ducks
11-10-2005, 08:47 AM
Struggling Rockets face tough road trip without McGrady
By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer
November 9, 2005
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets will have to depend on their defense until Tracy McGrady gets healthy because they sure can't rely on their offense.
With their star out for three weeks with a back injury, the Rockets (1-2) open a five-game road trip Thursday in Miami. It looks like a tough stretch for a team that has averaged 36 percent shooting and blown fourth-quarter leads in consecutive home losses to New Orleans and Orlando.
``We're just not very good right now,'' guard Jon Barry said. ``It's disappointing because the easy thing to say is that Tracy's not here. But we're good enough. There's no excuse.''
McGrady strained his back doing a reverse layup in practice Friday. Without him, Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy has mixed up lineups, looking for the right combination to generate points.
So far, he hasn't had much luck.
Yao Ming scored 17 points in Tuesday's 76-74 loss to Orlando, but went 6-of-15 from the field and missed a short hook shot in the final minute. Since McGrady got hurt, David Wesley is 1-for-11 from the field, Derek Anderson is 6-of-21 and Stromile Swift is 5-of-17.
``We're just struggling,'' Van Gundy said. ``Yao's historically been a very high percentage shooter, Stromile's not making and no one on the perimeter is making. That basically covers it. We're struggling to make shots.''
Houston still should've won both games, thanks to a defense that's holding opponents below 40 percent shooting. The Hornets and Magic went a combined 60-for-155 from the field (38.7 percent).
But the defense has failed as badly as the offense has in the final minutes of both losses.
The Hornets finished their 91-84 victory on Saturday with a 17-2 run, hitting their final six shots. The Magic trailed 71-67 on Tuesday night before Jameer Nelson sank consecutive wide-open 3-pointers and a layup in the last two minutes.
``We should be 3-0, there are no ifs, ands or buts about it,'' guard Rafer Alston said.
The rugged road trip includes visits to New Jersey, Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio. All but Minnesota made the playoffs last season, and the Timberwolves just missed, finishing 44-38.
Van Gundy is looking no further than Thursday's game and just wants to see the Rockets play hard and smart. Houston was 25-16 on the road last season.
``That's where it starts -- get the effort so you don't beat yourself that way and then playing intelligent basketball,'' Van Gundy said. ``You just want to give yourself a chance to play your best. If you don't beat yourself in this league, you win a lot.''
Van Gundy said Houston's offensive problems are fixable through simple execution.
``I don't know if we'll make our shots, but we can space the floor correctly, pass more on target,'' he said.
Van Gundy said he also needs to do a better job of maximizing Houston's offensive options, starting with how he uses Yao.
The 7-foot-6 center scored 22 points in the first halves of the last two games and only 15 in the second halves. He played more than 35 minutes in both games and missed close-range shots in the fourth quarters, leading Van Gundy to wonder if he was playing him too much.
``He seems really tired at the start of the second half,'' Van Gundy said.
On the other hand, without either Yao or McGrady on the floor, Van Gundy concedes the Rockets are easy to defend, lacking the offensive star opponents have to respect.
``We have good enough players, but there are very few guys in this league who can draw a second defender to them,'' Van Gundy said. ``Those are the guys who make your offense good, whether it's a post-up guy, a dribble penetration guy or a pick-and-roll guy.''
Without McGrady, more players have had to log more minutes.
``Everybody is just having to do a little bit more, and that's all right,'' Van Gundy said. ``We'll see what we have in this really challenging stretch.''
By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer
November 9, 2005
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets will have to depend on their defense until Tracy McGrady gets healthy because they sure can't rely on their offense.
With their star out for three weeks with a back injury, the Rockets (1-2) open a five-game road trip Thursday in Miami. It looks like a tough stretch for a team that has averaged 36 percent shooting and blown fourth-quarter leads in consecutive home losses to New Orleans and Orlando.
``We're just not very good right now,'' guard Jon Barry said. ``It's disappointing because the easy thing to say is that Tracy's not here. But we're good enough. There's no excuse.''
McGrady strained his back doing a reverse layup in practice Friday. Without him, Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy has mixed up lineups, looking for the right combination to generate points.
So far, he hasn't had much luck.
Yao Ming scored 17 points in Tuesday's 76-74 loss to Orlando, but went 6-of-15 from the field and missed a short hook shot in the final minute. Since McGrady got hurt, David Wesley is 1-for-11 from the field, Derek Anderson is 6-of-21 and Stromile Swift is 5-of-17.
``We're just struggling,'' Van Gundy said. ``Yao's historically been a very high percentage shooter, Stromile's not making and no one on the perimeter is making. That basically covers it. We're struggling to make shots.''
Houston still should've won both games, thanks to a defense that's holding opponents below 40 percent shooting. The Hornets and Magic went a combined 60-for-155 from the field (38.7 percent).
But the defense has failed as badly as the offense has in the final minutes of both losses.
The Hornets finished their 91-84 victory on Saturday with a 17-2 run, hitting their final six shots. The Magic trailed 71-67 on Tuesday night before Jameer Nelson sank consecutive wide-open 3-pointers and a layup in the last two minutes.
``We should be 3-0, there are no ifs, ands or buts about it,'' guard Rafer Alston said.
The rugged road trip includes visits to New Jersey, Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio. All but Minnesota made the playoffs last season, and the Timberwolves just missed, finishing 44-38.
Van Gundy is looking no further than Thursday's game and just wants to see the Rockets play hard and smart. Houston was 25-16 on the road last season.
``That's where it starts -- get the effort so you don't beat yourself that way and then playing intelligent basketball,'' Van Gundy said. ``You just want to give yourself a chance to play your best. If you don't beat yourself in this league, you win a lot.''
Van Gundy said Houston's offensive problems are fixable through simple execution.
``I don't know if we'll make our shots, but we can space the floor correctly, pass more on target,'' he said.
Van Gundy said he also needs to do a better job of maximizing Houston's offensive options, starting with how he uses Yao.
The 7-foot-6 center scored 22 points in the first halves of the last two games and only 15 in the second halves. He played more than 35 minutes in both games and missed close-range shots in the fourth quarters, leading Van Gundy to wonder if he was playing him too much.
``He seems really tired at the start of the second half,'' Van Gundy said.
On the other hand, without either Yao or McGrady on the floor, Van Gundy concedes the Rockets are easy to defend, lacking the offensive star opponents have to respect.
``We have good enough players, but there are very few guys in this league who can draw a second defender to them,'' Van Gundy said. ``Those are the guys who make your offense good, whether it's a post-up guy, a dribble penetration guy or a pick-and-roll guy.''
Without McGrady, more players have had to log more minutes.
``Everybody is just having to do a little bit more, and that's all right,'' Van Gundy said. ``We'll see what we have in this really challenging stretch.''