ESPN: Simply D' lightful

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=may_peter&id=1660983

OK, the schedule hasn't exactly been grueling -- but it will be soon. Two guys who were rotation regulars last year are suspended. Two guys signed as free agents have yet to play a game.


The Houston Rockets and their new coach, Jeff Van Gundy, have rolled merrily along despite the distractions, the personnel setbacks, and, very soon, we may see if their 5-1 start is legit.


"Right now, it looks good," Van Gundy admitted prior to Thursday's game with the Mavericks, a true test for his new, defensive monster. "In two weeks, I might have a different story."


To say that Van Gundy has put his stamp on the Rockets is to suggest that Houstonians like their steak and oil. We all knew that Van Gundy lived for defense and preached defense, but what the Rockets have unleashed in victories over Denver, Chicago, New Jersey, Orlando and Miami is ultra impressive, even if the accumulated record of the aforementioned quintet is anything but.


How does No. 1 in the league in points allowed and defensive field goal percentage sound? How does an NBA-best point differential of 13.4 sound? How does four of the top 25 defensive efforts (points allowed) through the middle of the week sound?


That can happen when you have a center and a power forward who, together, average almost five blocked shots and 16-plus rebounds a game. That can happen when the coach had his prior team among the top five in points allowed and defensive field goal percentage for five years running, including No. 1 in both categories in 2000-01.


And, get this: This defensive mastermind said he has been spending most of his time coaching the Rockets' offense. We are not making this up. Maybe that's one reason why Houston also was leading the league in offensive field goal percentage as well after six games.


"When I came here, the team was much further behind offensively -- and I think offense can be the hardest part of the game to teach," Van Gundy said. "So we spent a predominant amount of our time on offense. It's not like we haven't practiced defense. We have. We've just done more with the offense."


Three weeks into the season, Van Gundy's Rockets are still a work in progress. Eddie Griffin (77 games last year) and Maurice Taylor (67) are both suspended. Griffin's suspension goes back almost a month and it deals with some anger management issues. There's also been the involvement of the police and some gunshots, which is never a good sign. There is no word when, or if, Griffin will be back.


The Rockets already have decided not to pick up Griffin's fourth-year option, a stunning statement given that (a) Griffin was the No. 7 pick in the 2001 draft, (b) was traded for Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong and (c) had started 90 games the past two seasons and was second-team, All-Rookie in 2002.


The league whacked Taylor on Nov. 7 for failing to comply with its drug policy. He will miss at least 10 games which means if he does everything he needs to do, he still won't be back until after Thanksgiving.


But when a door closes, a window opens, or so we're told. That window is Kelvin Cato, heretofore viewed as an overpaid, unreliable tease. Van Gundy inserted the burly Cato into the starting lineup -- the coach feels Yao Ming needs a tough guy next to him -- and Cato is putting up career-best numbers.


Van Gundy also has no idea what Adrian Griffin and Eric Piatkowski will bring to the table. They've yet to play. Griffin is out following knee surgery; Piatkowski has an ankle injury. Both figured in Van Gundy's plans before the start of the season.


“ Nowadays, you can leave a couple guys open and our scores reflect that. The idea is simple: make non-shooters shoot. ”
— Jeff Van Gundy
So while the competition may not have been the stiffest -- the Mavericks will be the first plus-.500 team they face -- it also bears noting that the Rockets we're seeing aren't the Rockets Van Gundy envisioned. They're just playing the way he envisioned.


The Rockets held the Bulls to 66 points on Nov. 3, the fewest points ever scored by a Houston opponent (and that says something given that they played Tim Floyd's Bulls a bunch of times.) The previous low of 68 had stood for 21 years. They held Miami to 70 points in the Battle of the Brothers Van Gundy. They went into New Jersey and held the Nets to 75 points (although Jersey was without Kenyon Martin.) And they held Memphis to 79 points -- and lost the game.


Through six games, the Rockets were allowing a stunning 76.8 points a game. Opponents were shooting 35.5 percent. Even in this day and age, those are eye-opening stats. No one had scored more than 86 points against them in any game, something, undoubtedly, the Mavericks figure to change. (Then again, Dallas was held to 71 and 81 points in successive games.)


"Back when I broke into the league as an assistant coach, we played the Celtics in the playoffs," Van Gundy said. "They had a starting five of (Danny) Ainge, DJ (Dennis Johnson), (Larry) Bird, (Kevin) McHale and (Robert) Parish. Which one of those guys are you going to leave alone? Nowadays, you can leave a couple guys open and our scores reflect that. The idea is simple: make non-shooters shoot."


It would be negligent not to note that the offense that Van Gundy has been consuming his time at practice is, well, working. He felt Yao needed to establish better post position and that would help his guards get the ball to the big man. In their five wins, at least four Rockets were in double figures. In their first loss, only two were. Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Yao are all averaging in double figures.


Van Gundy said reports of some "disagreements" with Francis were "blown out of proportion." There had been some talk that Francis wasn't buying into Van Gundy's system. For what it's worth, the coach says that is not the case.


"Steve has been great," Van Gundy said. "I think there were some misconceptions about the Rockets. The one thing I've asked him to do is to take fewer dribbles before he shoots."


Something must have registered. Yao, Francis and Mobley are both shooting well above their career averages in percentage. The Rockets lead the league in 3-point shooting with Mobley having connected on an outrageous 15-of-23 through six games. Jim Jackson has moved to the small forward slot in his 12th year with his 10th team and third in as many seasons.


Yes, things will get dicier, soon. Starting Sunday, the Rockets play seven of eight on the road, including a West Coast swing. Van Gundy will have a lot more of those now that he's in the Western Conference, but, if his team keeps playing the way it has been, venues will be irrelevant.


Maybe Van Gundy is right. Maybe in two weeks, he'll be singing a different tune. But, clearly, his team right now is the surprise story of the 2003-04 season.

 

i hope its not a jinx and we give up 120 tonight