http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~28541~2102197,00.html HOUSTON -- There is a TV monitor on in Houston general manager Carroll Dawson's office and he can barely take his eyes off it. The screen shows a feed from the Rockets' small practice facility below in the Toyota Center, where they finished up almost an hour earlier. The court is empty. "Sorry, after 24 years, it's a hard habit to break," Dawson said. Dawson has viewed plenty during his time with the Rockets. He was the only person on the coaching staff of all four Houston teams to make the NBA Finals. Now after four years of missing the playoffs, the Rockets are back. The city again is excited with a feeling that something big is under way. "Getting back is returning a whole lot of good memories," Dawson said. The Rockets are the latest group of Young Turks to make a splash in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. And like those who have come before them -- the Lakers, Spurs, Kings, Timberwolves, Mavericks -- they have designs on making this a habit. "This was a big step after being out for four years," Carroll said. "This team is going to keep getting better. Getting to the playoffs can help your maturity. "You need these marks in the growing process. We don't look at just getting there as the ultimate. We want to do something once we get there." Despite being down 2-0 to the Lakers going into Game 3 here tonight, there is reason to believe the Rockets could emerge as the West's next major force. They have a core of young stars, a tough, respected young coach and a sparkling new arena. Their relatively young backcourt of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley is one of the league's finest. And then there is the 7-foot-6 man in the middle, 23-year-old Yao Ming. "I think we're one of the teams that can make some noise in the future as we continue to grow," Francis said. In the series opener against the Lakers, the Rockets hardly appeared a playoff novice, all jittery at facing a team one season removed from three consecutive championships. Dawson surrounded his young stars with veteran additions. He added six players this year, including starting small forward Jim Jackson. And Jackson doesn't buy into young teams having to experience growing pains in the postseason to become successful. "They say you have to go through it, but why?" Jackson said. "I mean, if you can compete at this level during the regular season, if you have the mind-set to play hard each and every possession and do the things you're capable of doing, I don't think it's mandatory you have to go through growing pains." Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy has brought a defensive mind-set to the Rockets that translates into solid postseason play. He and Francis appear to get along, even with almost all of Francis' numbers lower this season -- he shot only .403 percent and for the first time in his five seasons did not lead the team in scoring. "I think I'm doing a good job of running this team," Francis said. "Guys are satisfied where they're getting the ball. We have balanced scoring all the way around. "Like coach said, if I'm near a triple-double every game, that gives us a good chance." The biggest reason why the Rockets have a chance to build on this experience is Yao. If he was part novelty last season, he has proven this season to be no fluke. In just his second year, he led Houston in scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (9.0), shooting percentage (.522) and blocks (1.90) and is regarded as the league's de facto next great big man. Yao is still adjusting from the international style to the more physical play of the NBA, but his progress is palpable. "The sky is the limit," Dawson said. "The guy is not just tall. The Lord has given him a lot of weapons. and he's going to keep developing. I think he's really going to be something." Dawson has several key pieces, but the Rockets need a more consistent and effective power forward. Kelvin Cato could be pushed back to the bench if Dawson can acquire a more dominant inside player to complement Yao. It is because of Yao that all things seem possible in Houston. "All those years we had (Hakeem) Olajuwon here, it was pretty easy to get good free agents," Dawson said. "A center attracts free agents pretty well. Shaq has done that for the Lakers, and Olajuwon did that for us. "Now we're getting another guy who's getting in that position, where we're going to be an attractive franchise." Nothing, of course, can be taken for granted in the West. All eight playoff teams have a young core. The Rockets could prove just the newest Mavs, a talented team never able to take it to the next level. Or this could be the start of something big. "We want to be one of the elite teams," Dawson said. "This is just one of the steps. I don't think any team would be happy just getting there. We want to keep going, keep growing, keep winning playoff series and get back to the Finals." Another year, another challenger. Steve Dilbeck's column appears in the Daily News four times a week. He can be reached at stephen.dilbeck@dailynews.com .
