Rockets' launch delayed by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports November 6, 2004 When the Houston Rockets acquired Tracy McGrady from the Orlando Magic in the offseason, Rockets fans were giddy with anticipation at the thought of watching the NBA's leading scorer team with star center Yao Ming. In a league where high-profile duos frequently win championships (Magic and Kareem, Bird and McHale, Jordan and Pippen, Duncan and Robinson, et al.), it was assumed that T-Mac and Yao would soon contend for a title of their own. They eventually just might, but Houston's slow start to the season has exposed the fact that the Rockets have a long way to go before becoming one of the league's elite teams. A lack of depth and speed is at the core of Houston's problems. The Rockets were the league's lowest scoring team in the preseason, and they scored just 79 and 88 points, respectively, in their first two games – both losses &ndash against Detroit and Toronto. The trade for McGrady did not come cheaply – Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson gave up three starters, including the backcourt of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. To fill the vacant guard spots, Dawson added veterans Charlie Ward and Bob Sura. Ward is a good shooter and decision maker, but he no longer possesses the speed necessary to keep up with starting point guards or create offense by himself. Sura is out until mid-December following back surgery, so in the meantime Tyronn Lue (acquired in the Orlando trade) will see a lot of action at the point. At the wing position, McGrady and Jim Jackson are being backed up by young Bostjan Nachbar, who is still finding his way in the league. As a result, McGrady will play 40 to 45 minutes a night. In order to preserve T-Mac's energy, head coach Jeff Van Gundy knows he must make some concessions to his star player. While he's anxious for McGrady to make a concerted defensive commitment – something T-Mac has never done before – Van Gundy knows it's unrealistic to expect his star to do so while carrying such a heavy offensive load. Still, Van Gundy's essence as a coach is his ability to get his teams to play extremely hard. He implores his guys to be "every possession players," and he believes that teams in the NBA are separated by habits, not ability. "What is talent?" he said before the Rockets' season opener against Detroit. "Everybody has talent. It's the teams that develop great habits that win." Van Gundy points out that many of his current players have played for bad teams the past year or two and have developed poor habits. "When was the last time Lue, Tracy, Juwan Howard or Sura played in a game that mattered?" he asked. "It takes time for players to readjust to playing winning basketball – to paying attention to details in practice that make the difference between winning and losing." Ultimately, Van Gundy wants a team that will rebound, play great defense and wear the opposition down with precise half-court execution. It's a formula that wins playoff games and one that is conducive to the strengths of Yao and McGrady. Sura's return will help, and a roster move or two will provide some depth. Factor in Van Gundy's track record and the inside/outside tandem of Yao and McGrady and Houston will eventually be very good. It'll just take a little longer than Rockets fans had hoped. Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
