Reeling Rockets look to regroup By MICHAEL MURPHY Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle It's hard to imagine that a quick two-game road trip against two of the league's lower-echelon teams could be a make-or-break situation for the Rockets, but that's how they're looking at it. With this afternoon's game at Chicago followed by Monday's game at Memphis, the Rockets hope to bank two wins before coming home to face three of the Western Conference's top teams in Dallas (Wednesday), Minnesota (Friday) and Sacramento (Feb. 2). But even though neither team is playing .400 ball, the Rockets are wary of Chicago and Memphis. The Bulls, who were on their way to a 21-61 finish, swept the Rockets last season. And Memphis, which picked up three of its 23 wins last season against you know who, has beaten the Rockets this year, 114-109 in overtime on Dec. 13. "I think we'll be OK," Cuttino Mobley said. "Going on the road, these are two winnable games, but we can't go in there being cocky about the whole situation because we have no leeway for that. But these are teams that we should beat, even though Chicago plays well at home and Memphis plays well at home." Steve Francis isn't so sure. "These are the types of teams that we usually falter against," he said. "We just want to come out and try to set a tone somehow." A winning tone. A win today not only would break a season-high tying three-game losing streak, it also would inject life into a team that was on top of the world just over a week ago following an overtime win over the Lakers. Back then, everything was perfect. That 108-104 victory over the three-time defending champs gave the Rockets a four-game win streak, put them eight games over .500 and had almost everyone talking about the playoffs. But the NBA is never that easy, so the Rockets have been given a reality check by the league with losses to San Antonio, Dallas and Detroit, the latter two coming by a combined 45 points. They hit the road with a 23-18 record at the midway point of the season, and coach Rudy Tomjanovich is hoping the time spent together in the next couple of days will galvanize his team. "This is where we really have to bond," Tomjanovich said. "This is a big test as far as hanging in there together, finding a way to get it done and staying positive. "It's like you're in the military and you're wounded, they're coming at you and trying to knock you out. This is where you have to have that camaraderie and dependence on each other. It's all about being a team." The Rockets remain one of the league's most enigmatic teams, one capable of victories over the Lakers, San Antonio, Sacramento, Portland, Boston and Indiana, but equally capable of losing to the likes of the Clippers (twice), Memphis, New York and Atlanta. "This is crazy," said forward Maurice Taylor. "I haven't ever been on a team like this, one that goes from one extreme to the next. It's really crazy. I can't explain it. All you can do is hope you can get better, get more consistency because the way we're playing, we'll never get a streak going. "Assuming we do make the playoffs, what then? You need to win four games in a row or three games in a row to get through a (playoff) series. We're not doing that. So we definitely need to get some consistency somewhere." One would hope so because the Rockets appear to have plenty of talent. They have two players -- Francis and Yao Ming -- who will start for the West in next month's All-Star Game and another in Mobley who is just a notch below that level. Kelvin Cato has proved to be one of the league's best backup centers, and guys like James Posey, Eddie Griffin and Moochie Norris are solid role players. Despite all that talent, the Rockets often struggle with even the most basic aspects of the game. For example, in their last two games, they have a combined total of 20 assists, and in those games against Dallas and Detroit, Yao, allegedly one of their top offensive options, has taken only 10 shots. Taylor thinks some of the problems come from the fact the Rockets have too much talent on the floor, which seems paradoxical. "You wind up thinking that you can just outplay guys and not really outthink them or get into the strategy of the game," Taylor said. "Sometimes that does come into play, where we're playing only on talent. But you're not going to beat every team strictly with talent. "Some of these teams with lesser talent than you have, like Utah, they can still beat you because they're going to do the things that they can do to win the game. They're going to execute, and I think that's where we have to get. We have to get to where we execute a whole lot better." Everyone insists that kind of chemistry is coming. It must if the Rockets hope to contend in the West. "It's easy when it's flowing, everybody's healthy and you have it going and there are positives," Tomjanovich said. "But when the negatives come in and you get away from the true reality of where we're at and all that, every team has to go through that. It's going to be a good test for us."
"I think we'll be OK," Cuttino Mobley said. "Going on the road, these are two winnable games, but we can't go in there being cocky about the whole situation because we have no leeway for that. But these are teams that we should beat, even though Chicago plays well at home and Memphis plays well at home." Steve Francis isn't so sure. "These are the types of teams that we usually falter against," he said. "We just want to come out and try to set a tone somehow." Steve's got the right attitude, while Cuttino still doesn't get it.
just curious how did cuttino not have the right attitude. we can't be cocky, we have no leeway for that, they play well at home, but it's winnable and i think we'll be ok. what's wrong with that?
oh and did rudy sleep with the schedule maker's daughter or something??? we were just talking about a tough 5 games coming up a few weeks ago and then that gets freakin' followed by detroit. then two games that look easy, chi and mem, aren't b/c chicago is 14-7 at home and memphis is something like 8-2 or 1 at home since that horrible 15 game losing streak. then we get nailed with sactown and dallas, the two best in the league, with minnesota thrown in between. my god. that's ridiculous.
Francis seems unsure of how to set the tone in these upcoming games which shows that the team is unsettled right now and might end up losing these games. When Mobley says I think we are going to be OK I get the feeling that he intends to try to win the game by himself by taking a bunch of shots all night long. We have to pass the ball around take high percentage shots and play defense to have any chance of winning.
Our team is full of people still looking for their roles. If we had veterans, they'd have found their roles. But dammit, if you're not Steve Francis or Yao Ming, then you're role is to play the best defense you possibly can and take high percentage shots, or pass it. That's it. Only Steve and Ming should be having these problems, for everyone else, their roles are simple.
Francis, SOMEHOW set the tone! Too late...we tried...but they got lucky at the end. So so far...0-1...I predict we will win the next game. Then go on another 3 game losing streak! Mo Taylor talking about consistency...he was the one today who missed all his shots!
