http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2944477 Team ranks among NBA's worst in scoring and shooting By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Inside, outside. Fast, slow. Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming. Twist the Rockets' offense into any shape, run it at any speed through any player, and one thing does not change: It doesn't work if the ball doesn't go in. Such is the problem the Rockets face, a problem unchanged during a brief home winning streak completed with a scintillating last-minute miracle or after another power failure against the Mavericks. The Rockets' offense has become one of the NBA's worst. "It seems like we shoot a low percentage every game, and it's difficult for us to score," guard Bob Sura said. "We've got two guys that are able to put the ball in the basket, but it's just not clicking right now." The Rockets rank 28th in scoring, 25th in shooting percentage and 23rd in 3-point percentage. And even in the last four games, during which the Rockets returned to Toyota Center with a five-game losing streak and started to build a turnaround thanks to intensity and energy, they have averaged just 81.3 points on 38.8 percent shooting. They won the first three of those games, knocking off the struggling 76ers and Hornets and surging past the Spurs by scoring 17 last-minute points. But the scoring average and shooting percentage in the first four games of the homestand would, over the course of the season, rank last in the league. An offense designed to have McGrady and Yao either scoring or drawing double teams that help the players around them score has been increasingly bogged down by the stars' inability to consistently beat the extra-attention defenses and the failure of perimeter shooters to burn the defenses willing to leave them open. Yao, a 51.1 percent shooter for his career, has made half his shots this season and 48.9 percent of his shots on the homestand, during which he has averaged 19.5 points. But the Rockets have been unable to take advantage of the attention he commands. "If it's coming, I can hit the open man, and then my teammates score," Yao said of the double teams that surround him. "If that lets the team score, I'm happy." Miracle an aberration McGrady, a 44.7 percent shooter in his career, is making 40.9 percent of his shots this season. A career 35.4 percent 3-point shooter, he is making 28.3 percent of his 3s. In the past four games, even with the miracle minute, he has made 36.8 percent of his shots. While he has spoken about going more up-tempo, feeling more comfortable and drawing more fouls, McGrady has not been able to put together a consistent scoring streak. The most consistent part of his offensive game has been as a playmaker. But teammates have not been able to reliably take advantage of the shots he has gotten them. "Obviously, right now, the way we're shooting the ball from the perimeter is of grave concern," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "If you have two guys that are going to demand an extra half-defender or full-blown double team and you don't make teams pay for that, it's not a coincidence that it's happened for probably the last 10, 12 games. It's going to continue to happen until we have better play." Asked if he could pinpoint the source of the Rockets' shooting struggles, Van Gundy said: "Besides not having great shooters? That's OK. Hopefully, we'll get some shooting back at the point guard soon, and we'll figure it out." Ward could help That would seem to indicate the Rockets' next step could be bringing Charlie Ward back off the injured list. Ward, a 36.6 percent 3-point shooter in his career, has made 31.4 percent of his 3s this season but was at 39.4 percent through eight games before slumping badly as his bruised right knee worsened. Sura and Andre Barrett have brought needed energy. But Sura, never a catch-and-shoot specialist, has struggled from long range since coming back about two weeks early from back surgery, making just two of 13 3s. Rockets point guards have made 36 of 120 treys this season. "It's no secret," Van Gundy said. "Everybody's doubling off our point guards. That leaves less room for Yao and less room for Tracy, so they're having to be passers more than we would like. It's problematic. "Until we find a way to answer that question offensively, your best players are going to not only have less opportunities, they're going to struggle on even the shots they do have because it's going to always be against a defender-and-a-half to two defenders. It's an every-game thing right now. We're going to have to come up with a solution." Ward might be the next step, but he was never expected to be a solution. Sura was not expected to be back until mid-December, and while energetic, he has not yet seemed at full strength. "Not to make an excuse, but it's going to take some time," Sura said. "There's no time to dwell on it. I have to go out and do what I do until I feel comfortable. The main thing for me is getting to the basket. I usually get to the line and make things happen, and I haven't been able to do that yet. I've been able to do that my whole career. Hopefully, it will come." The Rockets' lack of perimeter shooting at power forward has further clogged the lane, putting defenders in position to cut off McGrady's penetration or to help on Yao. Maurice Taylor, a 46.6 percent career shooter, is making 39.2 percent of his shots. Juwan Howard, a 47 percent shooter who replaced Taylor as the starter, is making 43.2 percent. Shots not falling "Sometimes we get pretty good shots," Taylor said. "Most of the time, they're not falling for us." That would be the problem. The solution would seem more a hope than a plan, but that might make sense. "You can't miss them all the time," Taylor said. "We can shoot a lot better than we are now. We're just struggling right now. I wish it was as easy as us going out and running, or whatever, to be a 45, 50 percent shooting team. It's not that easy. It's going to take work to get better as a unit, to get more precise, more consistent. We have to do a lot of things better." Until then, when choosing what they should do offensively, the Rockets can choose only among things they are doing poorly. jonathan.feigen@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary No man's land With all the shortcomings the Rockets had Saturday in a 102-78 loss to the Mavericks, their most lop-sided defeat of the season, they might have difficulty determining which was most damaging. Picking the most irksome, however, was easy. "I think our biggest problem today was not running back," Yao Ming said. "We have to get back and not allow them to score as much in transition." The Mavericks had 18 fast-break points, all in the first three quarters. That had not been a problem in the Rockets' previous three games, however. They allowed an average of 3.7 fast-break points in the previous three games of the six-game homestand. "The transition defense obviously was deplorable," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Whether that stemmed from frustration, lack of effort or lack of awareness, whatever the reasons -- and there were probably multiple reasons -- there's no excuse to get beat in transition. None. "We weren't on the board, and we weren't back. We were in no man's land." Home disadvantage The Rockets entered this long homestand with hopes of making Toyota Center a formidable place for opponents to play. They say they have made no progress, and the fans appear to agree. The Rockets have struggled to bring the same energy to home games they have had on the road. Despite winning three of four at home this month, they're still struggling, and the fans are also still booing. "Even though we won against the Spurs, I still feel we have to play better at home," Juwan Howard said. "It's supposed to be opposite. We're supposed to defend our home court because this is where our fans are. We're supposed to play with a lot of confidence. But we couldn't get our home fans into it (Saturday). "Because when you're down early, it's tough for them to come out and have some energy and be the sixth man for us, because we're not giving them anything to cheer." JONATHAN FEIGEN and MEGAN MANFULL
I didn't realize how bad it was until I just saw those stats. Man, JVG is killing everybody's game. This is really bad.
I love it when Boki's the answer to our shooting woes. What's Langhi up to these days? He's not busy, right? Maybe he could help too. FREE LANGHI!
look at the numbers BJ.....Boki is our best 3 pt shooter. even if he only lasts half the game due to foul trouble, thats still half the game with a decent 3 pt threat. now, one thing I didnt realize till I read that was that Sura has been so abysmal at shooting the three....maybe it wouldnt kill us to not necessarily need to stay out past the arc....how bout stepping in a few feet and knocking down the long and mid range 2 pt shots? 3s are nice...but if your guys cant hit those, I would rather have consistent 2s over missed 3s.
I know a lot of people aren't too high on Ward, but the dude was shooting the 3 very well before his knee problem. The dude is old, but if he shoots almost 40% from the arc I'd love to have him back too. God knows we could use it.
The problem with Ward is that he is SLOOOOWWW bringing the ball up the court. I would rather let Sura and Barret get comfortable, and bury Ward on IR for the next milenium. DD
I havent checked the numbers, but isnt Barrett hitting at bout the same clip as Ward was? there is no loss of defense with WArd out....so if the numbers are even close, I'd stick with AB just for his speed and hustle.
Very good advice. Utah uses that philosophy. Sloan doesn't like 3s. The percentages go down. The rebounds are longer. Guys like Harpring are there because they can knock down 2s. Threes are a gamble we can't afford to lose.
That is one of the problems with Nachbar. His 3 point shooting has been better but he's only shooting 35% from the field overall.
so you play him based on that fact.....allow Boki to stay out past the arc, where he has a good percentage. ASk the other guys that cant hit the 3 consistently to step in and take the shorter range shot...all it would take is one step, stop and pop. I know I have a lot of trouble consistently nailing 3s...but allow me to step in two feet, and I can knock down that shot with regularity. one of the other things that hurts Boki's precentage is that when he drives\slashes (which he is good at)...he seems to still have problems finishing. If he could actually fiinish hard at the rim, that would help. one other point....Boki hasnt taken a lot of shots from inside the arc since he found his shooting touch...he took quite a few earlier in the season, and wasnt hitting...but since he has managed to start hitting his shots...he has taken the greater majority of them from outside the arc.
We haven't agreed upon anything for the past month, but the Ward comment is right on. I'd rather have Sura and Barret pushing tempo and slashing than Ward planted at the arc. IMHO, even though they are not a fastbreak team in the style of the Nets or Kings, the Rox with Sura and Barret at PG are very, very good at transition O. We're going to be trading potentially easy transition baskets for whatever we can get with Ward's 3's (less his D). Ugh! Please let Calvin back near the team so he can tell them to "Stop and pop"!!! I've been onboard with JVG from the day we lost out on Larry Brown but if VG thinks Ward is the answer to our shooting probs, he's starting to lose even me.
I hear what you guys are saying about AB and Sura being better and quicker about bringing the ball up, hell I agree 100%. But with the type of offense (if you can call it an offense) that JVG runs Ward's 3pt shooting will help us out a lot more. We don't get many fastbreak opportunities which leaves our point guards on the perimeter of a lot of half court sets. Would you rather have a better shooter in those instances or someone who can run faster that doesn't get many chances to do so.
good points to be sure......but, the transition offense has been much more effective without Ward/Lue. VG claims to not be adverse to quick transition opportunities(if you believe that, Im not positive)...and as such he shouldnt mind that when AB/Sura are running the point, we get better opportunities to run. the biggest roadblock I see to that is that with our current rebounding woes, it is tough for anyone to get good break/transition opportunities. as far as I am concerned....I willing to accept the less relaible shooting from long distance in exchange for a better, more athletic point rotation. as I have noted several times today, Im not sold on us only shooting 3s....how bout some of them shorter range higher percentage shots instead?
