[Chron] Rockets plan change in tactics for Game 3 against Jazz

Rockets plan change in tactics
Team knows it can't keep winning without more assertiveness on offense and improved shot selection

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

With the Rockets' offense misfiring, center Yao Ming had seen enough.

The Rockets are leading their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz 2-0 but are making only 37.5 percent of their shots. Forward Chuck Hayes, however, took five shots and made them all in Game 2 on Monday.

The evidence, Yao said, was clear. So was the solution: blame the coach.

"I may ask his shooting coach to trade for Tom Thibodeau," Yao said of Rockets assistant Steve Clifford and Thibodeau, the assistant head coach who works with Yao. "He shot 5-for-5. I may try that one."

The problem with this plan is that the Rockets might not be eager for Yao to emulate the shooting form of Hayes. But they do believe some adjustments are in order.

The Rockets have won two games despite their lackluster shooting but know they must do better offensively to keep winning.

The Jazz have pressured the Rockets ragged. Open shots have missed. Tough shots have been rushed. But after two days to consider the two games, the Rockets believe they understand the problems and solutions.

"It's them dictating our offense, what they want us to do," guard Tracy McGrady said. "Normally, during the regular season, you're pretty much getting what you want. You're catching the ball where you want to catch it. You run your offense smoothly.

"This team, since it's the playoffs and since they're a high-energy team, they're making us catch the ball where we don't want to catch the ball, making us run pick-and-rolls in an area where we don't normally run pick-and-roll. I think that has something to do with our shooting.

"There's always a counter to everything. We worked on some of that as far as where we catch the ball, how we're going to go about catching the ball and, if they put pressure on us, what we're going to do when that happens. We have our ways of overcoming when they put pressure on us."

Besides employing greater discipline and determination to run the offense despite Utah's defensive pressure, the Rockets might have found a solution even before getting to the practice court Wednesday.

Against the aggressive Jazz defense Monday, the Rockets' increased assertiveness led to more fouls and free throws and a 51-point second half on 48.6 percent shooting.

"I think we learned a lesson in the second half," forward Shane Battier said. "If we're aggressive with the basketball, going to the basket, we'll shoot some free throws. We have to use that aggressiveness to our advantage, rip through when they're really pressuring us and go to the rack."

While that would be a start, coach Jeff Van Gundy said some improved shot selection would help, too.

"I thought four or five (3-point attempts) were not quality shots," Van Gundy said. "They're closing on us as hard as anybody has closed to the 3-point line. You have to give them a lot of credit. Some others are makable and need to be made. The quality hasn't been what it's been in the regular season.

"Shooting contested 3-point jump shots is not a formula for winning. If they're going to close hard on you, you've got to be more than a one-trick pony. You have to have a counter."

The Rockets' 42.9 percent shooting ranked 27th in the NBA this season, but that included 35.1 percent from the 3-point arc, which was fifth-best. No other team generated as much of its offense from 3-point shooting as the Rockets.

But in the first two games of the Jazz series, the Rockets have made only 13 of 55 3-pointers (25.5 percent).

"I've had so many great looks," said Battier, who has made four of 12 treys. "Ask my wife. I stay up late at night pondering the looks that I've gotten. I probably have gotten better looks than I had in the regular season, but I haven't made many of them."

Luther Head, the Rockets' top 3-point shooter this season, is 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Rafer Alston is 4-of-16.

The Rockets believe that while the Jazz might make things more difficult, the ways around and through the Utah defense have not changed.

"They're very aggressive and the most physical team in the league," Van Gundy said. "Against teams that pressure the ball, no matter what you're running, (you have to) get enough separation from the defenders so you have operating room.

"I know what we have to do to try to play better. That's what we're trying to focus on — how we can play better. We would like to do what we do a little bit better for a little bit longer."

Do that, and the offense that was barely able to produce two victories just might become good enough to add two more.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com


ROCKETS NOTES

By FRAN BLINEBURY AND JONATHAN FEIGEN

Rockets unfazed by shift

With the first-round series shifting to EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Rockets players said they expect the venue change to help the Jazz but not have any effect on themselves.

"There's definitely going to be a lot of energy in the building favoring them," Tracy McGrady said. "We're just going to try to take care of business.

"We're up. We're leading 2-0. It's in our favor right now. But we can't worry about that. We still have a lot more basketball to play. We're going into their building for two games. And we know how tough it can be..

"It really doesn't bother me. I've had great games in that building. The fans are very passionate about the game. They can't come on the basketball court and play. That's why I never worry about how loud the building is or what type of environment. If we go out there and are focused, we won't even notice they're there."

The Jazz were 31-10 at home this season. Only the Mavericks and Suns won more home games.

"When you're on the road, you really block the crowd out," Shane Battier said. "I know fans would like to think they're a distraction with the thundersticks at the free-throw line, but you get used to it pretty quick. You block pretty much everything out. I think the crowd has a much more uplifting effect on the home team than a demoralizing effect on the visiting team.

"We know they'll come out fired up. They know this is a game back in their neighborhood and they should play better. We're on guard for that. We know we have to play our best game of the series to win this Game 3."

No thievery planned

While the Rockets have said they expect victories to be tougher to earn, they dispute the idea that as the visiting team they will be attempting to "steal" a road win.

"Everybody talks about trying to go up there and steal a game," Tracy McGrady said. "No. We're not trying to steal a game. We're going to go up there and try to earn it."

It's just their style

The Jazz have had players foul out of each game — Matt Harpring in Game 1 and Gordan Giricek in Game 2 — but Rockets center Yao Ming said there is no change in the Jazz's defense when players are in foul trouble.

"They play very physical, everybody knows, and also they're not afraid to foul," Yao said. "I don't remember any player having foul troubles. They fouled many times, and I never felt anybody have foul trouble. They keep playing aggressive. My last game, I had foul trouble in the first half. In the third quarter, I could not, on the defensive side, go too much.

"They always try to be aggressive on the defensive side, try to push us away from the paint and make the catch difficult. I think we need to use that better, try to go to the free-throw line, use their aggressiveness."

Jazz still confident

Maybe it's just a stiff upper lip. Maybe their video study has helped them find a way to carry their first-half play over to the second half, but the Jazz maintain they don't need to adjust their game to even up the series.

"I think we're confident that we can beat this team," forward Matt Harpring said. "I know a lot of us feel that way. We lost two. But we feel like we were in those games and could have won them."

Carlos Boozer nodded his agreement.

"They did what they were supposed to do," he said. "Now we're looking to get some home cooking. We're going to do everything we can to win the next game and change this series. We know we can play. We've beaten them before."

Okur rededicates himself

Utah's Mehmet Okur said he won't just settle for jump shots in Game 3.

"I'll attack the basket, try to get some easy baskets and maybe get some free throws," he said. "Then maybe step back for (jump) shots."

Okur would not blame all of his shooting woes on fatigue from having to guard Yao Ming at the other end.

"I would say a little bit," Okur conceded, "because I have to play 110 percent against him on defense. He's such a good player, big guy, and I have to deal with that first. But I think what I must do is attack the basket."

Stockton drops by

Jazz icon John Stockton was on the sidelines during practice Wednesday and had a brief one-on-one chat with second-year point guard Deron Williams after the workout.

But Utah coach Jerry Sloan said he was not expecting any kind of inspirational talk from Stockton to inspire his team.

"I doubt it," Sloan said. "If they're relying on that, then we're pretty weak. He didn't come to watch practice. He just stopped by to say hello. I talked to him last night. But that (a Stockton speech) is not something we want to do to give us an edge. What will give us an edge is if our players play."

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don't see why, we still came out with the wins in both game, if anything you should be encouraged because they'll have to breakout of their slump at some point esp. Luther