Chron: Barry helps Rocket teammate fine-tune his shot

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3419205

Barry gives it up for friend Wesley
Rocket passes to help teammate fine-tune his shot
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Jon Barry was furious, or at least he wanted to look it.

Barry had begun his 25-minute stint Wednesday looking to set up David Wesley, as if players of their age bracket could use a little help on occasion.

Wesley had just begun to show signs of emerging from his shooting slump in Sunday's game. Barry looked to get him a few open looks.

Twice Barry passed up the sort of open shots the Barry family has long cherished to give Wesley a better shot. Wesley hit both jumpers, and while Tracy McGrady spent the night resting knees aching with tendinitis, Wesley's 19 points helped lead the Rockets to an 88-80 win over the Utah Jazz.

But in the closing minutes, Barry and Wesley came down on a break, Wesley looked off a defender and passed — to Rafer Alston.

"I thought I had a couple early that certainly would have been good shots for me," said Barry, who like Wesley had his best scoring night of the preseason, making four of eight shots for 13 points. "But he was there, and I know he's been struggling. That's what's going to help us out in the long run. That's what being a team is all about.

"When he looked me off late in the game, we had a three-on-one and he threw it to Rafer. I had a layup. I said, 'Hey, I gave up a couple for you early tonight. Where's my change.' "

For the record, Barry added, "We were just playing. We have a great relationship. We're just having fun."

But Wesley did appreciate the gesture, especially coming from Barry.

"For the most part, he's a ... ," Wesley said, making sure to be loud enough for Barry to hear his last shot of the night. "But he plays the game the right way. He found me out there a couple times when he passed up some shots he definitely could have taken. He's certainly shooting the ball better than me, so I think he thought I could use a couple of shots."

Wesley's shooting troubles in the preseason (he had made 24.4 percent of his shots before Wednesday) had been obvious, but neither he nor Barry had been happy with his play. Wesley shot poorly; Barry said he had been shooting too much, or more specifically, looking to shoot too often.

Even with McGrady out, Wednesday, Barry shared the court with players far more often the focus of the Rockets' offense and used that to assume his more familiar role playing off them.

"He was playing with a better lineup to play with for him," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's not going to create his own shot. He's going to play off others. I'm not worried. Jon will play well offensively. Barry is a great shooter, a great passer. We know he'll do that."

Barry said the other change has been his improved conditioning in the past week.

"It took me two weeks in camp where I was just dead," Barry said. "I was really disappointed by that because I've been here since the first week of August, five days a week, probably working as hard as I've ever worked. I didn't feel the results. But now I feel good."

Coming off knee surgery, Wesley's struggles were expected. But Sunday against the Wizards, he played a better all-around game. The shot seems to have followed.

"I didn't get a chance to play basketball this summer the way I normally do (after his June 30 surgery)," Wesley said. "So every shot that I get has been weighing a lot heavier than normal preseasons. I've done a lot of thinking and a lot of pressing, trying to find my way and get rhythm. I feel like I've been moving good. But I needed every bit of this preseason."

Wesley had his best night of the preseason. He was not, however, perfect. But he does have one more preseason game tonight in Oklahoma City to send Barry the pass he owes him.