Is it out of reach? The Rockets, getting healthier by the day, begin the second half tonight five games out of the last playoff spot By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Juwan Howard and Tracy McGrady, unwilling to confess even to the temptation, never think about it. Rafer Alston thinks about it all the time. He can't help himself. Jeff Van Gundy thinks about it often, given that he considers roughly everything related to the NBA and the Rockets. He just will not tell you what he thinks. It's far too removed from sight to say the word "playoffs," at least without a Jim Mora shriek. But finally, the Rockets seem to have come out of the darkness enough to begin the season's second half with that goal. After a mostly dreadful first half of the season, the Rockets hit the turn on the upswing, having won three of four games since McGrady came back from his most recent spell of back spasms, with consecutive routs by an average of 20.5 points and with a last-second loss to the Detroit Pistons juggernaut. The Rockets have suddenly, albeit briefly, played like a playoff team. The hard part, and the question for the season's second half, will be whether they actually can become one. "We're best served when you stand where we do today to not think long term," Van Gundy said. "As far as the playoffs, it would take many different things to happen for us to do that. I'm not ready to discuss that. "I've said with Yao (Ming) and Tracy together, playing, healthy, we're good. How good I couldn't even tell you because it didn't happen very often. With Yao, Tracy and Rafer as a true point, I thought we had a chance to be pretty darn good. It hasn't worked out that way." The Rockets are five games and six teams removed from a playoff spot, just a half-game out of last in the Western Conference. But after a first half with absurdly bad injury luck — with two strained calf muscles, a fractured fibula, infections in Yao's left big toe and Stromile Swift's left eye, and McGrady's run through knee tendinitis, back spasms and now a smashed nose — things seem to be turning around. They expect to have Swift back tonight against Minnesota, Yao back by the middle of next week. Jon Barry likely will follow a few days later. But beyond all that, when McGrady plays, they are 15-13, 15-10 when he is able to finish the game. When Yao and McGrady have played, they are 9-5. If the Rockets play the second half at that pace, and Yao returns Wednesday as planned, they would finish either 42-40 or 43-39. Neither record would guarantee a playoff spot and the Rockets would have to undo the damage done in losses to last-place teams Chicago, Charlotte, Toronto and Atlanta and their woeful 4-13 home record. But it does indicate a chance to move from last in the Western Conference a few days ago to in the running for the playoffs. And that does not consider the Rockets' record at close to full strength, because they have only had three games all season with the rotation they expect to have available in the next week to 10 days. Beyond the AAU level "It's great to see them making progress to come back," Alston said. "We finally look like a team instead of a AAU team. Sometimes you look on TV ... and we have three guys on the bench and assistant coaches in suits. It's going to be great to have them back, hopefully get them into the flow and hopefully run off a few wins. "We have to continue to find ways to win. If we can win eight or nine in a row, I think we can climb back into it." More likely, steady progress can slowly get them back into the race. So far, the Rockets' resurgence has been a two-game winning streak. Tonight they will be seeking their first home winning streak of the season. "I thought they did a really good job on the road trip," Van Gundy said. "I thought they did a good job (Wednesday) night save for the last four minutes of the second quarter. That's what we need to continue to try to do. If we do that, results will come. "I like the way McGrady on offense makes the game easier. That's where we were struggling. People make a lot of our offensive struggles. We haven't really struggled offensively when those guys have played." Points coming easier The Rockets average 92 points per game when McGrady plays, eight more than when he doesn't, though still in the bottom third of the league. But the record determines playoff spots and on the rare occasions the Rockets have had their presumed rotation together, the record has been at least good enough to offer hope. "We're definitely getting up with them coming back," McGrady said. "The last four games we're playing very well. With our best players coming back, it's only going to help improve our team even more and give us a lot more depth. ... We're back on track and hopefully we can stay like that." If it stays that way, eventually McGrady said he might just look at the playoff implications, even if it is too soon to even hope they would include the Rockets. "I will," he said, "when they come out with the eight teams." jonathan.feigen@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary Look for Yao on Wednesday Rockets center Yao Ming is scheduled for medical tests today that could determine whether the infection in his left big toe has been diminished enough to clear him to return to the court. Asked if he thought he would play Sunday against the Miami Heat, Yao said, "I can't say yes, I can't say no." Rockets trainer Keith Jones, however, said Yao is more likely to play Wednesday against Milwaukee because the Rockets also need Yao to have a protective shoe ready that will not cause additional problems and he must improve his fitness enough to play. Yao has developed back tightness and soreness with his initial workouts, Jones said, though he added the back problem is typical when returning after a long layoff. "It's just a conditioning thing," Jones said. Swift likely to return Pending one more medical test, Rockets forward Stromile Swift will be available to play tonight after missing nine games with conjunctivitis. "I feel good," Swift said after Thursday's practice. "I still worked out every day. My legs still work. (Bright light) still kind of hurts, but I can get through it." T-Mask in place Rockets forward Tracy McGrady was fitted for a face mask Thursday and said he would play tonight even if his nose, hit with a Jake Voskuhl elbow Wednesday, is broken. "I think the best thing for me is to wear (a mask) the way it feels to prevent any further damage," McGrady said. As for the mask hindering him, McGrady said, "I couldn't tell you until I put it on and get a feel for it. It seems like it would be a distraction. ... I'm not worried because if it does bother me, I'll go without it." JONATHAN FEIGEN
We've been ableto keep within 5 games of the playoffs with all these injuries. I think it is very reasonable to believe that with a team getting healthier and healthier we can make up 5 games in half of a season. It won't happen right away, I'm guessing, because Yao will be in poor condition when he returns and tire easily. But we now have gotten our bench players some real battle experience and with Sura's return our team will be fired up and ready mentally even if he barely plays. I believe we can make the playoffs. Of course it is only a guess and I could be wrong. Just like those that say we should tank, and we don't have a chance at the playoffs could be wrong. Which makes me wonder, if someone is a fan and they are only guessing at what the future of this season is why not be wrong by predicting things going in favor of our team? It isn't like anybody gains anything if someone says at this point in the season that the Rockets dont' have a chance and they should forget about it, and that guess turns out to be correct. Why not believe in the team, and if it turns out to be wrong then all fans are going to be more upset by the team not making it, than by the fact they guessed incorrectly half way through the season. Likewise if someone predicts the Rockets to fall short, and they turn out to not make the playoffs, will that person really feel happy because they guessed correctly?
Actually, it can happen a lot faster than you think if we beat the teams that are currently ahead of us instead of hoping other teams beat them. I'm not talking about Dallas and San Antonio (who are pretty much out of reach) as much as teams like Utah, both LA teams, Golden State, Minnesota, Sacramento, Seattle. Teams that are currently ahead of us but teams that I feel like we are superior to when healthy. Tonight against Minnesota would be a good start.
If we crack a record of 42 this year- especially this year- we will be in the Playoffs. I am not really sure why there is any doubt about that. Just a cursory look at the Western conference should make that clear- in recent history never was the western conference so competitive in the spots 4 thru 8- a few bad games and Memphis and Clippers will have issues holding onto their spots.
If healthy and only if,and if we decide that we are going to make a run as opposed to tanking, then 50 games should be our goal. This is a difficult task but if we are really any good we should aspire to a lofty position. Y
The West is weaker this year. None of the middle-pack teams are doing that well. With a record of 42-40, I think there is a good chance we'll make it. Of course, I expect and hope we'll do better than that. The best scenario is the Mavs finish the 1st in the West and we No.8 so we'll pay them back for last year. The Spurs are not dominating this season, so I am not as afraid of them as before. It is the Suns I am concerned about. They've got some nice players and Amare isn't back yet.
If the Rockets sweep the next three games, that would be as good an indicator as any that they are going to make a run for the playoffs. They should beat the Wolves, but if they can beat the Heat and Grizzlies, then they are legit.
Chronicle writers have given up on the Astros the past two consecutive years. Each year, they wrote the team's obituary and recommended immediate rebuilding. Oops.
That would be great. But they are better this year, their offense is as good as ever and their defense seems to be better.
i think im just starting to hope for adam morrison. that would be the perfect guy for mcgrady and yao.
The run would have to be historical IMO. 30-10 from here on out. I don't think so but not impossible. However, it is going to be fun watching T Mac try to do it.
