I wish it was about a deal, but it's about who's going to play Tuesday night against the Pistons. BTW - For those who have League Pass, this game is scheduled to be on starting at 7:30. Rockets' fuel still unmixed By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle First, Sam Cassell called with plenty to say, although when Cassell calls, he always has plenty to say. Next, Nick Van Exel was on the line with a point to make. Steve Francis had been dominant, rolling through one of those stretches in which he scores easily forcing anything, and the Rockets had taken a solid, if meaningless, exhibition win over the Spurs. But his friends and point guard peers were not offering congratulations. Francis had played 43 minutes Sunday night, far too many, his more veteran friends said in no uncertain terms. "That's because they're old," Francis said. "Maybe I'll feel that way when I'm that age." Van Exel and Cassell are not really that ancient. It turns out they might have a point, too. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich agreed and will not only hold Francis out of tonight's game against the Pistons to rest Francis' sore knees, but will also keep Cuttino Mobley and his strained hip and Glen Rice and his sore back out. Just one week before the games count, the Rockets will have one game left to get the bulk of their rotation on the court together and then for it to get its act together. "We'll be OK," Mobley said. "We know how to play together. And we'll be together on Friday, all of us. We looked pretty good (Sunday), besides turning it over. I'm not even worried about it. We'll be OK by Friday." But then, Mobley does not lack confidence. He and Francis have been on the court together in only one game. Mobley has not played with Rice yet. But he said he has no doubt what will eventually come together. "I don't think anyone is going to stop us," Mobley said. "I don't care (what defense) is played. "I don't think anybody in the league can match up with us if we play our game. There's teams that can't match up with Shaq (O'Neal) or (Michael) Jordan one-on-one. I just feel Steve and I matured that much. Of course we make mistakes. But nine times out of 10 it's going to be good plays." That might be, but there is some advantage to actually playing together. The injuries have made it difficult to pin down the precise rotation. But with off-season acquisition Rice expected to start and rookies Terence Morris, Oscar Torres and Eddie Griffin certain to make the team, the Rockets would benefit from court time together. But Francis and Mobley remain the triggers of the Rockets' offense, and the hope that the chemistry can quickly come together. "Steve and Cuttino basically know what we're doing," Tomjanovich said. "I mean, the system revolves around them." That said, he added that it is unlikely the Rockets can be as cohesive as they would be had they been together on the court the past three weeks. "That's probably not going to happen the way we'd like it to happen," Tomjanovich said. "But we've been there so many times before. It's part of this business. We'll just try to do the best that we can. "It isn't an ideal situation. It's very hard to get continuity. It's good to get Cuttino back, good to get Walt (Williams) back. Eddie, this was his first scrimmage in a long time. Every day is just a valuable day being together." The Rockets still don't know when they will be together with Rice, given the unpredictable nature of back injuries. Rice said he might try to come back tonight, but is more likely to play Friday in San Antonio if at all before the regular-season opener next Tuesday. But Rice has consistently said he did not think fitting in would be a problem, citing the open shots the Rockets have gotten in the preseason, the attention Francis and Mobley demand and the guards' willingness to give up the ball. "Definitely, I'll be out there before the season starts. I'm going to try to get in if not tomorrow, definitely Friday," Rice said. "We're going to have it down. I don't think it's a major concern that we (have not) been able to go out there and play together. We all have the same purpose in mind, to win and play together. I don't see any problems in the time we haven't been able to spend together. "It's important to be out there condition-wise and for the guys that don't catch on as quickly as others. But one of the things I've been trying to do is concentrate on what I have been missing on the floor and to be ready to take that out on the court when I'm out there." Still, the Rockets have not clicked with any consistency so far in the preseason. They were blown out when Francis did not play in Orlando and had 31 turnovers Sunday against the Spurs. "This is what preseason is all about, it's where you get the chemistry," forward Kenny Thomas, the only presumptive opening-night starter to play every preseason game, said. "I think we're going to be all right, but we still have a ways to go as far as sharing the ball and knowing what everybody can do, just playing team ball. "We just have to play like we were in training camp, sharing the ball and having confidence in everybody. Once we have that, we're going to be all right."
