensive breakdowns But the Rockets' problems were not on the pretty end of the floor. They broke their assignments defensively, then played the part of the skinny but nice guy on the beach getting bullied. "If you're talking defense and rebounding, it's always an effort thing — blocking out and going to get the ball," guard David Wesley said. "I don't know what it is, but right now, fourth-quarter intensity on that end of the floor needs to pick up a whole lot. "We've given up big leads in the fourth and won. We've given up big leads in the fourth and lost. Now, for three straight games, we get our teeth kicked in to lose three straight." Van Gundy appreciated that his band of good guys means well, even if he sounded as though he would love them more if they would be a little less lovable. jonathan.feigen@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary Sloan impressed Utah coach Jerry Sloan joked before Sunday's game that the Jazz's goal these days was a spot in the lottery. And even though that is where the Jazz are likely headed, they delighted their coach by not acting like it. Utah picked up only its second road victory of the year and snapped a four-game losing streak. "That's the most excitement I've seen from us all year," Sloan said. "We executed so well, and we made our shots." The Jazz entered the season with high expectations after acquiring Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer in the offseason. But key injuries and inconsistent play have left them with one of the NBA's worst records (18-37). Almost every player has missed a handful of games. Andrei Kirilenko missed 27 games with knee injuries and is still trying to work himself back into his old form. Boozer, Utah's leading scorer, missed his fourth game with a sprained right foot. Sloan said the injuries are no excuse. "These guys have to find a way to learn how to win," he said. Two new faces With Mike James starting in his first game as a Rocket and Moochie Norris playing nine first-half minutes off the bench, the Rockets have had seven point guards, including five different starting point guards. Of the two point guards on the court in their last game, Rod Strickland has been released, and Andre Barrett was placed on the injured list with a sprained ankle. As difficult as it is to suffer injuries at the same position, the fact that position is point guard could make the changes even more detrimental. "I think it's been challenging," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "But you can overcome it. It's not an excuse not to play well. We have to play well however we do it." The price of access Jazz forward Matt Harpring collided with Channel 2 photographer Allen Reid in the first quarter, with Reid taking the brunt of the collision and injuring his left shoulder. "I knew I hurt him," Harpring said. "I hit him hard." Press row view Tracy McGrady said it more than a week ago. The Rockets, he said, are nice guys, but Bob Sura is not. McGrady meant that as a compliment, and Sura took it that way. But McGrady could add now that he needs to be the leader who brings the toughness and determination that had come from Sura. McGrady is a high-volume shooter. He needs to look for his shot without worrying what anyone thinks. And he needs to make defensive stops and get tough rebounds. McGrady knows the traits and example this team needs. No one is better suited to provide them. Inside the numbers • 5 — Number of teams, including the Jazz, that have scored 30 points in a fourth quarter against the Rockets this season. • 4 — Number of times that has happened in the last 12 games. • 64 — Shots by the Rockets on Sunday, their fewest this season. • 69-69 — Score heading into the fourth quarter, marking the first time the Rockets were tied after three this season. Did you know? Both starting backcourts were made up of undrafted players, led by David Wesley, who is third in NBA history in career scoring among players who were not drafted. JONATHAN FEIGEN and MEGAN MANFULL http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3060285
If he loved the Rockets who played (and I use the word loosely) the Jazz yesterday, he would have really loved the Rockets of the eight game winning streak. Two different teams.
I didn't see it posted anywhere. I looked on this page and the next page and the Rockets and Jazz thread. Thats crazy...
I tried doing a search for it, and it didn't even show up. It was viewed like a 100+ times w/ no replies to it this morning, but then *poof*, disappeared. Not sure where it went. It may have been posted or merged w/ another thread.
The Pistons lost their first 2 games after the trade, both by 1 point, and both at home. The first of those losses was to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which is reasonable considering how good a team they were last year. But here's some perspective - they lost a home game to the Orlando Magic, a team that finished the year 21-61. It wasn't even because TMac played his mind out- McGrady finished 3-20 from the field. The Pistons even led by 7 going into the 4th quarter, and still lost. Is Van Gundy talking about premeditated murder?!?!
