http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4256101.html Yao's toe woes could help decide his backup By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle In Jeff Van Gundy's determination to see and speak of the bright side, he faced the ultimate challenge this week: finding the benefit of Yao Ming's toe injury. "Oh God, it's going to be so hard, (changing) my whole personality this year," the Rockets coach said. "Let me get back on message here. Everybody looks great." But then he actually pulled it off. "The positive with Yao out is hopefully it will clarify our backup five (center) position more because I'm really, really unsure right now of where we're going to go with that," Van Gundy said. The Rockets have Dikembe Mutombo, Juwan Howard, Chuck Hayes and Matt Haryasz for options. They started the 6-foot-6 Hayes against 7-2 Jake Tsakilidis on Tuesday. Whenever Howard begins playing this preseason — Van Gundy has not decided whether that will be against the Atlanta Hawks tonight in Little Rock, Ark. — it likely will be at center "I have told him his minutes in the preseason will be limited at the four (power forward) because I am committed to seeing if shooting, spacing fours give us our best chance to win," Van Gundy said. "I also want to see him at the five when he does play. "I would say, if you're big and you're not a range shooter, you're going to have to be a rebounder, screener, defender. You want to have enough on the floor so you can have a balance between offense, defense, rebounding and you can play well. The problem with Yao being out, none of our traditional centers are guys we are going to throw the ball to in the post. It makes the game a little bit harder." Howard has been a low-post option, but last season he was more effective as a scorer on the perimeter when Yao was out. Either way, his most direct route to the court this season might be similar to his most effective role last season — when Yao is not on the floor. 'Whatever is best' "I don't know what position he's going to have me playing," Howard said of Van Gundy. "He knows that I will do whatever is best for this team to win. If that's me playing the power forward position, the center position, whatever is best for the team. "One big strength we have on this team is versatility. Players play. In my career, I played small forward, power forward and I played some center." Most of Howard's success offensively last season came when he was running the pick-and-roll with Rafer Alston. Off the bench, he is more likely to get those looks with Alston, Tracy McGrady or reserve point guard John Lucas III than as a starter with the offense built around Yao Ming. "I don't think the best part of his game anymore is his low-post game," Van Gundy said. "I think Juwan's greatest strength is he has one of the most efficient mid-range, baseline jump shots in the league. He's a very good screener and a very good pick-and-flare man to 17 feet. ... I think he and (the Hornets') David West, the guys 17, 18 feet on the baseline, that's his greatest strength." The Rockets are less likely to run plays for Mutombo or Hayes, but the extra preseason playing time can be as useful. Mutombo said he needed the work to get into regular-season shape. "My concern now is just to get my body in great shape," Mutombo said. "I didn't play all summer. I'm just trying to get in the routine the best I can. I felt a lot better the last two days. I know Jeff was not happy with my running tests this summer, so I'm trying to do extra stuff like coming early and riding the bike. I feel like a rookie out there." Bigger role for Hayes Hayes has seen an even more dramatic change in his workload from when he was a rookie. On a team that divides itself into white and black squads for practices, Hayes spent most of last season on the red team — standing on the side watching. This season, he has been working with the starters (the white team); on Tuesday, he had 10 rebounds and helped the Rockets to a dominant start against Memphis. Hayes said he was too accustomed to his height disadvantage as a power forward to mind it as a center. Beyond that, though, he said he might prefer going against the centers, rather than the increasing number of speedy power forwards, to have a quickness advantage to make up for his lack of size. "Big guys, they don't want to move their feet laterally or going up and down," Hayes said. "But it doesn't matter. It just feels good to play." With Yao out for at least one more game, and as many as three, there is more playing time to go around and more chances for Van Gundy to weigh his options. "That's the positive," Van Gundy said. "But that's really a low positive. Boy, I'm really — my positivity is at its peak right now."
Well, Juwan appears to have been very effective on the right baseline and just inside the free throw line. Other than that, fairly average mid-range game. Problem with that is the mid-range shot is generally the least efficient shot in the game; so if that's a player's "greatest strength", he better be really good at it.
Best article I've read in a while. One of the few times the Chronicle has told us something we didn't know. That settles it. The starting '4' spot is up to Battier and Hayes. Howard will come off the bench. Music to my ears.
JHo can't be traded, so they might as well groom him to be Deke's replacement. Draft a C next year and hope he develops before the end of JHo's then two remaining years. If it all goes smoothly that's a seamless transistion of understudies for Yao.
Some parts of this article just irritate me highly. Juwan at the 5 is the most stupidist thing Ive ever heard of. The guy cant rebound, defend, or block shots. Doesnt make sense one bit. Also, I dont understand why JVG thinks Juwan can set screens. The guy got called for offensive fouls, while setting the pick many times during last season and multiple times during games sometimes. I love this team....Juwan is the last old fart i want off our team. Deke is cool though.
fARKing HELL!! No Yao and No Bonzi tonight..??? So much for my anticipation >< son of a b*tch! just another boring ass game... not worth skipping game 2 of the mets and cards.
i revoke your rockets fan card... there's plenty of exciting stuff to look for. the continued re-emergence of t-mac, more of how well shane battier fits, the development of our youngsters. i'm still excited anyhow.
Bigger role for Hayes YES. He can do better than last season and I think he's a solid backup for YAO, when we play with Suns-type teams.
Sounds like Juwan is a little more worried about his PT now. We've gone from "I'll get plenty" to "Please, I'll do anything to get on the floor". Even Mutombo is working extra hard to get in shape and fight for some minutes. Chucky sounds more confident about his minutes than either of the vets (Chucky haters: I laugh in your face ) Now the question is whether there's enough minutes to go around or one of these guys is gonna get left out of the regular rotation.
Backup 5 is the only spot that Juwan can minimize his lack of effectiveness. If he cannot rebound, defend, and block shots at the 5, then how is he going to do those things at the 4? 1. He cannot defend. (doesn't matter which position) So, he should defend against the worst offensive player between the 4 and 5. (The vast majority of the time, that is going to be the other backup 5 that is out there.) 2. He cannot rebound. (doesn't matter which position) So he needs to play alongside a guy that can rebound like a mad man. Enter Lil Chuckie. 3. He cannot play the post. So he needs to play offensively alongside a good post up player that can pitch the ball to him on the baseline after the double comes. Enter Bonzi on the 2nd unit. There is only one "big" that Juwan can have any success with on this team. JVG is just saying what we all can see. He cannot play alongside Yao. It makes us too slow. So, he definitely cannot play alongside Deke. Deke is even slower. So, what's left. Basically, the only other possible big combinations to put on the floor that include Juwan are him with Battier or Novak and him with Chuckie. I can see the possiblity of a few minutes at the 5 with Battier or Novak at the 4, but not very many. Novak is a rookie and not even a decent defender right now. The combination with Juwan would not work except against a very poor offensive combination. Battier with Juwan may work for a few minutes but that would just be if we are giving Yao a blow. There would be no reason to see Batt and Juwan when we can see Batt and Yao. However, if Yao is hurting or gets in early foul trouble, I think I'd just as soon see this combination with Juwan coming in to replace Yao as any. But it does leave us weak in the rebounding dept with Juwan not being able to board and Shane chasing a very good offensive player around. However, with Lil Chuckie being our best post defender, and the lack of skilled post play from the center position outside of mainly Yao, Duncan in the West and Shaq, Curry, Jermaine in the East, Lil Chuckie should do just fine playing alongside Juwan and let the opponents determine how we match up. Always giving Chuck the tougher matchup. If I was the coach, I would use Juwan to backup Yao only and Chuckie comes in to spell Batt and let Chuckie defend the post. And when we get into San Antonio, Indiana, Miami, and the Knicks, then consider using Deke to backup Yao if they have a big post up center in there. Juwan should essentially only get minutes when Yao is not on the floor. Even though he may not be playing the 5 spot defensively all those minutes, it essentially makes him a backup 5.
Chronicle's picture that goes with the article: Juwan: OMG I'm not getting any playing time. I'm gonna be so humiliated sitting on the bench in a suit with Jacobsen, Padgett, and Ward. I think I'm gonna throw up. Yao: C'mon man, keep you chin up. Juwan: WTF, Yao? That hurts! Yao: Huh? Juwan: You know I have no chin, that's why I've had this silly-ass goatee since high school. "Kee your chin up"? That's hurtful.
I don't get Juwan at C either but I'll reserve judgement after a couple of preseason games. I also have a hard time seeing Hayes playing C during the regular season but let's see how he does. If Deke is decent for 8-10 mins/game he should be the backup without question. If he can't do the job, I bet we make a trade for a backup C. If Hayes steps up his game, Juwan could have a very tough time getting on the court this season.
No, noncontradictory to you, who is always in love with Jeff I don't trash Van Gundy for the sake of trashing him. I only post my truth. And in fact I like almost all of what he said in this article but let's see if his actions backup his words. I like the idea that he is limiting Howard's play, doesn't see him as a low post player anymore (hasn't ben one in a couple of years). Also that he is looking hard at keeping a 3 point shooter at the 4 on the court. I think it is a brilliant idea... That he is using Yao's absence to define the backup center role which I believe to be a weakness on the team. And especially that he seems to be genuinely trying to stay upbeat. The only other thing I would add is do you think Van Gundy reads this board? Sounds like a bit of a sarcastic response to our thread yesterday. Do you think? Either way it is definitely unlike JVG and actually a bit over the top. Especially considering everyone is not doing great. Still I have no complaints today. Let's see if the new and improved JVG sticks around.
I also love this comment... He is basically saying to Howard your minutes are going to be limited unless you go out there and play some extreme defense and hustle hard for rebounds like Hayes. So maybe I jumped the gun a bit on my judgement of Van Gundy.
