Sacbee: Yao takes one or two for team down in paint

Kings notes: Yao takes one or two for team down in paint
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, December 9, 2005
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C5
When it was over, Yao Ming looked as if he had gone the full 15 rounds.
A Band-Aid over one eye from a previous bout and a gash on the left side of his cheek required immediate pressure to stop the blood flow at Arco Arena and left the Houston Rockets' center looking battered, but not beaten.

Yao scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots and he drew some ribbing from teammates and coaches for being a 7-foot-6 guy who still managed to absorb some elbows to the face.

"I've been there," Rockets assistant coach Patrick Ewing said. "Happens to all of us."

Ewing, the former New York Knicks All-Star center, said he bristles at any criticism of Yao, a man with as much upside as his wingspan who produces solid numbers without necessarily dominating games. Yao was effective against the Kings except for his game-high six turnovers.

"People will criticize no matter what he does because it'll never be good enough," Ewing said. "But getting better, that's Yao's job. He's going to be fine. He's a great guy, works hard, does everything we want."

Including taking some for the team.


Sizing up T-Mac
Rick Adelman said Tracy McGrady is about as tough a cover as you can find in the NBA. The Kings' coach lumps him in with that elite class of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, with Sacramento yet to play Bryant but already losing to Wade and James in the last week. McGrady scored 28 points against the Kings, doing a little of everything.
"(His versatility), that's what makes him so good," Adelman said. "He has the ability to make threes, pull up, attack the basket. He's got the whole package. He finds a way. He's a terrific player."

Adelman said McGrady makes Yao better, makes the Rockets a major factor. No new development there, but it becomes painfully true when it unfolds in front of you. When McGrady was out nursing a sore back, the Rockets were 0-8, including a seven-game losing streak. They are 6-4 with him.


Hard on himself
Bonzi Wells personally had a 9-0 run in the second half and he finished with 21 points, but the Kings' guard said, "I blame myself for this one." A bit harsh, no?
"I let McGrady get 28," he explained. "I needed to do a better job on him. That might've helped us win."


All systems go?
Brad Miller insists the formula is there to make it all work. The Kings' motion offense, with cutters and passers and shooters can still work, the center said.
"It's not the system (that's not working), it's trying to get everyone on the same page," Miller said of the Kings' woes before Thursday's meltdown. "It's a simple system, a simple concept we play with, but it's hard to execute the way it was when I (first) got here and the even before I got here. I think people took for granted the experience and the years the guys had playing together. Doug (Christie) was always on the ball and from the outside in he was a huge part of this team's success. He got to play point guard and the offense would run through him, and Peja (Stojakovic) used to get two layups a game on one of the little tip plays when Doug would go down the middle.

"A lot of people don't realize how hard it is to get it as fine tuned as it was."

Miller remains a vital cog, a high-post passer who leads the Kings in assists (and leads all NBA players besides guards in assists). He admits that when he's not on, the Kings aren't on.

"I'm just pushing it too much at this point," Miller said. "It's not a real smooth machine. We have some kinks in it that we're trying to bend them out and get a win."


Barry out
Jon Barry, who energized with a Rockets' career best 24 points in an early season victory over the Kings, did not play Thursday. The guard has been nursing a foot injury

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13958096p-14792400c.html