Stein/ESPN-Five observations: Can the Rockets use an 11-man rotation?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/trainingcamp08/columns/story?page=Rockets-081010


HOUSTON -- Five observations from Rockets training camp:


1. The biggest picture

Yao Ming reported to camp some 10 to 15 pounds lighter than usual but also somewhat heavyhearted, knowing that the Olympics won't be back in his native China in his playing lifetime. "We prepared for [the Beijing Games] for a long time," Yao said. "Many, many years. I will miss that. That was a great experience in my life."

The Rockets, though, quietly believe that a sizable emotional load has been lifted from Yao's shoulders now that the Olympics have passed. So they're hoping that he might find his day job slightly easier without those immense responsibilities back home on his mind.

As for his early dealings with new teammate Ron Artest, after their bumpy start in July when Yao greeted the trade with some skeptical quotes, Yao is saying that fitting Artest in "will be easy."

"I've talked to him during training camp," Yao said. "He's very nice. He's very easy to talk to. He listens to people and he also communicates with people. That is really not a problem."

"I think his game is what we need," Yao said. "[He] plays very physical. He can play three or four, sometimes two. As his opponent last year, I [didn't] know how we can match up [with] him."

2. Point of contention

You can't read a preseason forecast about the Rockets without the obligatory loud questions about their limited options at point guard, starting with starter Rafer Alston.

Yet if Alston is feeling slighted or burdened by that line of questioning, it's pretty hard to tell. At halftime of Houston's first exhibition game, he happily skipped over to the press table to share with reporters that he was already riding rookie forward Joey Dorsey about getting himself "in debt" by picking up a technical foul in his pro debut before collecting his first NBA check.

The Rockets insist that they're sold on Alston as their quarterback, which isn't hard to believe after some of the numbers my colleague Jonathan Feigen trotted out this week in the Houston Chronicle. The Rockets were 51-23 in games Alston played last season and 4-4 when he was out. In the playoffs, Houston lost the first two games at home without Alston and then lost Game 6 after Alston incurred a first-half injury.

The loudest questions at point actually center on Alston's backups, since he really doesn't have one. Second-year guard Aaron Brooks continues to show flashes of scoring prowess, but Brooks still struggles mightily when it comes to running the team. Given the considerable doubt that surrounds Steve Francis' ability to contribute anything in the face of ongoing health issues, don't be surprised if Brent Barry and Tracy McGrady have to do some facilitating when Alston is on the bench … unless Houston taps into its youthful depth (Dorsey, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes in the frontcourt; Brooks and Luther Head in the backcourt) to trade for another floor leader.

3. It's a crowded house

It probably won't be an issue in the exhibition season while McGrady and Shane Battier are sidelined. But what if the Rockets ever get everyone healthy? Go ahead: Name the NBA's last title team with an 11-man rotation.

"We have to get our main people healthy and we have to get them going," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "But I do agree, we have a lot of guys who can play right now."

The Rockets also have a coach who's known for keeping his rotations fairly tight.

"Everybody is going to have to make some kind of sacrifice," Adelman said. "… I'm trying to find out, can I play 11 guys?''

The first big Artest test, Adelman concedes, will be when Battier returns from his foot injury. Artest has said on multiple occasions that he would be happy to operate as a sixth man, with Battier and Luis Scola starting at the forward spots, but it's conceivable that outlook could change after Artest starts all the exhibition games.

"I think he will be," Adelman said when asked if he's sure Artest will accept a sixth-man role. "I think that's just something we're going to have to play out. Someone asked me [recently] who [will] start. I said, 'Let's get everybody out there and I'll make that decision,' because I have no idea where Shane's going to be when he comes back.


"In a perfect world," Adelman continued, "I think [sixth man is] probably the way you'd like to see it go [with Artest]. But we all know that it's not a perfect world."

4. Where's Deke?

The coach hasn't shared much concern about his options at the point. If the Rockets are missing anything on one of the deepest rosters in circulation, Adelman believes it's proven, dependable size to back up Yao Ming.

Which is a void that still might wind up being filled by Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo's old locker at Toyota Center still belongs to Deke -- and remains filled with promotional foam fingers handed out to fans from a night to honor his longevity last March -- because Houston wants to bring the 42-year-old back sometime before the playoffs if it can create the roster room.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey calls it "our P.J. Brown move," and sources indicate that Mutombo has no interest, at this point in his career, in playing for anyone else. Houston, however, will have to shed a contract somehow to create the wiggle room under the luxury-tax line to give Mutombo his swan song. It also remains to be seen if other needs, besides more size, develop over the course of the season that could block Deke's return.

5. Confession time

Have to admit that, until this week, I had never heard of the Chuck Norris Facts. Click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_norris_facts if you are as pop-culture deficient as I am.

It's knowledge you need when you're around the Rockets, because Brent Barry has been adapting the satirical facts about the actor/martial artist and his famed toughness to apply to the rugged Artest.

Examples:

Ron Artest can eat just one Lay's potato chip.
There is no chin behind Ron Artest's beard. There is only another fist.
When Ron Artest does a push up, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the Earth down.

"I'm substituting Ron in every Chuck Norris Fact that I can think of," Barry said.