sorry if it's already been posted Wednesday, March 26 Coach out indefinitely with treatments on tap -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich told his team in an emotional meeting Wednesday that he will be out indefinitely while undergoing treatment for bladder cancer. "I didn't look at him in the face," guard Steve Francis said. "It was hard. Then again, it wasn't like he was on his sick bed. Coach is really an emotional guy whether he's telling you you did something wrong or explaining that he's not feeling well." Tomjanovich, 54, was diagnosed on March 18 with the transitional cell cancer on his bladder that doctors said would be treatable with medication. Team physician Dr. James Muntz said there had been no change in the diagnosis. "The only change in his condition is he's calm, he's optimistic," Muntz said. "One of the issues that came up was that treatment should start next week. It became obvious that his treatments should come on time and not juggling something at 10 at night that should have been done at 3 p.m." Tomjanovich missed the team's five-game road trip and had been expected to rejoin the team for Wednesday night's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tomjanovich said he realized his return now wouldn't be practical. "I believe it's the best thing for the team," Tomjanovich said. "At this critical part of the season, this team, any team, needs a coach who has got to give 100 percent of his thoughts to helping the team. As much as I love this team, I know my thoughts would be on some other things." Tomjanovich, in his 12th season as head coach, led the Rockets to consecutive NBA titles in 1994 and '95. He's acrobatic on the sidelines during games and that would be hard to contain, he said. "When I coach, I put everything I have into it," Tomjanovich said. "I come out of games and need ice packs. With all the adrenaline flowing, that can't be good for a healing situation. It just doesn't make sense." Assistant Larry Smith will continue to coach the Rockets (37-33) during Tomjanovich's absence. "It's tough. Coach is my mentor," Smith said. "I love the guy. I'm just happy that he's going to be OK. Now, this is our job to go and get wins and we'll do everything in our power to do so. He wouldn't want it any other way." The team initially said Tomjanovich would rejoin the team during the just-completed West Coast road swing, then announced he would miss the entire trip. The Rockets went 2-3 under Smith. "It's hard to deal with," forward Glen Rice said. "What makes it easier is to deal with it and talk about it and that's what we've got to do. I think we'll react good. Just seeing him gave the team a lift to see him being strong. Now we've got to go out and show that we're OK." The Rockets are battling the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Until his absence on the road trip, Tomjanovich had not missed a game in 11 seasons as a head coach. Tomjanovich said he got over a bladder infection about a month ago and went in for routine follow-up testing. One came back negative but another was positive. That led to the more extensive test March 17 that confirmed the abnormal cells. Asked if he saw any possibility of not returning next season, Tomjanovich said "not in my mind." http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0326/1529665.html
