From Insider: Houston Rockets: After a tough initial adjustment period for McGrady, he's back and rounding into superstar form again. The result has been four straight victories for the Rockets and seven victories in their last nine. Sura's return from injury has helped fire Juwan Howard (right) and the Rockets. Many of them weren't easy. The Rockets recently knocked off the Dallas Mavericks on the road and beat the San Antonio Spurs at home on Saturday, 73-67. After averaging a mere 20 ppg on 40 percent shooting during November, McGrady has been on a tear, averaging 28 ppg, shooting 42 percent from 3-point range and averaging an impressive 6.3 apg since. Since McGrady broke out of his slump Dec. 2 with a 48-point game against Dallas, the Rockets are 14-7. While McGrady and Yao Ming have been providing the scoring punch, the rest of the supporting cast has been providing what McGrady and Yao lack – attitude. Early in the season, the team appeared to take its cue from the cool, laid-back personalities of the superstars. But since the more fiery Bob Sura is back from an injury and the hot-headed Jon Barry has arrived in a trade, the team's overall attitude has undergone a major adjustment for the better. That personality really showed in the win over the Spurs. "They're the best defensive team in the league, but we showed we play some pretty good defense, too," Barry said. "It was a little bit ugly, but it was a grind-it-out win for us. You've just got to scratch and claw and do whatever you can." The Rockets scratching and clawing? That has to put a smile on Jeff Van Gundy's face and the Rockets back into contention in the West.
Thanks for the post As Jeff has pointed out in the past... Thank God I don't pay for insider. They're really good at pointing out the obvious. -- droxford
Mmmmm, can't wait for the Memphis game today. They are finally starting to be exciting to watch again. GO ROCKETS
