[Chron] Rockets remaking transition with Yao back in the fold

TexAg713 · Oct 3, 2010

Re-making the transition
The Rockets agree it's good to have Yao Ming back, but the challenge for the team is incorporating him into the flow

AUSTIN — Yao Ming posted up on the low blocks, then turned and swished that familiar soft jumper of his as he has so many times, as if he had never left.

He hit another so similar, it was as if he was running a shooting drill. He finished a drive with a slick lefthanded layup. He had a tip that only someone 7½ feet tall could make look so easy.

There also were stretches when Yao looked like someone who had been off the court for 15 months, times he did not react while others hit the boards, steps that were once easy that were now awkward.

The rest of the Rockets' week in Austin played out roughly the same way, and not only for Yao and his comeback from foot surgery.

The Rockets showed flashes of what could be but also signs of the work needed to be done, leaving town encouraged but not satisfied.

"We've gone eight days, and out of 24 hours of total practice time, I'd say we had two or three bad hours of practice time," guard Kevin Martin said. "We responded to everything coach wanted us to do. You can see we're growing chemistry-wise.

Martin encouraged

"The potential of this team, I had a good feeling last season about what it was going to be this year in training camp. Everything I thought has been there. Getting Yao back, this team's potential is off the charts."

Despite coach Rick Adelman's disappointment with Saturday's scrimmage, he said he was impressed with the play of the newcomers, specifically citing Courtney Lee and Ish Smith, and encouraged with the improvements defensively. But the Rockets said they have a long way to go.

"We put in some good hours in practice," forward Luis Scola said. "I think we did get better, but we got a lot of work to do yet. But we did get better, mostly defensively. We were talking about defensively we need to stay up and go back to the way it was two years ago."

Yao, 30, has even further to go but also might have made the most progress. His skills remain evident, but he often seems to be struggling to keep up, as if he is thinking his way around the floor rather than reacting.

"I think his reactions, his timing is the biggest problem he has," Adelman said. "He's kind of a step behind everything. When he gets the ball, he knows what to do with it. Defensively, rebounding, it's just not there yet. It's just going to take time. There's going to be days he looks better, other days he's not going to look so good. You have to expect that.

"I think he's better (than when camp started). When he gets the ball, the timing is a lot better than it was before. You can't expect a lot defensively. I want to see when he starts getting used to going after the ball on the defensive boards, his timing picks up there. Right now, he's a step behind, and someone a little quicker gets his hands on it before he goes and gets it. That I think will come. He's always had good instincts to rebound the ball."

Yao has said he has learned to be patient, happy to make steady progress.

Philosophy of Yao

"That's an improvement compared to last week," Yao said of his play in Saturday's scrimmage. "All I'm looking for now is, 'Is today better than yesterday?' Some days we will have a step back, but most of the days I stepped forward.

"I'm always looking at the bright side. That's all. What can be worse? A hard cast for six months, sitting in a wheelchair, with crutches? That's all gone. That's the worst time."

That is well behind him. No longer forced to look back, the Rockets will move on to a week of games and relatively limited practices to test the progress made in Austin. Only a few practices will be squeezed in around four games in a span of six days before the team heads to China on Oct. 10.

"We played extremely hard, and I think we really put in an effort to compete," Shane Battier said. "At camp, that's what you're looking for. Does your team have a pulse? Are they going to work? Stylistically and schematically, we have a long ways to go. Getting guys incorporated, getting Yao incorporated, getting Courtney Lee incorporated, Jordan (Hill) more incorporated - that will all come with game repetition.

"It will be nice to get into game situations and really learn who we really are."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7229281.html

GermanRoxFan · Oct 3, 2010

with brooks and martin on the perimeter and a slow yao under the basket our defense will be really, really horrible.

it also means that yao won't need the 24 minutes cap because he'll be fouled out after 20 minutes anyways.

on the other hand, what did we expect? he's a 7'5" giant and was never really fast in terms of foot speed and reaction time to begin with. also, he's the type of player who needs repitition. there's a reason why he's in the gym more than most other players. also, he's used to playing basketball all year.

i hope it'll get better with time. i really like yao's attitude, though.

Old Man Rock · Oct 3, 2010

GermanRoxFan said:

with brooks and martin on the perimeter and a slow yao under the basket our defense will be really, really horrible.

it also means that yao won't need the 24 minutes cap because he'll be fouled out after 20 minutes anyways.

on the other hand, what did we expect? he's a 7'5" giant and was never really fast in terms of foot speed and reaction time to begin with. also, he's the type of player who needs repitition. there's a reason why he's in the gym more than most other players. also, he's used to playing basketball all year.

i hope it'll get better with time. i really like yao's attitude, though.
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You are so r****ded. Yao has always been slow. Yaois the best defender on the team. He anchors the defense. Without Yao we sucked on defense. With Yao we have been a top 5. You are so r****ded. I wish you knew something about basket ball so some of this would make sense to you. You are so r****ded.

joesr · Oct 3, 2010

Old Man Rock said:

You are so r****ded. Yao has always been slow. Yaois the best defender on the team. He anchors the defense. Without Yao we sucked on defense. With Yao we have been a top 5. You are so r****ded. I wish you knew something about basket ball so some of this would make sense to you. You are so r****ded.
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You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Old Man Rock again.
I dont understand why that popped up?

But I concur, I laughed at the other post.

coachbadlee · Oct 3, 2010

Old Man Rock said:

You are so r****ded. Yao has always been slow. Yaois the best defender on the team. He anchors the defense. Without Yao we sucked on defense. With Yao we have been a top 5. You are so r****ded. I wish you knew something about basket ball so some of this would make sense to you. You are so r****ded.
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Wait a minute, i don't get it! Ar you trying to say that he is r****ded? :grin:

mylilpony · Oct 3, 2010

saying r****ded is offensive. say mentally r****dified instead. Anyways when i read the article, i saw the comment how ish smith is playing defense and thought that this board will light up.

GermanRoxFan · Oct 3, 2010

joesr said:

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Old Man Rock again.
I dont understand why that popped up?

But I concur, I laughed at the other post.
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so r****ded people make you laugh. awesome.

Rox_Mayhem · Oct 3, 2010

Damn it !! It's says "Rockets Remaking..." on the thread link (forum front page) . I was hoping it said " Rockets remaking Uniform" .. one can wish..

coachbadlee · Oct 3, 2010

mylilpony said:

saying r****ded is offensive. say mentally r****dified instead. Anyways when i read the article, i saw the comment how ish smith is playing defense and thought that this board will light up.
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Uh oh!! Ish is playing defense? You know what that means!

Koba · Oct 3, 2010

coachbadlee said:

Uh oh!! Ish is playing defense? You know what that means!
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hookers and booze?

Deckard · Oct 3, 2010

"Mentally challenged" is the proper nomenclature these days, isn't it? As in "Von Wafer is mentally challenged!"

coachbadlee · Oct 3, 2010

Koba said:

hookers and booze?
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Yeah that too. LOL :grin:

MONON · Oct 4, 2010

Koba said:

hookers and booze?
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Man, I love this bar!! :grin:

TexAg713 · Oct 4, 2010

coachbadlee said:

Uh oh!! Ish is playing defense? You know what that means!
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goodbye brooks?

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[Chron] Rockets remaking transition with Yao back in the fold

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[Chron] Rockets remaking transition with Yao back in the fold

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