Van Gundy warns against excuses Coach wants Rockets to take the responsibility By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy refuses to give in. He declines to embrace terminology that might lead the Rockets to feelings of self-pity, and ultimately, unaccountability. Even with six players sidelined because of injuries, including his two best — Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming — Van Gundy believes he has enough to squeeze one win at a time out of the Rockets. His faith remains unshaken, but he doesn't necessarily believe each and every member of the Rockets accepts that idea as truth. "I've heard a little too much for my own liking, as I've told them," Van Gundy said of chatter regarding the Rockets' injury plight. "Them bridging statements with the statement 'with all the players that are out' like they have to remind you that we have players out, thus we are not as accountable or responsible for the outcome. "I made my point to them that I don't think they need to make those statements. I think it's wasted energy and wasted time trying to protect yourself and shield yourself from ultimate responsibility. That's why I don't like the term undermanned. I don't buy it." What the Rockets can buy is the notion the Dallas Mavericks, whom they host tonight at Toyota Center, are a deeper, more physically gifted team with a larger margin for error. Dallas throttled the Rockets in Game 7 of their playoff series last season, and claimed a 102-93 victory at American Airlines Center on Nov. 22. But, according to Van Gundy, the concept the Mavericks are superior simply because the Rockets are wounded should be a foreign one. Being short-handed is immaterial. "If we play great and bring an intangible package that you need, and we play well, then we'll be right in the game," Van Gundy said. "Our respect level for (the Mavericks) is great, yet my respect level for my team is high. Knowing that if we do play really well that we'll be in the game, and if you're in the game you have a chance to win." The mental obstacles the Rockets face as the worst team in the Western Conference hosting Dallas, which has the third-best record in the NBA, are significant. But even with all their problems, the Rockets continue to fight as though they aren't 0-15 in games McGrady doesn't finish and 3-11 since Yao underwent surgery on his left big toe. But when will they concede? Or should they? Can the Rockets be blamed for accepting what is clear most nights — that they are overmatched with their fractured roster? "We can't make any excuses," Rockets forward Juwan Howard said. "You have a veteran ballclub that has a lot of experienced years in this league. We still have guys ... that we feel we can win with no matter what. "Truly, we miss the guys that we don't have. But hey, we've got to keep plugging away with who's in our locker room, who's going to put that uniform on, and we have the confidence in the group that we're going to have facing our opponents night in and night out that we have a chance of winning. Maybe someone out there doesn't believe it, but we do." And that is what Van Gundy desires. If his faith is unwavering, his hopes are for the same from the Rockets, even with the reality of an unsalvageable season closing in on them. "We're not even at the halfway mark yet," Howard said, "so don't count us out now. It's way too early. The tables are going to turn. We've just got to stay positive." Said Rockets guard Derek Anderson: "It's not too late until we don't make the playoffs." mk.bower@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROCKETS SUMMARY Mind games Rockets forward Juwan Howard, miffed over the Rockets' 94-83 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon, wasn't in the mood for questions on the Rockets' coming opponent, the Dallas Mavericks, whom they face tonight at Toyota Center. "Why would a reporter come up and want to ask me about Dallas right after the game we just played in Atlanta," Howard said. "You're upset. You just had a tough loss. "I'm not thinking about no ... Dallas. "What's going on in my head is I'm going through, play by play, what I did wrong out there on the floor to hurt the team, what we could've done differently to beat Atlanta. That's what's going on in my head in that locker room right after the game. I'm not thinking about Dallas." Given a day to shift his focus from Atlanta, Howard after practice Tuesday said the time was right for Dallas talk. "Driving home, I'll be thinking about them," Howard said. Anderson on court Rockets guard Derek Anderson took his rehabilitation to the practice court for the first time as he tries to return from a strained calf suffered at Portland on Dec. 11. "This is my first time working on the floor, so it's getting better," Anderson said Tuesday. "Hopefully, I'll get to practice one of these days and see how it feels." Anderson, who has missed the past 16 games with the injury, has battled balky knees throughout his career — Anderson has played at least 70 games in a season only three times in nine NBA seasons, but this is the first time he has suffered calf problems. "Your calves, it can come and go," said Anderson, who has averages of 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. "You see Jon Barry came in and out, and I don't want to do that. "So, hopefully, it gets better." Tickets on sale Tickets for the 2006 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, the annual All-Star Weekend game between first- and second-year NBA players, will go on sale at 10 a.m., today at the Toyota Center box office, www.toyotacentertix.com, select area Randalls stores and 1-866-4Hou-tix. The rookie game will be 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at Toyota Center. Tickets are $40 and $25. MOISEKAPENDA BOWER and JONATHAN FEIGEN http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3594388.html
