http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3700642 March 4, 2006, 1:33AM Rockets' defense inspires Nuggets foiled after Van Gundy challenges team By JONATHAN FEIGEN Dikembe Mutombo, able to stay seated no longer, rose and saluted his team in the only way he could, the only way that fit. He raised his right hand and wagged his famously long right finger in admiration. The Rockets had shut down the Denver Nuggets for three quarters when Stromile Swift blocked a shot inside. Tracy McGrady then swatted the follow. Then Swift blocked another shot. The Rockets were more devoted to defense than they had been in weeks until they not only turned away Nuggets shots to roll to an 89-78 win Friday at Toyota Center, but they also swatted away the image of Wednesday's lethargic loss that had inspired so much self-examination. They blocked a season-high 11 shots, with McGrady getting four, his most in a game this season and Yao Ming finishing the night with a remarkable stuff at the rim of a Andre Miller drive toward a dunk. They held the Nuggets to 33.3 percent shooting, matching the worst against the Rockets this season. The 78 points were the Nuggets' fewest in a game. Their six fast-break points were more than 15 fewer than the 21.5 they average to lead the NBA. With all that, the Rockets proved coach Jeff Van Gundy right — and wrong. They demonstrated just how dead-on he was with his demand the Rockets defend with far greater passion and insistence that they must. A day after he said they were "uninspirable," they also showed Friday that they can be moved. "That sequence (with the three consecutive blocked shots), even though they ended up scoring, and Yao coming to help on Andre Miller — those things are inspiring," Van Gundy said. "And you can tell by the reaction of everybody, the team, the paying customers, that stuff is inspiring." Or as Yao put it: "Blocked shots make our team feel strong." Vintage T-Mac This is what Van Gundy had wanted, what he had talked about in the locker room and on the practice court since Wednesday's loss to the 76ers, when the Rockets allowed 50 points in the paint, 25 on the break and 60 percent shooting in the fourth quarter. The most obvious change was in McGrady, who besides making half his 16 shots and half his eight 3-pointers to score 23 points, and besides his season-high four blocks, had 11 rebounds and four assists. "That was by far the most passionate that McGrady has played in some time," Van Gundy said. "I thought he was just off the charts tonight, just very assertive on offense, vocal, on the boards, defensively — I just thought he was great." He had to be. The Rockets continued to struggle with their outside shooting with guards David Wesley and Rafer Alston combining to make just three of their 17 shot attempts. The Rockets were stuck in a difficult matchup quandary, forced to play the 6-1 Wesley on Ruben Patterson or Carmelo Anthony. Wesley played most of his 24 minutes on Anthony, who scored 34 points on 12-of-23 shooting. But the Nuggets could get him little offensive help. Kenyon Martin made just one of seven shots. Patterson, Miller and Earl Boykins combined to make just eight of 36. Other than Anthony, the Nuggets missed all 11 of their 3-pointers, and could get relatively little in the lane. "It just shows what type of team we can be," McGrady said. "We can be a great defensive team. "We have a coach that emphasized that every day and demands that of us every day. We did a great job defensively. "We want that to be the norm. When we play like we played tonight, I feel like we're one of the better teams in the league." Encouraging win For now, the Rockets are seven games short of .500 and the win was just their second in Toyota Center against a winning team this season. But having gone from such discouraging failure, they were as encouraged by the way they won Friday as by the win itself. "Actually, that was an experience we can learn from, the last couple games," Yao said. It was "inspiring." jonathan.feigen@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary Brunson's on deck Rick Brunson was not in uniform Friday night, but he can expect to be on the court Sunday against the Trail Blazers for his second game since the Rockets picked him up off waivers Thursday. "The smarter, the easier (to adjust)," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's a bright guy, has a bright basketball IQ. You're not asking him to come in and play starter's minutes. You're asking him to play short minutes, which I think he will be able to do sooner than later. "He's not going to be the difference. I think he'll play effectively. I think he'll give us a little bit of the element we have been missing, to a lesser degree, that ( Bob) Sura gave us — physical toughness and competitive spirit." Brunson has played in just four games this season because of plantar fasciitis, but said Friday that he was "100 percent." "It's been tough," he said. "I've never been hurt before. But it goes with the territory. My whole career has been about fighting. I'm going to keep fighting as long as I'm playing. ... I can play 10 minutes and give a team a good look off the bench. "My job is to get those two guys ( Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming) the ball. My job's not to create offense. They are two of the top players in the game." Swift entrance Rockets forward Stromile Swift returned to the rotation for the first time since spraining his left ankle Feb. 16 in Phoenix. He entered the game, his second since he was moved to the active list, with 3:41 left in the first quarter for Yao Ming. He did not play Wednesday. "I didn't like the way he looked the shootaround the day of the dreaded (Philadelphia game)," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He was limping around. We'll have to see what he can do. He was out a good period of time. That's two full weeks." Last word "Blocks are a hustle play, just like a charge and any plays like that. Those are the kind of plays that get guys going." — Rockets guard Keith Bogans Inside the numbers • 4 — Consecutive Rockets wins when scoring in the 80s. • 0 — Rockets wins in their previous 14 games when in the 80s. • 15 — Points by Stromile Swift and every Nuggets reserve combined off the bench. JONATHAN FEIGEN
I like the attitude of the team from the article. This Brunson kid, I can't wait to see what he brings to our team. Rockets may not be dead just yet.
The fact that they're capable of playing intensely and choose not to is almost more depressing than if they would have lost.
He's no kid. He's yet another aging, 33 year-old PG. I'd rather we give some time to Gerald Fitch. Wildcats have been good for us so far this year.
This is why we don't fire Van Gundy. He appreciates this teams' effort. You can see why he appreciates Bowen so much. Bowen may not be the most talented of players in the league, but when he's asked to play 3-4 minutes, he hustles, he scraps for every ball, and he gives this team a little energy. All Van Gundy asks for is the intensity, the effort, not even the results, just the heart. If all your coach is asking you to do is play hard and you can't do that, you shouldn't be in the NBA. I don't think anything really changed about this team other than the intensity. That intensity opened up our offensive game, opened up the game in general. The fact that we limited a team that usually gets 21.5 fast break points to 6 is amazing in itself. The fact that they shot 33% is amazing in itself. I'm just hoping this team keeps up the intensity, the passion, and the hustle. I'm sure the results will come on their own.
He will be the quintessential non-descript point guard, dribbling the ball up, and passing it to a double covered TMac, then receiving the pass back, dribbling to the other side and throwing the ball into Yao or into the opposite corner. And he'll get jobbed by the opposing PG on the defensive end, getting beat to the basket because he isn't fast enough, or getting shot over becuase he is backing off in an attempt to cut off the dribble penetration. And I'll bet you a dollar to doughnuts he can't shoot for ..... Welcome to the team, Mark Jackson II.
