An Encouraging Article

This was taken from the Sportingnews...


http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/teams/rockets/


The Rockets gave it a good run, but their dream of making the playoffs has finally gone to sleep with the Clippers. Fuhgeddaboudit.

But while the end has been a downer, that's not to say the season has been a disappointment. Quite the contrary. While local radio shows have been burning up with rants about the Rockets' playoff near-miss, there are far too many positives to take out of the season.

For starters, they took that playoff chase down to the season's final week, which is something many thought impossible when the season started. Secondly, with 42 wins, the small-ball Rockets have assured themselves of a winning season, which borders on the miraculous in the West, a conference dominated by the big man.

And when you look at the fact that no team in the league is likely to finish with 60 wins (San Antonio still has a shot at it), a 42-win season becomes more impressive, especially since Portland has yet to win 50 games and the defending-champion Lakers are going to finish in the low 50s.

Another cause for hope in the Rockets' front office is the state of the team's rebuilding situation. Just three years ago the Rockets were a team full of creaking, aging relics, and every attempt had been made to put off the inevitable rebuilding effort.

But when they wheedled Steve Francis away from Vancouver, the Rockets replaced their artifacts with a new superstar around whom they could build, one capable of making game-breaking plays. And making them for many years to come.

Being able to complement Francis with a player like Cuttino Mobley, who this year has emerged as an explosive scorer, has been yet another enormous building block in the rebuilding process.

"I think we're very fortunate and we're well along (in the rebuilding process)," Tomjanovich said. "Instead of saying we've taken a step in the right direction, I'd have to say that it's at least a stride. We thought that getting to this point would take more time. We got a high-lottery-pick player (Francis) without having to be in the lottery. That is monumental.

"But from here, I have to use a golf analogy -- it's like breaking 90, and breaking 80 is going to be tougher. That's what we have to face, getting the guys here to understand some of the little things that we have to do to get to that next level, but also finding another piece of the puzzle here or there that will help us get there."

But this summer is going to be huge.

Hakeem Olajuwon has probably played his way into another contract. Now the Rockets have to find a rebounder who will get them 10-13 boards a night. And if he can defend the West's outstanding power forwards, that would be a plus.

They're most likely going to have to replace Shandon Anderson, who is expected to opt for free agency, if not for greener pastures for more involvement in the offense. And if they can prod Kelvin Cato into being the center everyone thinks he can be, the Rockets will be set for a real playoff run next season.

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS

Point guard: While his team has been up and down, that has not been the case for Steve Francis, who had back-to-back games of 28 and 26 points. Francis seems to be discovering just how effective he can be when he's putting the ball up often. Grade: A

Shooting guard: Cuttino Mobley had 21 points against the hapless Hawks, but struggled against the Jazz, making just two of his 11 shots. Mobley's six points was his lowest total this season, the previous low being the eight he scored against Portland on Nov. 11. Grade: C

Small forward: Shandon Anderson must've been crying when he visited Utah on Monday, seeing all those backdoor cuts and pick and roll plays. After a brief 15-point flareup against the Sonics last week, Anderson has returned to his non-scoring ways, totaling just seven points in the two subsequent games. Grade: C

Power forward: After two solid games, Kenny Thomas understandably struggled against Utah's superior front line, finishing with five points and eight rebounds. But he needs more than five shots against Karl Malone and Donyell Marshall. Grade: B

Center: Just one game removed from a brilliant 26-point, 10-rebound game against the Hawks, Hakeem Olajuwon was limited to just eight points (on eight shots) and three boards in the loss to the Jazz. Grade: C

Bench: Kelvin Cato has been supplying steady, if unspectacular, numbers while backing up Olajuwon. He had eight rebounds against the Hawks and six points and six rebounds against the Jazz. Moochie Norris had six assists in 17 minutes at Utah. The Rockets also have been using this end stretch to get a look at 6-11 small forward Dan Langhi, who shows promise on offense. Grade: C

Coaching: Keeping them looking ahead, rather than dwelling on missing the playoffs, will be a key. Grade: A

INJURY REPORT

Forward Maurice Taylor (strained Achilles tendons) is out. The Rockets told Taylor to hang 'em up for the season, allowing him to rest his aching gams. Kenny Thomas has been doing a decent job in his place.

Center/forward Jason Collier (right quadriceps cartilage surgery) is out. Collier will work on his game over the summer, getting a feel for the Rockets' system that he was not able to get this year.

Forward Walt Williams (sprained left ankle) is questionable. Don't expect Williams to play anymore this season.

WHO'S HOT

Since his abysmal five-point game against the Mavericks, Steve Francis has been rolling, averaging 23.3 points in the last three games and 27 in the last two.

Kenny Thomas had been enjoying a nice streak, especially on the boards, before stumbling in Utah. But he averaged 11.6 points and 10 rebounds in the five previous games, which including four games of 10-or-more rebounds.

WHO'S NOT

Since hitting 11-of-15 shots against the Kings on March 20, Cuttino Mobley has been off, making just 38.5 percent of his shots (57-of-148 attempts). That run was capped off by Monday's game at Utah, where he made just two of 11 shots in his season-low six-point game.

A disappointing season is winding down for Shandon Anderson, who most likely can't wait for the year to end. He didn't even do well against the Jazz, his former team, and Anderson usually kills them. He averaged 21 points in the three previous games against Utah, but had just two on Monday.




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