Sura sets example with toughness Rockets likely to heed guard who plays through pain By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMING UP Wednesday: at Dallas, 8:00 p.m. TV/Radio: Listings; KILT (610 AM) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob Sura stood in the hallway at Toyota Center, talking with a smile about the pain in his bruised right knee. He tried to continue masking the concerns surrounding his injury, but it was impossible. The pain has become so bad that Sura hardly has been able to practice the past few weeks. Now he's worried it will keep him out of games. Sura has not ruled out surgery on the knee. He hopes to put it off until after the season. After practice Tuesday, Sura went to Texas Orthopedic Hospital to visit Rockets team physician Dr. Hussein Elkousy, who drained fluid from the knee. It was the second time Sura has had it drained since suffering the injury Dec. 18 against Charlotte. "It's been pretty bad," said Sura, 31, who is expected to play tonight at Dallas. "It's been three weeks that it's been with me already, so maybe this time it will cure it, and it will be better." The previous draining didn't work. Neither did extra days off. Yet since the injury, Sura has played in all 11 games and averaged 32.5 minutes. "As far as his injury, it's not something minor," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Very, very few other guys in this league would still be playing right now." Sura's ability to play through the pain has impressed and inspired his teammates and the Rockets' coaching staff. "You can see the pain on his face," forward Tracy McGrady said. "He's grimacing every trip up the court. He's definitely a true warrior. That intensity he plays with, the passion he plays with — what more can you say?" Sura, a 6-5 guard, banged his knee twice in the game against Denver on Sunday and sat the entire second half. Van Gundy said Sura likely would be on the injured list, but the team has no depth at point guard. If Sura is sidelined, the Rockets likely would have to make another trade. Their only healthy point guard is undrafted rookie free agent Andre Barrett. Charlie Ward, recovering from surgery on his right knee, is on the injured list, and Tyronn Lue was traded Dec. 23 to Atlanta for Jon Barry. "(Sura's) got a toughness that's unique," Van Gundy said. "It's not just physical, because that's part of it too, but his mental toughness to allow pain to not deter him. He knows we're in dire straits." Sura underwent back surgery in September and missed the first month of the season. But he was activated from the injured list earlier than expected because of Ward's injuries. Less than a month later, Sura hurt his knee. "I haven't been 100 percent for a while," said Sura, who is averaging 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists. "It's a concern, but hopefully it will be OK. It just limits my ability — my ability to cut left and right, limits my motion a little bit." Van Gundy said Sura's willingness to play through injuries compares to what he saw from former Knicks Larry Johnson (chronic back problems) and Patrick Ewing (numerous injuries) when Van Gundy was coaching in New York. None of their efforts went unnoticed by teammates, which is one reason Sura has developed into a successful leader. "That's why Sura has great credibility as far as leading," Van Gundy said. "Everybody knows what he's going through, and everybody sees how hard he's playing. So if he says, 'We've got to go play hard,' that's credible. "If a guy says, 'We've got to play hard,' and he's the dog, it goes in one ear and out the other. So that's why, to me, Sura is credible, very credible. Because when he says energy and he says toughness, that's how he plays." megan.manfull@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary Test for Yao Yao Ming has put together his most solid stretch of road games during the past week. For the first time all season, Yao has scored at least 20 points in each of his last three road games. He accomplished that feat only twice in the first 12 road games of the season. But Yao will have a tough time continuing that trend tonight against Dallas. Mavericks center Erick Dampier has been a problem for Yao. In their two meetings this season, Yao has hit only 26.9 percent of his field-goal attempts. "Obviously he's been totally inefficient against Dallas because of Dampier's physicality," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Like last time with Dallas, they got off 10-0, just like the Lakers did. We went inside four or five times in a row and came up empty and we're playing out of a hole. So we have to get Yao more efficient against the more physical centers." Upgrade at point The Dallas Mavericks handed their starting point guard job to Jason Terry eight games ago and they haven't regretted it. Terry has boosted the team's offense and lifted the Mavs to seven victories. The Mavs average 111.3 points per game with Terry as a starter compared to 99.0 when he came off the bench. He's averaging 13.1 points, 7.0 assists and 1.88 steals per game as a starter since replacing rookie Devin Harris. "(Terry) makes every shot," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's shooting the ball great, from range. Very rarely, if ever, anymore do you see a guard shooting over 50 percent. He's shooting 52." -- MEGAN MANFULL http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2988888
Wow, sura's turning out to be a really good pickup for us. I love reading about players playing through pain, putting their body on the line. Reading tmac's quote about sura cast insight onto how much the other players must loook up to him, and as to how much it must inspire our other teammates.
Sura really leads by example. I have always liked his energy and toughness even though he tends to play out of control sometimes. We will be in big trouble without him. Wesley would have to start as the PG with Barry as the 2. Barrett would come off the bench.
I could tell from the very first game he played in for us that he was a good pich up .You know a guy is giving his all when on time outs he is dang near throwing up and choking ,but he still went back in and dived for loose balls.
Yup.... to bad he's made outa glass. I don't like it when a new player begins the season missing games because of injury - and then, after healing and playing a handful of games, is again hindered by an injury. (was it Bryce Drew or Brent Price who was like that? I always get the two confused). I think Sura's okay, but I'm hoping he's not one of those 'constantly injured' players. -- droxford
great to see someon on the team leading by example. our guards are pretty tough energetic guys...great additions, all of them. lets hope this trend continues in looking for a 3 and a 4.
He's a valuable guy to a team without a real leader on the court. Everyone defers to TMac out there, but it's important to have someone set the tone, as well. That knee is going to need surgery for sure. I fear for the Rockets when he has to call it a season.
That's great he's such a leader, but.... I'm extremely worried that he's going to not be able to play due to the injury soon. Ugh.
