Preseason review THE GOOD ·Eddie Griffin led the NBA in blocked shots after blocking seven in the preseason-ending back-to-back. ·The Rockets' defense, their biggest weakness last season, has been a strength. Fronting in the low post has worked and made Griffin an even more effective weakside shot-blocker. ·Yao Ming's first week was impressive, especially in his ability to handle the whirlwind of demands and attention. ·The "five-man" offense looks good, the players love it, and it fits the personnel. THE BAD ·The "five-man" offense has made only cameo appearances in most of the preseason games because of the changing lineups and injuries. ·Terence Morris' high ankle sprain hit hard. Morris was playing especially well and is solid at both forward positions, a valuable commodity when Maurice Taylor serves his five-game suspension. ·Maurice Taylor's return from a ruptured Achilles' tendon was twice sidetracked when he stepped on another player's foot. He was forced to miss the last preseason game and will have to miss the next five games, forcing him to almost start over on shedding that rust when he comes back. THE UGLY ·It usually goes without saying, but the more of the Rockets uniform, the worse. Outfitting 7 1/2 feet worth of player in those stripes is more than the eyes, and weaker stomachs, can take.
If one of the worse things were the uniforms, we are in great shape! Good: Lot's of talent. New meat: Yao Ming, Boki, Rice, Taylor, Hawkins Marked Improvement: EG, TMo, Cato, Mooch New Offense Better Defense Bad: Nagging injury issues Offensive stagnation Uniforms
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1635338 Oct. 26, 2002, 9:27PM -Rockets summary- Showtime The Rockets will hold a free, open practice from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Compaq Center. The practice will be set up as a scrimmage, but Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said it would help with preparations for the season opener. "We've done that every year since I can remember," Tomjanovich said. "I think it's great. Everybody wins, everybody's happy." Guarded optimism Rockets point guard Moochie Norris on Saturday had his first full practice since returning from surgery to repair his dislocated right little finger. "I got my first hit on it," Norris said. "I went to the hole and a guy got a swipe. It hurt quite a bit. But now I'm passed it. I'm ready for Wednesday. I had a great practice today." Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich seconded that opinion. "He was good, really good," Tomjanovich said. "Mooch is a big-play player and a playmaker. He finds the open guy as well as anybody. He was great." Kenny Thomas will have his fractured right thumb examined Monday. He said whether he can play in the Rockets' opener Wednesday could "come down to how much pain I can stand." Down time The Rockets held Yao Ming out of the second half of Saturday's practice to rest his sore right ankle. Yao sprained the ankle during the Asian Games and had been treating it throughout his first week with the Rockets. "It's not great, but it's getting better," Yao said. "It shouldn't be a big problem. It hasn't been reinjured." Yao's Good Morning America appearance, which had been planned for Tuesday, was canceled to help lighten the load on his schedule. Yao said after Saturday's practice that he still had not had any free time and that he filled the hours after Friday's practice with errands. He did not plan to be adventurous before tonight's scrimmage and was planning to "read a book or listen to music" with his first time off in a week. But Yao has begun the rookie duties of carrying his teammates' bags. He said his rookie interpreter, Colin Pine, will have to carry his bag. Space stars Steve Francis and Eddie Griffin visited the Children's Museum of Houston on Saturday to shoot the first of a series of television commercials. Moochie Norris and Cuttino Mobley will visit Space Center Houston on Monday. The eight spots will feature Rockets interacting with fans around town and could hit the air in as little as a week, depending on editing. Miller out Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller probably will miss the season opener with the Rockets on Wednesday as he continues recovering from a deep bone bruise to his right ankle. Miller sprained his ankle Aug. 25 in an exhibition game with the U.S. team before the World Basketball Championships. He did not play for the Pacers in the preseason, which concluded Friday with a 111-76 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Forward Ron Artest, who also missed the preseason after surgery on his right little finger, is expected to be cleared to play in the opener. -- JONATHAN FEIGEN
