[CHRON] Rockets try to stay on the ball

Van Gundy says defending guards is highest priority
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/rssstory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3389173

Somewhere in the wall of sound that is Jeff Van Gundy on a practice court, on-the-ball defense always will work its way into the lessons.

It is vital. It is obvious. It is, as painful as the memory, among the things learned from Game 7 of last year's playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks.

So when the Rockets return to the court this week, they will get their first look at whether they have improved at defensive job one. Allen Iverson on Tuesday. Steve Francis a night later. Tony Parker on the weekend.

They should find out pretty quickly if they are ready to match up with the darts lined up to puncture their defense.

"You have to be able to control the ball," point guard Rafer Alston said. "That's step one everywhere. If you can't do that, the whole defense is broken down.

"I've heard that my whole time in the NBA, not just from Jeff but from every coach I've ever had. Defense starts on the ball, and obviously that starts with the point guard controlling the ball. I take some pride and have determination to do that. It's a huge job. You're playing against the best point guards in the world."

Premium on quickness
It became a greater challenge when the NBA barred defenders from grabbing and hand-checking on the perimeter. Quickness has become irreplaceable.

"The rules make it a little tougher on some guys," Alston said. "You can't put your hands on people out on the court away from the basket. You have to use your veteran ability to understand the angles and beat him to a spot."

Guard David Wesley says you use everything and hope that is enough.

"Quickness helps, strength helps, knowledge of the game, where to go, how to get to people," Wesley said. "The rest is desire. Knowing what players like to do, knowing what players are capable of doing. I've seen some of the best in the game enough to at least give me a chance to guard them because I've seen them over and over."

All for one
The Rockets got by much of last season by relying on well-schooled team defense. They could switch and help and rotate defensively. But losing Juwan Howard hurt their pick-and-roll defense. Yao Ming improved but was prone to foul trouble.

"I don't know if I'd pick any one thing (to improve), but I know when you're talking about being in the playoffs, you have to have guys who can beat people off the dribble and who can contain the dribble," Van Gundy said. "You have to be able to execute a basic pick-and-roll and defend a pick-and-roll.

"The game in many ways simplifies in the playoffs because everyone knows the actions you run. You can take away movement stuff. Everything comes down to very simple things."

But sometimes the simple things are the most difficult. With a long way to go to the next Game 7, the Rockets will be happy enough to have improved by Game 1 of the preseason.
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ROCKETS SUMMARY


Mental break
With the last practice of training camp's first week Saturday, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said the team was tired and sore and "awful."

The Rockets went together to the Astros game Saturday night before taking Sunday off to recover after seven practices in five days, including consecutive days with sessions lasting more than three hours on the court.

"We have a good group of guys, and (Saturday) we were mentally weak," Van Gundy said. "I would suspect the championship teams don't show a whole lot of mental weakness. I would suspect we would have to improve in that, which I knew. I mean, we cracked last year in the seventh game. We have to be mentally stronger. If you only work well on days you feel well, you're not going to have too many good days in the NBA. We're going to have to be better on those days. We're sore. They're probably ready for a day off."

Trying camp
After eight NBA seasons spent with four other teams, Rockets guard Derek Anderson has seen his share of training camps. He just had not seen one like Jeff Van Gundy's.

"It's a big difference," Anderson said. "It's night and day from anything except San Antonio. San Antonio was close. It's just so much more concentration. Most teams wouldn't run as many sets and (instead) go over the same sets so eventually you pick everything up. Here, we're learning new stuff every day. It's a continuous learning process, so it's a huge difference.

"This is definitely different. I've never been as verbal. I've never heard as many people being verbal. It helps. That's the way I used to play in college."

Media baron
Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo is close to launching his venture, the Africa cable television channel.

"It will have all the news from Africa," Mutombo said. "We have music. We have a couple of talk shows. We have tourists shows. We have history."

It will not have Late Night with Dikembe Mutombo.

"No, no, no, no," he said laughing. "I'm just a financial backer. It's something good that maybe will keep me busy after next season (2006-07) when I'm retired. I'm not trying to be like Bob Johnson (BET founder and Bobcats owner). I'm just trying to have a business opportunity."

 

Does anyone else notice how different the quotes and articles are now from a few years ago in the francis era.. maybe it's just me but i notice a more technical/direct observation of what's going on rather than the typical generic answers we are so used to getting..