[CHRON] Ward rejuvenated by chance to play

As starter or sub, guard glad he's a Rocket
By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2856851

All Charlie Ward wants is to hear his number called in a game. He doesn't care if it's in the starting lineup. He doesn't care if it's in the second quarter. He just wants the opportunity to do what he did for the first 9 1/2 years of his NBA career.


Ward spent the second half of last season sitting near the end of the San Antonio Spurs' bench. His minutes were few and far between, and his production dropped to its lowest level since his rookie season with the Knicks.

Sitting on the end of the bench was not where Ward wanted his career to end.

Six months and one grueling offseason later, Ward is now the starting point guard for the Rockets. He has the opportunity to help a rebuilt team achieve its lofty goals — and face retirement on his own terms.

"It was demoralizing last year at the end of the year, not getting an opportunity to go out and compete, which is what I like to do," said Ward. "But that gave me another excuse to come back this summer and work even harder. And more importantly to make sure my body was as healthy as possible, so that I can go out on a positive note for my career."

Jeff Van Gundy, who coached Ward for six seasons in New York and named him the Rockets' starting point guard last week, said Ward and Tyronn Lue will split time until Bob Sura returns from back surgery. The situation will then be reevaluated.

"I'm just going to play it by ear and see how it goes," Van Gundy said. "I don't know anything about their minutes. They're going to split the time right now. Whoever is going good on a given night is going to go."

Ward and Lue bring contrasting styles of play to the position, which Van Gundy likes. The scoring-minded Lue is averaging 10 points and 0.3 assists per game while hitting 57.1 percent from the field in the preseason.

Ward, a good team defender, is averaging 2.7 points and a team-leading 3.0 assists per game.

"The thing I like about them — and we're not going to overwhelm people with talent there — but I don't think having the most talent is the answer," Van Gundy said. "It's having a great fit. And I think they fit around our better players."

Ward's first priority after last season ended was to land in Houston. That desire only grew when the team traded for Tracy McGrady in June. A month later, just as Ward had hoped, he landed with the Rockets — playing for a coach he has always respected and alongside two of the premier players in the league.

"I didn't have (McGrady) drawn in the plans, but I wanted to go somewhere the coach understood and knew what I brought and was going to give me an opportunity to put it on the court and on the line again," Ward said. "And I'm grateful."

So are Ward's new teammates.

"I believe in Charlie," McGrady said. "When we acquired him, I was pretty happy and satisfied with the acquisition. I still think he's a solid point guard. He's very smart and he is a floor general on the court. So he's going to lead us."