ESPN Insider-Rockets On The Right Track by Tim Legler

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Rockets on the right track

Insider

By Tim Legler, ESPN Insider
Tim Legler Archive

How fragile life is in the NBA.

One moment your team, after making mid-season roster additions, is on a roll, heading toward the playoffs with a ton of momentum and ready to make some serious noise.

The next moment your star player is carried off the court in obvious pain, your season hanging in the balance.

The Houston Rockets will be holding their breath Saturday morning, as they await the results of an examination of Tracy McGrady's hip, injured in the opening minutes of Friday's game versus the New Orleans Hornets.

Because I'm generally an optimist, let's assume the injury is not serious. If that's the case, the Rockets have quietly developed into the third best team in the Western conference and have a legitimate opportunity to give the Spurs or Suns all they can handle.

Since December 1st, when the Rockets were floundering at 6-11, T-Mac and Yao Ming have led Houston to the fourth best record (35-16) in the entire NBA. The only teams better over that span are the three best teams in the league, the Miami Heat (42-11), Spurs (38-15), and Suns (39-14).

There are several reasons for the turnaround.

First, Tracy McGrady is having his best season. The numbers (25 ppg, 6.2 rbs, 5.9 assists) are impressive without question. But they don't come close to telling the entire story. This has been the year that McGrady has become a leader. He has been a mentor to Yao Ming. He has handled the adversity of early season struggles with class and dignity, not falling into the trap of trashing his teammates or coach. And, most importantly, he has delivered time and time again in pressure situations when his team needed him the most.

As great as T-Mac has been, however, he is far from the only reason for the team's recent success.

Yao Ming has given Rockets' fans reason to be excited in the last two months. He has played with a consistent aggressiveness (18 ppg, 8.4 rbs, 1.88 blocks) and toughness that he sorely lacked earlier in the year.

The biggest reason for his improvement on the offensive end has been his willingness to be patient. Yao has learned to utilize his size advantage to create better shot opportunities moving toward the basket. He is more willing to fight for deeper post position either on the catch or after he starts his dribble toward the basket from the short post. He is starting to understand that, at 7'5", very few centers in this league have the sheer size needed to contest his jump hook or turn around jumper.


His biggest problem earlier in his career was that he would settle for fade aways and 18' jump shots because he didn't like the physical contact necessary to get closer to the hoop. Always a great teammate and a very coachable, unselfish player, Yao is now arriving at the arena with the mindset of being dominant, not just blending in with the other guys.

Another big factor has been the Rockets' ability to make important acquisitions that have made them a more well-rounded, balanced team.

The most important roster move has been the addition of Bob Sura. He has given the Rockets the stability at the point guard position that was missing early. He doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but he does everything (10 ppg, 5.9 rbg, 5.2 assists) this team needs. More importantly, his ability to run the offense has taken pressure off McGrady to be the initiator and the finisher.

Ironically, one of the best things to happen to Houston may have been the injury Sura, a month ago, that forced Jeff Van Gundy to rely on aging veteran Rod Strickland and rookie Andre Barrett to run the point in the short term.

The result wasn't very pleasing to Van Gundy's eye and led to the trade for Mike James from the Milwaukee Bucks at the trading deadline. James has played exceptionally well in the 13 games since his arrival (13 ppg, 45% three point pct.). Now the Rockets have two capable point guards and added depth.

Finally, the acquisitions of David Wesley (11.4 ppg, 40% three point pct) and Jon Barry (47% on threes) have given the Rockets better spacing and allowed McGrady and Yao to operate more freely on the offensive end.

For all the reasons listed above, the Houston Rockets may be the most underrated team going into the postseason.

Now all they have to do is wait for word on the injuries to McGrady and Juwan Howard, also out indefinitely. If all goes well in the doctor's office, the Rockets will be ready to blast off in mid-April.

Tim Legler, an NBA analyst for ESPN and former NBA 3-point champion, is a regular contributor to Insider.