T-Mac Era is Over

Tracy McGrady has been given permission to leave the team while the Rockets attempt to trade him. That effectively ends his tenure in Houston; one of unfulfilled potential. In his 5+ seasons here, the Rockets did not win a single playoff series while he was on the court. That speaks volumes.

For his entire career, McGrady has been told that he was a superstar. It is understandable that he would begin to believe it and let it go to his head. Unfortunately, while Tracy has the talent and the skills to be a great player, he has never had the mindset. Great players do whatever it takes to win, especially using their teammates to the team's advantage. With Tracy, it was always T-Mac first, then the team. At least that's the impression he gave out at every opportunity. He was the leading scorer in the league for two years, but those teams were terrible. So rather than help them become better, he demanded to be traded. He was warmly welcomed in Houston and given every chance to succeed. The Rockets surrounded him with a great center and as fine a cast of role-playing warriors as has ever been on an NBA team, yet he still could not win. Why not? Injuries certainly played a part. He was never healthy for a full year. But mostly, players didn't rally around McGrady. They were not as convinced of his stardom as he was. He was their best player, but he was never their leader.

Now the problem is, how do you trade him? He is the third highest paid player in the NBA. To make a trade, the salaries of the players involved must fall within 125% plus $100,000 of each other and must fit under the salary cap for both teams. Players that make even close to that kind of money are superstars, critical to their teams and not touchable. That means they would have to trade for a combination of players, most of whom could not help the Rockets this season and could affect team chemistry. This is a hard deal to make. The Rockets don't want to take on any large long-term contracts because they want to have space under the salary cap to make a pitch for a big-name player this off-season. And what an off-season it will be! Among the available free agents will be Joe Johnson (ATL), LeBron James (CLE), Dirk Nowitzki (DAL), Kobe Bryant (LAL), Dwyane Wade (MIA), Amare Stoudamire (PHO) and Chris Bosh (TOR). Put any one of those players beside Yao Ming and the aforementioned cast of overachievers and you have an instant championship contender. Houston is lucky to have Daryl Morey at the helm at this point in time. He has shown the patience to not make long-term deals for short-term gain. On a budget, he has put together a team that is one or two players from the NBA finals.

Texas does not have a state income tax. Isn't that interesting, LeBron? Dwyane? Chris? Tell your agents to give Daryl a call.

Gimme a Break!

Every once in a while, the Rocket's schedule cuts them a little slack. It's hard to say that a back-to-back on the road which includes Cleveland tomorrow night is a break, but at least the lead-in game should be a breeze. The Rockets face the hopeless and hapless New Jersey Nets tonight. I can't remember a worse team in modern history. 2-27 is about as bad as it gets. If the Nets were a horse, the league would shoot them.

No Way-fer

Cancel the last post. Von Wafer failed his physical and will not sign with the Rockets. Von first tried to sign on with Memphis, but according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the Grizzlies opted not to sign him after a physical revealed pre-existing back and hip injuries . Apparently, the Rockets found the same problems. I will not lose any sleep over Wafer not returning to the Houston Rockets, but I do wish him the best in his struggles against his injuries and his future career.

To fill the open roster spot created by Chase Budinger's ankle injury, the Rockets have signed Mike Harris of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Harris is a former Rice University star that has bounced around through training camps and the NBADL since he went undrafted in 2005. He played in 17 regular season games and 3 playoff games with the Rockets in 2008. A 6' 6", 240 pound forward, he averaged 25.3 ppg and 7.1 rpg in ten games this season for the Vipers.

The signing is considered a "Gatorade Call-up", under which any D-League player can cancel his NBADL contract to sign with an NBA team. Only players that are in their first or second season may be kept under contract with the parent NBA team while playing for their minor league affiliate. This is an excellent example of why the Rockets entered into the first "hybrid" affiliation with a minor-league team. They have a stable of players available for fill-in duty that can be closely monitored and are being coached in the same style as the Rockets. For more on the Vipers and their NBA affiliation, see their web site at http://www.nba.com/dleague/riograndevalley/index_main.html?hp+1

The Prodigal Son Returns

Von Wafer is coming back to Houston. According to the Rockets, he bought out his contract with Olympiakis (Greece) for $1.2 million to return to the NBA. His greek contract was for $1.8 mil per year. European League sources, however, say that after playing in only three games, Wafer was being ditched by Olympiakis because he did not fit in with the European style of play, i.e., fundamentals over athleticism. Wafer wanted to hold out for his entire contract amount, but apparently realized that was not going to happen.

"This is great," Wafer told Fox Houston's Mark Berman on Tuesday evening. "Oh my goodness, I'm so happy, I'm about to start crying. I want to play in the NBA. I want to play for the Rockets. I love Houston and I love their fans." If that's true, why did he first negotiate to come back to the NBA with Memphis? When that fell through, he decided on Houston. Adelman and Wafer had words last season in the playoffs. Did Wafer come back with hat in hand? If he has any sense at all, he did.

This has implications for the Rockets beyond just adding depth, Rick Adelman's reasoning for the signing. Some of the possibilities:

• The team is not that high on Jermaine Taylor. He may either be outa here or a candidate for the Vipers.
• Tracy McGrady is not in their long-term plans.
• Chase Budinger is not perceived as the answer for the 1st or 2nd guy off the bench.
• Management doesn't see this Rockets basketball team as a title contender.

Readers may remember that I shed no tears when Von left after last season. I felt that he and Ron Artest were everything that was wrong with the Rockets. They were both uncoachable ball hogs. The team won some games, but it was a hard team to love. This year's team is imminently lovable because of their share-the-wealth attitude. If Wafer can get into the right frame of mind, listen to the coaches and do the little things that help a team win, he could be a positive factor for the Rockets. He is definitely fun to watch and has skills that will fit in with the Rockets' new style. It will be great to see Wafer and Kyle Lowry running the break off the bench.

Wafer will sign with the Rockets for much less than his Greek contract. This could be his last chance. If he doesn't adapt to the Rockets new team-first style, his career may be over.

Here's to You, Coach!

On paper, every single Rockets player is inconsistent. The stats are all over the board almost every night with no one player dominating the box score night in and night out. Yet the Rockets continue to win games. How is that possible?

On most good teams, the +/- stats show a wide disparity between the star players and the backups. The +/- stat, for those who don't know, shows the ratio of how many points one team scores versus the other team while a given player is in the game. A positive number means that the player's team outscored the opposing team while he playing. When looked at on a per minute basis over a significant number of games, it can be a very telling statistic. On the Lakers, for instance, the difference between the best player and the worst is over half a point per minute. On the Rockets, the variance is only .15 points per minute. That tells us that either there is very little difference in the quality of players at the top and bottom of the Rockets' lineup or that they are being well-taught and well-utilized by the coaches. The latter is the case.

This post is a toast to Rick Adelman and his coaching staff. It is not an accident that the top four Rockets players in the +/- stats are backups, led by Kyle Lowry. Adelman is a genius at matchups and substitution patterns. He has a great feel for the game as it unfolds and listens to his assistant coaches and scouts to be as well-prepared as he can be. He and his assistants have every man on the team on the same page, keeping goals, egos and relationships in crystal clear perspective. Trevor Ariza got in Aaron Brooks' face after Brooks made a bone-headed play at the end of regulation in Dallas - and what was the fallout? Nada. Brooks said, no big deal. Ariza was right, I screwed up. Just heat of the moment stuff. We all get along. What would have happened if Artest had gotten in Kobe's face or vice versa? I shudder to think.

Let's also not forget that Adelman was instrumental in putting together this lineup of role players whose whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, Daryl and Les were involved too, but this is not their toast.

This team is a testimonial to the talent, skills and experience of Rick Adelman. That includes his ability to find, hire and keep top assistant coaches. Adelman is one huge reason that Les Alexander continues to sell Rockets tickets without a star in sight. Here's to you, Coach! Merry Christmas!

Mac Ain't Back

Tracy McGrady made a showing in both Tuesday and Wednesday's games. He looked like he was walking through molasses compared to the rest of the team. This is nothing new for T-Mac. For his entire career he played in a half-court offense where he was the offensive focal point, jogging down the court, then moving around only sufficiently to get open enough to get the ball. He then drove around a pic and either took a jump shot or made a slashing move to the basket. In recent years with the Rockets, he even added passing off to the open man when he was double-teamed, earning a respectable number of assists. Unfortunately for this Rockets team, that's not enough.

This year's Rockets run. They don't know how to jog. They are committed to an up-tempo, unselfish, ball-movement game. They are exciting to watch and even win games. And even without a star player in the bunch, they sell basketball tickets. If Tracy wants to get on the bandwagon, he's going to have to do more than just speed up. He's going to have to change his style. Whether he can do it or not is a huge question, with major implications.

When Rick Adelman let McGrady suit up, the Rockets began to pay his salary. The insurance policy only paid when he was too injured to play. The seven minutes per game he's playing now is costing Les Alexander a fortune. And they can't really trade the guy. They would have to take on another contract almost as big for a player that some other team is trying to get rid of. So the clock is ticking. Can he help the team this year? If not, the Rocket's won't re-sign him and no other team will offer even close to his current maximum contract. If so, he can write his own ticket next year. He has every reason to give it his best to fit in.

It's all up to you now, big guy.

Philly in Toronto

Houston seems to have developed a disturbing trend of coming out flat in road games. On Friday in Philadelphia, they went down by seventeen in the first half before reviving themselves and coming back to win. They had a similar start today against Toronto, but opened the second half with a 1-15 shooting slump that doomed the Rockets to a 13 point loss. Only Luis Scola and Carl Landry played well offensively against the Raptors, but nobody seemed to remember how to play defense. Houston shot only 36.4% and allowed Toronto to hit at a 50% clip.

The loss was not due to a lack of effort. The Rockets played hard. They were just not sharp and they did not seem to be on the same page with each other on either end of the court. It would be easy to blame the 11:30 AM start for their asyncronicity, but it was 11:30 for the Raptors too. All in all, a forgettable game.

The Rockets' schedule doesn't get any easier next week. They fly home for a Tuesday game against Detroit, then head to Denver on Wednesday. Two days later, they play the Mavericks on the road before returning to Toyota Center to face the much-improved Oklahoma Thunder. Two back-to-backs in four days is a stern test.

What Happened in Philly?

Was it just me or did the Philadelphia game last night seem like two different games? There was the first quarter when the Rockets acted like they were mailing it in and the third quarter when they looked like world-beaters.

The Houston Rockets started the game in a daze. Brooks and Ariza both seemed clumsy and out of sync. Hayes, Battier and Scola were all a step slow defensively. The Sixers' Dalembert, Iguodala and Brand, on the other hand were aggresive and hungry for a win. If it were not for the bench, the game might have gotten out of hand. Landry, Budinger and Lowry came in to spark the team to within 3 at halftime.

The game was won in the third quarter. The entire team came together and put forth a defensive effort that held the Sixers to only 13 points. Offensively, the Rockets fed off the defense, scoring 28 points, mostly off Philadelphia misses. That was a fun quarter to watch.

If there can be a goat in a win, it would be Chuck Hayes. You gotta love the guy, but he did not play well at all last night. Samuel Dalembert beat him like a bastard stepchild. Hayes scored only one point, had only four rebounds (to Dalembert's 14) and committed five fouls in just 16 minutes of play. I would not want to be Andrea Bargnani Sunday night. He's Chuck's next opponent.

Reason for Hope at the Quarter Pole

It's hard to believe, but the season is already one fourth over. And how has the home team fared? Pretty darned well, considering.

Despite the absence of their top two stars, the Rockets are over .500, both at home and on the road. They have outscored their opponents by running the court, exactly as promised by their owner and head coach before the season started. But that's not all - they have maintained their defensive focus, shutting down some of the strongest players in the league. And get this - the Rockets have outrebounded their opponents despite the fact that they start a 6' 6" center and the starters average only 6' 6". Describe this team in a word. That's easy. "Hustle." This is an easy team to root for and a fun team to watch. That's not to say that they will finish in the playoffs or above .500 for the season, but the outlook is good for both.

Still, there are weaknesses. Trevor Ariza is a good defender and hard worker, but he is not filling the bill as a go-to scorer. He is shooting a respectable 34% from the 3-point line, but is only hitting 39% overall. He barely has more points than FGA, the minimum standard for effective offense. That's not good enough to take this team to the NBA finals. Battier and Scola are doing their jobs, but neither can carry a team. Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry have both been playing well and as a duo have manned the point efficiently - on average. That's one big problem. Neither Brooks nor Lowry are consistent night in and night out. Fortunately, if one is playing well and the other not, Rick Adelman is smart enough to let the hot man stay in the game. That brings me to the bright spot of the season: Chuck Hayes. He outplayed Shaquille Oneal last night in every way. Hayes is a great defender. Not a great defender for his height. A great defender, period. Granted, he will never block many shots, but once you get past Bill Russell and Hakeem Olajuwon, not many defensive centers do. The smart ones play defense with their feet, body and brain.

Mention must also be made of the coaching staff, starting of course, with Rick Adelman. He has taken a bunch of role-playing spare parts and made them into a finely-tuned engine. Kudos as well to Elston Turner, Jack Sikma, T. R. Dunn and R. J. Adelman. Good job, guys.

If this quarter's report card is based exclusively on their record, the Rockets get a C+. If we're grading on the curve because of the injured stars, this team gets straight A's.

New Year's Countdown

If the Rockets are going anywhere this season, they will have to not only survive a tough December, they will have to prosper in it. So here we go counting down the many victories to come this frosty month.

They took care of business in California. Considering the teams they faced, that should have been expected, but the feat was tougher than it looked. The Clippers were 5-5 at home coming into the Houston game and had won 4 of their last 5 contests. Add in the Clippers' west coast time zone advantage and the Rockets did a good job to pull out the victory. Similarly, the Warriors were 4-3 at home and had beaten the Mavs (in Dallas) and the Blazers only a week before, but Houston beat Golden State in San Francisco on a back-to-back night. That's taking care of business.

The real test for this road trip - and maybe a benchmark for the season - will be the next two games. They face Portland on the road on Saturday night, then Cleveland at home on Wednesday. Thank goodness for the rest between those games. I can't wait to see if Chuck Hayes can hold his own against Shaq.

The question on everyone's lips: With several days to practice beforehand, will Tracy McGrady see action against Cleveland?

Beware the Ides of December

In fact, beware the whole damn month. This is going to be a tough one. The Rockets are only 3-4 over the last couple of weeks, but the notable part of that record is that they lost to every really good team they faced in that span - and they will face a bunch more in December.

To begin with, December will be a busier than average month with 16 games, 10 of those on the road. It will include 5 back-to-backs, 4 of which are road games. They face teams with a combined record (as of today) of 141-135. Subtract New Jersey's woeful 0-17 from that and you've got a tough row to hoe. They will face Portland, Denver, Dallas (twice), Orlando and Cleveland (twice) this month. Most of the other opponents are mediocre, but they won't play many dogs with fleas.

December will tell the tale of the season for Houston. So here's the prognosis: If they beat every team they face that is currently under .500 and lose the rest, they will go 8-8 and I will consider it a very succesful month. Any better than that and I may have to get my hopes up for the Rockets to make the playoffs.

Chemistry

I LOVE this team! I cannot remember the last time I watched a team with better teamwork and chemistry. They play the game as it was meant to be played - with a team-first attitude and ultimate hustle. They set picks, box out, play defense - all the things that make it possible to win against superior athletes.

Houston's starting lineup averages only 6' 6", with no starter over 6' 9", probably the shortest team in the league, but they average more points and rebounds than their opponents. Just as importantly, they never quit. With less than two minutes to play last night, the Rockets trailed by nine against the hottest team in the league, yet came back to tie the game before losing on a last second dunk by Atlanta's Josh Smith. You gotta love a team that refuses to collapse, even in the direst of circumstances. It's like they understand that we pay good money for tickets to watch them and they care that we are entertained, even if they don't win.

The next big question: How will Tracy McGrady's return affect that chemistry? A couple of years ago, Tracy had a good Rockets team around him and he did not hesitate to give up his scoring numbers for team success. But that was with a half-court team. These Rockets like to run and that has never fit McGrady's style. For the first time in his career, in order to contribute, Tracy McGrady will have to change. He can be a huge advantage or an Allen Iverson. It's really up to Tracy.

Dorsey to the D-League

The farm system is finally in play in the Valley. Forward/Center Joey Dorsey was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers today to work on his game. Last week, Garrett Temple signed with the Vipers as well, but as a regional allocation candidate. Dorsey is available for assignment because by NBADL rules, first and second-year players who are still on a 15-man NBA roster may be assigned to their affiliate D-League team. I am still not sure why Dorsey has not gotten any playing time this season, since he owned the boards in the pre-season and Summer League and seemed poised to play a significant role this year for the Rocklets.

I am similarly confused as to why the team waived Pops Mensah-Bonsu today. Not so much that they waived him, but why now and why at the same time they sent Dorsey down? The moves seem to leave the Rockets with a dearth of depth at the big positions. Only Hayes, Scola, Andersen and Landry are legitimate inside players. Brian Cook is tall, but he plays more like a shooting forward that a big man.

The moves also reduce the roster to only 13 players in Houston, including Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. That's just 11 guys in uniform. McGrady will almost certainly be activated within the next couple of weeks. Jermaine Taylor has only seen spot garbage time so far and McGrady's return makes the probability of Taylor sightings even more remote. Frankly, Jermaine seems like an excellent candidate for the Vipers as well. You don't get better by sitting on the bench.

Iverson

Allen Iverson has now decided to take an indefinite leave of absence from the Memphis Grizzlies in a pout over starting status and playing time.

Allen Iverson represents all that is wrong with professional sports. He looks like a thug and acts like a spoiled brat. Throughout his career, Iverson has been a me-first player, determined to get his stats and his status first and foremost over the success of his team. He finally wore out his welcome in Philidelphia, then Denver, Detroit and now Memphis.

Allen Iverson will never be on a team that wins a championship. Championship teams have team-first players. The man has talent. I enjoy watching talent, but I don't specifically admire it. Players don't decide to have talent, but they do (or too often don't) decide to make the most of that talent. Iverson chose to use his talent in a team-oriented sport, but refuses to operate in a team environment. He has destroyed the chemistry of every team that has hired him. I will be very surprised if he finds another team stupid enough to make the same mistake.

The Key Word is Progress

The Rockets clearly stumbled out of the gate in Portland, losing the first three quarters by 19 points. They eventually remembered that they were an NBA team and won the fourth quarter by ten. I intentionally waited to make this post until the rematch in Houston last night to get a better feel for whether or not the Portland debacle was a bellwether game or just a west coast brain-fart. I have long believed that west coast teams have a home court advantage over other time zone teams because it is difficult for athletes conditioned to get to bed early to be out playing basketball at midnight. Get to bed early, you say? I know that some high-profile ball players read the playbook by the light of the jukebox (to quote an old saying about Kenny Stabler), but most are well-conditioned, disciplined family men. They didn't get to the top of their profession by playing while hung-over.

Trevor Ariza, Carl Landy and even Shane Battier all had bad games in Portland, but the team as a whole came together to pull out a close victory against Golden State the next night. Ariza even showed signs of not just fitting in, but becoming an integral cog in the Rockets' machine. Last night in their home opener, the starters really clicked and the bench held their own against a bigger and more talented Portland team. That's why basketball is such a great game. The team that plays well together - with a team-first attitude - and sticks to a well-designed game plan can still win, regardless of overall athletic talent. It's been nice to see a team that listens and executes, a distinct departure from the Ron Artest/Von Wafer attitude of last year.

Apparently, Rick Adelman intends to go with a nine man rotation, including David Andersen, Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger and Carl Lowry coming off the bench. Playing time seems to be based on matchups and how well the starters are playing that night. Second round draft pick Jermaine Taylor has yet to appear in his first NBA game. Neither Brian Cook nor Joey Dorsey has not gotten into a game either, and Dorsey was not even in the active lineup last night. That is something of a surprise because he was expected to play a big part in the rebounding game this season. Either Addleman is put off by his inadequate defensive play or his foot has just not completely healed yet. The two issues may be related, too. Cook is a journeyman, to be used only in case of emergency.

Prediction Time

It's that time of year again, the time where everyone decides who will prosper and who will falter in the NBA. Hell, I'm not even sure why they play the games. We scribes have it all figured out by now. I guess the owners feel like they have to go ahead and have a season just to make a little money. Here's my take on the final standings:

Eastern Conference Playoffs:

1. Cleveland
2. Boston
3. Orlando
4. Chicago
5. Phildelphia
6. New York
7. Atlanta
8. Detroit

Western Conference Playoffs:

1. Los Angeles
2. San Antonio
3. Denver
4. Dallas
5. Portland
6. Golden State
7. Phoenix
8. New Orleans

Eastern Conference Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers

Readers may notice that the Rockets are not included in the playoffs. I will offer one proviso on that prognostication. If Tracy McGrady comes back at even 75% of his former self, they will unseat one of the bottom three teams on my list. If that happens, they will lose in the first or second round, depending on the matchup.

One other prediction for the home team. They will have a losing record (barring outstanding play by McGrady), but will score more total points over the course of the entire season than the total points of all their opponents. I say that because I believe that this is a very scrappy team that never gives up and will not suffer many blowout losses. Close games in all their losses and a few big wins will make this prediction come true. The nature of this team is also the reason I am looking forward to the season. I appreciate guts and teamwork, both of which should be abundant on the Houston Rockets.

Pre-season Progress Report

Houston has a problem. Make that several problems: inexperience, inconsistency and a general lack of star quality. Let's address these one at a time.

In the last couple of years, Houston has gone from one of the most veteran teams in the league to one of the youngest. This was out of necessity in many ways. When Yao went out for the season and Tracy's career became iffy, the team was faced with a decision. They could acquire a decent player or two through trade or free agency or rebuild with younger players with potential and hope to get lucky with a couple of them. Then when Tracy's contract expires and Yao returns healthy next season, sign a superstar to complete the picture. If Tracy comes back healthy, he could be that superstar. I agreed with the choice they made, especially since the only good players available in free agency were overpriced and any trade possibilites were for mediocre players with long-term contracts.

The inconsistency is to be expected with all the personnel changes. Adelman is not only trying to integrate important pieces into the puzzle, he's not sure yet which pieces to use. There are seven "bigs" on the roster and except for Landry and Scola, none have stood out. Without a true center, all of the big men will have to be flexible enough to play either position, at least at times. There are also six "wings" to man the small forward/shooting guard position and again, only Battier and Ariza are sure bets to make the squad. Then there's the question of how many point guards to carry. Brooks and Lowry are sure things, but since none of the wings are profficient at the point, do they keep Conroy for insurance? In six pre-season games, Brooks has started five, but no other player has started more than three. Eleven players are averaging between 7.4 and 12.3 ppg, with no one over that. With all the experimentation Rick Adelman has had to do to find his team, inconsistency in the natural result.

Analyzing the talent pool is not that hard. Only four of the Rockets were drafted in the first round and three of those were taken with the 24th pick or higher. Only Shane Battier was considered a blue-chip player at #6, and he is getting a little banged up and long in the tooth. All of the Rockets have talent, but few are well-rounded. A starting lineup of Andersen, Scola, Battier, Ariza and Brooks is not very intimidating on paper and their backups all have holes in their games. The draft is hardly infallible, but it is a good indication of overall ability and the Rockets come up way short.

With all the problems listed above, the Rockets do have a couple of advantages. Their front office and coaching staff are among the best in the league. If anyone can pull this team together, it is Rick Adelman. He has made a career of making mediocre teams good. Can he make them great? Sorry. Not this year. But let's hope he can at least make them fun to watch.

Forget McCants - For Now

"Never mind." -Emily Litella

The Rockets abandoned plans to sign Rashad McCants due to an "abdominal injury." I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds like they're sick of him already. According to his agent, McCants suffered the injury while working out in Miami a few days before camp opened. Daryl Morey did not eliminate the possibility that he may be signed in the future when his condition improves.

In order to get enough healthy bodies in camp to have full speed practices, the Rockets signed Romel Beck, a wingman from UNLV who last played for the Mexican national team. Unfortunately, Beck drew criticism similar to McCants during his Mexico stint regarding his unwillingness to play a team game and was ultimately removed from the team during the FIBA Americas championship. He played for the Spurs in this year's Summer League, but was not offered an invitation to training camp. I refer you to the last paragraph of my McCants post. Just change the name to Beck.

And We're Off!

I love this day. Media Day is the day before training camp starts. Everybody looks great, everybody has an excellent chance to make the team and everybody loves everybody else. The Rockets have a great nucleus, outstanding young prospects and they're going to win many games by running more this year.

I'll come down and be realistic later. Let me enjoy this euphoria. I love basketball.

One interesting note, the Rockets will be the first team in NBA history to spend some of their training camp with their minor league affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Sandwiched around their first pre-season game in San Antonio on October 6th, they'll practice in McAllen on the 4th and 5th and play a game there against the Celtics in Dodge Arena on Wednesday, the 7th. I wish I could make the trip, that would be fun!

Rockets Sign 1st Round Draft Choice

OK, it wasn't their first-round draft choice or even this year's draft. Rashad McCants, the 14th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Rockets on Thursday.

McCants was drafted by Minnesota after helping the North Carolina Tarheels to a national championship in his junior year. He suffered injuries in his first couple of seasons with the Timberwolves and following microfracture surgery, never played up to expectations. His stats have been consistently mediocre throughout his years in the league. He had a reputation coming out of college as a head case and his NBA career has yet to belie that impression. In the middle of his fourth season with Minnesota, he wore out his welcome and was traded to Sacramento. The Kings could have resigned him for a song this off-season, but elected not to even submit an offer. It might be interesting to note when the Kings show up on the Rockets schedule to see if Rashad has any hard feelings. I recommend an interesting interview with McCants by Robbi Pickeral at newsobserver.com: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/mccants-wants-to-change-perception

I'm all for giving guys second chances, but is this what the Rockets really need? I guess if they're going to sign him, now is the time to do it, while they have a full training camp to look at him and they didn't have to guarantee any money. OK, Rashad, here's your chance. Don't screw it up.

Congratulations Daryl!

Here's to the best general manager in the history of Houston sports. I have followed the Astros, Oilers, Texans and Rockets since each team came into existence and have yet to see anyone who made as many right moves as Daryl Morey. He is respected on the team and around the league.

I applaud Les Alexander's decision to extend Morey's contract, as officially announced today. As always, terms of the contract were not made public, but I hope you got a big raise, Daryl. You've earned it!

White to Denver

Apparently trying to pare down their guard roster, the Rockets today traded high-scoring G/F James White to Denver for the rights to Axel Hervelle, a 6-9 power forward from Belgium. White did great things in the D-League with Anaheim, but the Rockets had him low in the pecking order at the big league level. Only the Rockets' brass knows why he was traded and no NBA front office people reveal things like that. Perhaps that's out of kindness to the player or perhaps they just don't want to give away a free scouting report.

Axel Hervelle was drafted in the second round by Denver in the 2005 draft and has been playing in Spain ever since. Hervelle averaged 8.3 points and 5 rebounds per game last year for Real Madrid and is likely to stay there next year as well. He is a teammate of Sergio Llull, one of Houston's three 2nd round draft choices this year.

Thank goodness the Rockets landed another power forward. They were down to their last five. This is another trade that I don't completely understand. I have to assume that the team knew that White had no chance whatsoever to make the Rockets basketball roster this season and decided to get something for him in return, something that cost them nothing. Or maybe they were just being nice guys and wanted to give James a chance to succeed somewhere else.

Leslie Wine

Yao Ming is here to stay, at least as long as he has any hope whatsoever of returning to the court for the Rockets. There's just too much money in China for Les Alexander to ignore.

Here's a small example of what I mean. Les bought property in North Fork, Long Island in 2001 and has been cultivating grapes and making wine there ever since. He brought in some high-powered wine advisers to get just the right French vines for the climate and to plant and nuture them correctly. To exemplify his love of the wine, in his divorce settlement from his wife Nanci, they split 600 bottles of the wine and he got his half in 100 bottle increments only when he made his annual divorce settlement payments. I said all that to say this: he is selling Leslie Wine exclusively in China.

Leslie Alexander is one of the 400 wealthiest people on the planet, with a net worth of $1.2 billion. He knows where money is and how to get it - and Yao Ming is the door to the mine. If not, maybe Les would be giving away a case of wine with every Rockets season ticket sold.

Stocking Up for Camp

The Rockets began to prepare for training camp by agreeing to (but not yet signing) contracts with Will Conroy and Garrett Temple. Both guards played well enough for the Rockets' summer league team to earn an extended look.

Will Conroy, an inner-city kid from Seattle, played college ball at the University of Washington and remains good friends with teammate Brandon Roy. He still holds the school record for career assists. Signed by the Lakers after going undrafted, he was released before the season began. Since then, he has played for two teams in Italy, three D-League teams, had ten-day contracts with the Clippers and Memphis and went through a training camp with the Bobcats. On paper the guy looks great, averaging 26.5 points, 8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2 steals per game for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds last season. That sounds like all-star point guard numbers until you look a little deeper and see the 4.2 turnovers per game he commited, indicating poor decision-making skills. The other raps on Conroy are that he is only 6'2" tall, just an average outside shooter and though he plays strong one-on-one defense, his team defense is lacking. Playing with 9 teams in four years may have something to do with the latter issue. His best hope for making the cut with the Rockets is that he is a good passer, especially in transition, and the Rockets plan to run this year.

Garrett Temple played four years for LSU, but was bypassed in this year's draft. Apparently the Rockets' coaching staff saw something in him in the summer league that does not show up on the stat sheets. The numbers only show an abundance of turnovers and fouls in limited action. His college stats are not much more impressive. In his senior year, he scored 7 ppg on 36% shooting, with 4.5 rpg and 3.8 apg. If your glass is half-full, he is a well-rounded player. If you tend to pessimism, he can't do anything extremely well. What the stats don't show is that he is an outstanding defender, but that's not likely to be enough for him to make the final roster.

Of the two, Conroy is the one with a slim chance of making the team this year, but in reality, neither is likely to make it to the NBA Finals with the Rockets. Both are probably candidates for the Vipers of the NBADL. I hope they speak Spanish.

One interesting note about Temple: Thirty five years ago, his father, Collis Temple, Jr., was the first black player to take the court for LSU. The National Guard was on hand for games to prevent trouble from segregationists. Fortunately, Press Maravich (Pistol-Pete's dad) was the coach at the time and made sure that Collis was welcomed. In 2006, his son, Garrett Temple, made it to the Final Four with LSU as a starting guard in an all-black lineup. That speaks volumes about how far we have come in this country, thanks to brave pioneers like Collis Temple and Press Maravich. Anyone who believes that breaking that barrier didn't take courage was not alive in 1971 in Louisiana.

Up Tempo

Can we actually believe it this time? Every year on every team in the league, owners and coaches give lip service to grooming the team to be more "up tempo" this year. They sign a couple of young speedsters and claim they want to run the court this season. I guess it sells more tickets than saying, "Come watch us win 80-79". So why is this year any different?

For one thing, Rick Adelman has always been a running coach. He was saddled with a plodding team when he took over the Rockets, partly because that's what his predecessor espoused and partly because his best player can't run very fast. So with Yao Ming on the shelf for the next season, what better time for Adelman to finally play his game. They drafted players that can run and traded for Trevor Ariza, who they believe will thrive on the move.

More importantly, the edict has come from on top. Les Alexander stated for the record today:

"For eight years I have wanted to move to a running style of play. If you play good defense and run consistently you are tough to beat as your edge in easy baskets is difficult for the opposition to overcome. The basketball staff this year from the first day of training camp will put in place a top notch running game."

Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say.

I have never loved Les Alexander and I don't really even know why, although those pajama uniforms in the nineties are reason enough. I am, however, the first to admit that I've never heard him lie. Also, he sets goals, then gives his general manager and coaches the latitude to achieve them. I also concede that he has never failed to spend money to make moves that he believes will get the Rockets into the playoffs. What more can one ask of an owner? Maybe it's where he comes from or the accent. Or maybe I've just watched too many salsa commercials (Neeew Jer-sey????!!!!). OK, Les, you've earned some respect. I'll clean the slate and start trying to love you. Especially if the Rockets really do increase the tempo this season

More on the NBADL

A few interesting facts about the NBA Development League:

There are 17 teams in the D-League, geographically spread pretty evenly across the country. The only area without a team is the southeast. Texas has the most teams of any state with three. These are the DL teams, their cities and their NBA affiliates:

Albuquerque Thunderbirds (Albuquerque, NM) - Mavs, Hornets
Austin Toros (Austin, TX) - Spurs
Bakersfield Jam (Bakersfield, CA) - Warriors, Clippers
Dakota Wizards (Bismark, ND) - Grizzlies, Wizards
Erie Bayhawks (Erie, PA) - Cavaliers, Raptors
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Fort Wayne, IN) - Pistons, Pacers, Bucks
Texas ??? (Frisco, TX) - Up to 3 teams TBA
Idaho Stampede (Boise, ID) - Blazers, Nuggets
Iowa Energy (De Moines, IA) - Bulls, Suns
L.A. D-Fenders (El Segundo, CA) - Lakers
Maine Red Claws (Portland, ME) - Celtics, Bobcats
Reno Bighorns (Reno, NV) - Magic, Kings
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (McAllen, TX) - Rockets
Sioux Falls Skyforce (Sioux Falls, SD) - Heat, Timberwolves
Springfield Armor (Springfield, MA) - Nets, Knicks, 76ers
Tulsa 66ers (Tulsa, OK) - Thunder
Utah Flash (Provo, UT) - Hawks, Jazz

D-League schedules are more like baseball than basketball. The teams often travel to a city and stay for several days, playing the home team two or even three times during the stay. Back-to-back games are very common.

All NBA D-League games are broadcast free on the net on NBA Futurecast.

The D-League playoff format is interesting. Eight teams make the playoffs. In the first round, the three division leaders get to choose who they want to play from among the other five playoff teams. Imagine how much fun that would be in the NBA! Who would the Lakers have chosen last year from among the Rockets, Blazers, Mavs, Jazz and Hornets?

On April 24, the Colorado 14ers defeated the Utah Flash to become the 2008-09 league champions. Former Rocket John Lucas Jr. had 17 points and 5 assists for Colorado. The champs have since been bought by Donnie Nelson (son of Don and President of Basketball Operations for the Dallas Mavericks) and moved to Frisco, TX, just north of Dallas. The team will be called Texas, but the nickname has yet to be decided.

OK, the NBADL is a long way from Toyota Center, but I find the migration of the NBA toward a serious farm system to be exciting. Bear with me.

D-League Follies - Part II

Interesting things are happening in the NBA Development League, especially for the Houston Rockets. Les Alexander and crew became the first team in the NBA to assume control of the basketball operations of an NBADL team under the league's new "hybrid affiliation" plan. The Rockets have been associated with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for a couple of years, but the new plan grants them complete control of the basketball side of the Vipers without the headaches and investment of outright ownership. In return, RGV can focus on the business end of the operation and have an NBA franchise affiliate to draw crowds.

The Rockets' access to the team will now be exclusive. Previously, the Hornets shared the Vipers as a minor league affiliate, but as of June 29, only the Rockets can make use of the roster. There are a couple of provisos as to how they can use it. First, there is a strict salary cap for individual players signed by the NBADL. Secondly, for an NBA player to be on the minor league team (and still be paid at an NBA salary level), he must be on the big league payroll. Since the Rockets can have 15 active players, but can dress only 12 for games, three players at a time can be getting quality coaching and seasoning down in the valley. To that end, the Rockets fired veteran coach Clay Moser and will install a coaching staff that reflects Rick Adelman's style of play. Adelman will now have a stash of players that have been schooled in his system at his beckon call in case of injuries or trades.

This development helps somewhat to explain the Rockets off-season player acquisitions. Jerome Taylor, Chase Budinger, Sergio Llull, Pops Mensah-Bonsu are all either low draft choices or undrafted free agents with potential. James White, who played for the Rockets at the end of last season, fits that category as well. It is not unreasonable to expect that some of them will see time in McAllen, either as members of the Rockets or as players that have been cut, but are still trying to grow into NBA players.

I am very pleased with the direction the Rockets are moving in player development. In my last post regarding the NBADL, I expressed my desire for this very thing. Now that the CBA has folded completely, the Developmental League can really come into its own and I think more and more teams will follow the Rockets' lead into hybrid affiliation. This blog will keep an eye on the Vipers and report the progress of the experiment.

New Kid in Town

The Houston Rockets agreed to terms yesterday with free agent power forward Nana Papa Yaw Dwene (Pops) Mensah-Bonsu. He is British of Ghanaian descent. He played college ball at George Washington in DC, but went undrafted after declaring for the 2006 draft. Since then, he has had a cup of coffee with the Spurs, Mavericks and Raptors, with stopovers in the D-league at Ft. Worth and Austin. He also played overseas until he had shoulder surgery last December.

At 6' 9" and 240, Mensah-Bonsu's stats in college were good against weak Atlantic-10 conference foes and at times he seemed to be a man among boys. But when his small-college team faced more powerful opponents, his numbers were pedestrian at best. The same goes for the NBA. He tore up the D-League, but hasn't been able to catch on permanently with a big league team. Well, now he has a chance.

How will he fit in with the Rockets? He will be in direct competition with Joey Dorsey, that's how. I have to believe that Dorsey will win that battle. Mensah-Bonsu has a dozen holes in his game. His defense is lacking, he can't pass, dribble or hit an outside shot. He can score at will against weak competition, but he won't see much of that in the NBA. He can rebound like crazy that way too. The scouts kept talking about his upside, then didn't draft him. Unfulfilled potential, thy name is Stromile Swift.

I say that this is what the D-League should be for. Sign him and send him down to the minors for some NBA quality coaching for a year or two. I think that's the way the league is headed, but it won't happen yet. So for now, if he makes the team he will be competing with Dorsey, David Andersen, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry for playing time at two positions. Good luck Pops.

Von Who?

Jermaine Taylor should be at least as much fun to watch as the departed Wafer - and maybe he'll even stick to a game plan! Regardless, he should sell a few basketball tickets.

Is the plan becoming clear?

Based on who the Rockets have signed, who they let go and who is injured, I think Daryl Morey's strategy is becoming evident.

Rick Adelman did not want Von Wafer back next season, so the team only gave lip service to wanting to re-sign him, probably to appease the fans. Wafer was exciting to watch, but you don't publicly disrespect your veteran coach in a playoff game against the Lakers - and that wasn't the first time. It's the reason Wafer bounced around the league for three years before seemingly finding a home in Houston. He is not coachable. I am not privy to the plays that Adelman calls, but I cannot believe that Wafer was told to drive the lane almost every single time he got the ball last season. Talent aside, he has teammates and coaches to consider.

It's hard to believe the size of the contract Wafer signed in Greece for next season. Five million dollars a year. That's probably twice what any NBA team would have paid him to ignore their coach. Good luck, Von. European coaches may not be so forgiving.

So Adelman and Morey let the two people go who refused to adhere to a game plan. Wafer and Ron Artest scored points, but they hurt the team. A coach has to have players that pay attention or the rest of the team will revolt. That is why Morey acquired Trevor Ariza, Jermaine Taylor and Chase Budinger to replace Artest and Wafer. Whether it works out or not, Daryl, I'm with you. The rest of the Rockets are team players and deserve teammates that are on the same page.

Rockets Signings

The Rockets announced the signing three of their off-season acquisitions in the last week. In keeping with team policy, Daryl Morey refused to discuss the terms of the contracts with Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger and David Andersen (see previous post).

Jermaine Taylor brings offensive skills with him from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He was third in the country last year in scoring with 26.2 PPG. He was C-USA player of the year, among other college honors. I know, big numbers, but he did it at a "directional school", as Jeff Van Gundy used to say. He meant that the player was a big fish in a small pond. Granted, UCF has a small basketball program, but it is - believe it or not - the fifth largest university in the country, with over 50,000 students. So he's hardly been in West Podunk for the last few years. One interesting note, he majored in Interdisciplinary Studies. Does anyone know what that is? The big question on Taylor is, can he play NBA defense? He certainly wasn't known for it in college.

Chase Budinger had a great Summer League recently and was a major reason the Rockets went undefeated. He was a three-year starter at Arizona before declaring for the NBA draft. Taken in the second round by Detroit, the Rockets bought his rights minutes later. Budinger is an athletic wing man with a mixed bag of skills and a good all-around game. His weaknesses are that he doesn't have good defensive lateral movement and is not a "go-to" scorer.

So the Rockets added depth to the shooting guard/small forward position with two second round draft choices. I like getting excited about new players, especially ones that can score. I hate that I have to temper that excitement by reminding myself that players drafted in the second round are drafted in the second round for a reason. They are not saviors. Fortunately, the Rockets have one of the best coaching staffs in the league and with a little luck, they can make these guys into players that can at least fill a role on a good team.

Yao Out - Andersen In

After weeks of consultations with top doctors, Yao Ming has decided to have surgery on his injured left foot. The surgery he has chosen will almost certainly keep him out all of next season. He will endure a bone graft to heal the existing fracture and have his arch surgically lowered to help prevent similar problems in the future. This is obviously a major decision that will affect the remainder of his career. On the positive side, it is the same surgery that Cleveland center Zadrunas Ilgauskas had following career-threatening foot injuries early in his career and he came back to play the last seven seasons without issue.

Both to replace Yao on the roster next year and to replace Dikembe Mutombo permanently as Yao's backup, the Rockets acquired the rights to David Andersen from the Atlanta Hawks. Andersen is a native of Carlton, Victoria, Australia and was the second round draft pick of the Hawks in 2002. He is 6' 11" tall and weighs 242. He plays best facing the basket and has good offensive skills. Defense is another matter. Let's hope working with Adelman, Turner and Sikma can teach him enough about the NBA game to be a capable fill-in.

A nice interview with Andersen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TiaPVFZ6jk

Nickel and Dimed Again

Last summer I enjoyed logging into the NBA web site and watching grainy little movies of the NBA Summer League. I caught all the Rockets games, though I was familar with very few of the players. Even so, I enjoyed it and appreciated the league making it available to me.

This year, guess what? The league is charging us $14.95 to watch those same grainy little movies. Bad move, NBA. It's die-hard fans like us that buy tickets to your games and patronize your sponsors. And now you even want to charge us to watch the off-season try-outs. It's things like this that make the general population feel like pro sports players and owners are greedy bastards.

The fact is that the promotion departments of the league and its teams are geniuses. They are corporations putting out a product and they get us to pay to advertise it for them. They've actually got most people thinking it's our civic responsibility to support them. Genius. When is the last time you saw a bumper sticker proclaiming the owner's love of Crest toothpaste or Charmin toilet paper or any other corporate product? I'm telling you, these NBA guys are geniuses - most of the time. This time they screwed up. This is one too many reaches into my pocket. I won't pay. The NBA (Nothing But Advertising) can keep their grainy little movies.

Ariza and Artest Trade Teams

LA Lakers forward Trevor Ariza agreed in principal to a five year contract with the Rockets yesterday, clearing salary space on the Lakers payroll for them to sign much-traveled Rockets Guard/Forward Ron Artest. I like the results.

Ariza is young, athletic and his game is growing every year. And he doesn't have an attitude that rubs his teammates the wrong way. He will also fit in well with Rick Adelman's motion offense.

Artest, on the other hand, annoyed everyone on the team at one time or another and frustrated the coaches no end. He was a black hole on offense. The ball went in but never came out. If anyone passed the ball to Ron, the offense stopped until he felt like driving into a crowded lane to put up a moving prayer. While he was a tough, hard-nosed defender, he often let his pride take over and challenged star players to a game of one-on-one, rarely winning. To put it succinctly, he thinks he's better than he is and that he knows more than the coaches. I won't miss him.

My only question now is where does that leave Shane Battier? Shane is arguably the best non-injured player on the team and he plays the same position as Ariza. Battier has the flexibility to slide over to power forward, but that is already a well-manned position for the team (Scola, Hayes, Dorsey and Landry) and Shane is not really big enough to challenge some of the NBA's more powerful forwards. Assuming the answer to my question is that Ariza is going to come off the bench behind Battier, small forward will be a very strong position for the Rockets.

Now What?

Once again, the Rockets find themselves in the position of waiting on question marks. Team doctor Tom Clanton now says that Yao Ming's stress-fractured left foot has not yet healed properly and no timeline has been established for his return to playing basketball. Also, according to Daryl Morey, Tracy McGrady may be out for a good portion of next season. After such risky surgery, it's even possible that he will never make it back to his former self. Those two players represent roughly 68% of last year's salary cap. As the cap increases next year, so will their salary, so it will probably be a similar percentage then too. So what should the Rockets do now?

First, let me commend Les Alexander for springing for $6 million dollars to acquire 3 second-round draft choices in last week's draft. He could have stood pat, but knowing that it is a buyer's market among NBA teams right now, he instructed Morey to lay out the bucks to try and shore up the team's depth and as insurance in case McGrady doesn't make it back anytime soon or in case either Ron Artest or Von Wafer bolt in free agency. First class, Les.

But that was last week. What does the future hold? OK, here it is. Stay the course. Is that the perfect solution? Of course not. Nobody wants to go into a season missing two superstars. The big question is, what are the alternatives?

If you trade Tracy, it will be to a team that wants to unload a huge long-term contract with a player that is not pulling his weight. Locking in long-term money to get mediocrity in return is not the way the team wants to go. Tracy's contract is over at the end of next season, so they would be better off keeping Tracy now and getting rid of the obligation then. Plus, the team has an insurance policy in place that will cover his salary for most of next season. And let's not forget that McGrady is a legitimate star that could very well come back to pay huge dividends by the end of the season and playoffs. If so, the Rockets would still be in the best position to resign him. If not, they will be clearing a maximum contract from the salary cap at a time when Lebron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwayne Wade and Amare Stoudamire will be free agents. McGrady is only 30.

There is little chance that Houston will trade Yao Ming - now or in the future. Not only is he an elite center, but Yao brings in huge dollars in the asian market. Imagine the world-wide interest in a player like Yao. Oddly enough, Yao's jersey sales rank 10th in China behind Kobe and eight other players, but if Yao was not playing in the league, overall sales would be a fraction of what they are. Regardless, Daryl Morey has specifically stated that Yao Ming is not available. He is the "cornerstone of the team" around which the Rockets will build.

Ron Artest and Von Wafer are both unrestricted free agents. Resign them. We'll all have our chance to check out draftees Jermaine Taylor and Chase Budinger as the Summer League unfolds, but for now, they are unknown commodities. More on them in my next post.

Every other Rocket is under contract for next season. Dikembe is a free agent, but is obviously history due to both his age and his injury. I suggest parting company with Brent Barry and Brian Cook to make room for the rookies.

One other suggestion: Explore acquiring Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Cleveland. His contract allows for an early termination option right now. The Cavs aquired Shaq last week, so Ilgauskas will probably have to come off the bench next season anyway. At 34 years old, perhaps he would rather come off the bench in Houston. The Rockets need to limit Yao's playing time because of recurring injuries and Ilgauskas would be an outstanding choice to step in.

That's the big picture. Details as they arise.

Building Through the Draft

The Rockets are so tight on salary cap space that signing a star free agent is highly unlikely for next year. The only player they have worth trading will have little value on the open market because of his salary and injuries (Tracy McGrady). Therefore, the only solution to improve the team in the immediate future is to build through the draft. So here is my recommendation as to who the Rockets should take in the upcoming draft:

Nobody. The Rockets have no picks in the 2009 draft and are not likely to trade for one.

Fortunately, one of last year's second round choices, Joey Dorsey, is on the mend after sitting out virtually all of his rookie season with foot problems and is working out furiously with the coaches. If he can get through a season without plantar fasciitis problems, he could be a real plus for the Rockets. They desperately need another big man to back up Yao Ming and Luis Scola in the post now that Dikembe Mutombo is no longer an option. That would also allow Carl Landry to play more small forward.

The Rockets are a team loaded with swingmen. Luis Scola, Joey Dorsey, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Ron Artest and James White are all capable of playing more than one position. In fact, of the Rockets regular rotation, only Yao, Brooks, Lowry and Wafer are one-position players. That gives coach Rick Adelman a tremendous variety of options to match up with other teams' personnel. That flexibilty is a necessity in today's NBA as so many teams are eschewing the traditional big center in favor of a quicker lineup.

T-Mac Surgured

In order to alleviate some pain he had been experiencing since before last season, Tracy "had a left shoulder arthroscopic distal clavicle excision for long standing symptoms emanating from (his) acromioclavicular joint."

He had his shoulder scoped. The timing was so that he could rehab both the shoulder and his knee at the same time. The surgery was performed by Dr. Brian Cole at Rush University Medical Center.

He is not yet running, but McGrady claims that his knee is coming along fine and he's been working on it in the pool for several weeks. He is aiming for a training camp return to basketball.

Rockets End-of-Season Report Card

Final exams are over for the Rockets. We've all had a week to reflect on the season and contemplate the assets and liabilities of the team. So before we get completely into the summer break, it's time for a report card. Here it is, in alphabetical order:

Ron Artest (B-) Ron kept his nose squeaky clean and exhibited nothing but an outstanding positive attitude all year. He brought everything he had every night and left it all on the court. But as has been his wont throughout his career, Artest did not always play smart. At times he tried to take over the point guard position, dribbling around on the perimeter, making ill-advised passes into traffic and forcing his way into the lane rather than dishing it off to the open man.

Brent Barry (D) Being a good influence on the court and in the locker room for the rest of the team saved him from a failing grade, but basically, Brent added little to the team on the floor this year.

Shane Battier (B+) One of my favorite players, Shane plays intelligently, efficiently and puts out 100% on both ends of the court. His scoring was down this year, but his assists were up and turnovers down. Missing 22 games due to off-season surgery prevented a higher grade.

Aaron Brooks (B) Brooks made huge strides this season toward becoming a competent NBA point guard, taking over for Rafer Alston when Alston was traded in mid-season. Keeping in mind that Brooks has only been a starter for 35 games, many of his errors can be overlooked. He dribbles too much and makes bad decisions too often. Due to his 6' height, he is something of a defensive liability against taller guards that like to post up. So why did he get an above-average grade? Because he is aggressive, fearless, coachable, plays hard and he's fast - VERY fast. Most of all, he's just fun to watch.

Bryan Cook (D) I am not privy to practices, so coach Addleman will have to explain Cook's lack of playing time, but for whatever reason, he played very little. Since he was on the team and available for 35 games, an (Incomplete) would be inappropriate.

Joey Dorsey (I) Plantar fasciitis ruined Dorsey's first season in pro ball. He spent much of the year with the Rio Grande Vipers, Houston's NBDL affiliate, but was never able to play effectively. His potential will probably buy him another chance next season.

Chuck Hayes (C) Who doesn't like Chuck Hayes? He is listed (generously) at 6'6" and plays center. Chuck uses his body and strength very well, but his lack of height and offensive skills prevent him from being anything more than a luxury on an already deep team.

Carl Landry (B) Having been given an excused absence for the month he spent recovering from a gunshot wound, Carl more than proved me right when I recommended that the Rockets match Charlotte's offer sheet last off-season and keep him. Landry was a force off the bench at power forward and his athleticism and demeanor inspired his teammates. I still contend that he would be a starter on almost every team in the league that doesn't already have Luis Scola.

Kyle Lowry (A-) As with Aaron Brooks, Kyle's grade is relative and somewhat qualified. For having been thrown into the mix after being acquired from Memphis in mid-season, Lowry did a good job, sharing point guard minutes with Brooks and providing a critical spark plug off the bench. So good in fact that I recommended not long ago that Lowry be promoted to starter. He does not have Brooks' offensive skills, but he plays more under control and gets the rest of the team more involved than does Brooks. My recommendation still stands.

Tracy McGrady (C-) The commonly expressed opinion as to Tracy's performance this year was, "Even when he was there, he wasn't there." That pretty much covers his contribution to the team this season on the court, and he did not handle the injury behind the scenes or his eventual decision to have season-ending surgery very well either. In later posts, I will opine on Tracy's attitude and future, but for this purpose, suffice to say that T-Mac didn't show up this year. He was just Tracy.

Dikembe Mutombo (A) The general attitude in the Rockets' locker room improved along with their on-court performance just about the time Dikembe signed on this year. Coincidence? Hardly. This grade is more of a legacy than an accurate indicator of his performance this year. It was an honor for the Rockets to have Deke end his career here.

Luis Scola (A) Luis was a rock in the lineup this season. He has come into his own as an NBA power forward and will pay dividends for many more years. All year he was whatever Rick Addleman asked him to be. He gave his all on every play and played smart, solid, fundamental basketball.

Von Wafer (B) No Rocket has ever been more fun to watch. Von is fearless and has the talent and athleticism to back it up. He provided instant offense off the bench all season. Wafer occassionally tries to do the impossible and has nowhere to go with the ball, but that will change with experience. He also has defensive lapses and to paraphrase Will Rogers, he never met a shot he didn't like. If he learns to pass more, he could easily increase his assists markedly and benefit the team.

James White (I) Acquired late in the season from the NBDL, this human highlight film is little more than raw talent. I look forward to seeing him next year in the off-season rookie league and training camp to see if he has a real future in the NBA.

Yao Ming (A) His foot injury in the playoffs prevented him getting a A+ for his solid, determined performance in the regular season. Yao is the reason the Rockets made it to the playoffs and got out of the first round for the first time in forever. Weaknesses? Yes, he has a few. He doesn't run fast. For his height, he doesn't block that many shots or rebound all that well. Everything else he does very well and he is generally considered the hardest worker on the team. Yao Ming is one of the top two centers in the league.

School's out. Disagree with anything I've said? Tell me about it. Next: What the future will bring.

Playoff Predictions

I usally have pretty strong vibes as to which teams are playing well and which players match up well against each other, but this year is different. It's not that I don't get hunches or that I don't know the players. It's because the final four teams are so evenly matched that you could flip a coin and predict the winners just as accurately as the "experts".

The Lakers are a very good team with what should have been the co-MVP of the league this year, Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol adds an inside/outside threat that will be hard for any team to overcome and coach Phil Jackson has been there so many times that his players just naturally feel confident. At the same time, Denver has a superstar of its own and is playing inspired team-oriented basketball at just the right time. Again, coach George Karl has seen it all and knows how to create a game plan that will get the ball in the right hands on offense and neutralize the Lakers' assets on defense.

After last night's dramatic buzzer-beater by LeBron, I changed my opinion of who is the best player on the planet. It used to be Kobe, but it's now a tie. I've been looking for a reason to make that change because frankly, I just don't like Kobe. He whines too much. LeBron can dominate a game from both ends of the court. Žydrūnas Ilgauskas is not only underrated, he is in fact one of the top centers in the league. What makes this series hard to predict is that Orlando's center, Dwight Howard, is the best center in the league. Forwards Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu make the Magic's front court possibly the best in the NBA. If point guard Jameer Nelson had not torn the labrum in his right shoulder in February, I would be all over the Orlando bandwagon, but unfortunately, they are stuck with former Rockets Rafer Alston and Tyron Lue and much-traveled journeyman Anthony Johnson to man the point guard position. The Rockets got rid of Alston and Lue for a reason.

So here is the formal prediction: Cleveland will beat Los Angeles for the NBA Championship. How can I be so sure? Because my coin (a pristine 2008 Alaska commemorative quarter) came up heads, heads and tails, in that order.

Time for Reflection

The season is over for the Rockets. For a good friend of mine, basketball season is over, period. "I'm not a basketball fan," he says. "I'm a Rockets' fan!" He has season tickets and roots rabidly for the home team, but his disappointment in game 7 was absolute. He won't be watching any more games this year.

But that's not me. I love the game. I love the Rockets most, but basketball is a wonderful sport that brings out the best in all who play it. Aside from being the best exercise ever, it requires effort, dedication, focus, and most importantly - teamwork. Other sports do as well, but of the big three most popular sports in this country, basketball demands the most communication and cooperation. No human can excel without ego. Pride is the natural result of accomplishment and should be exalted, not condemned. But in basketball, one's pride must come from one's ability to operate within a team framework, Many see this a sacrificing one's ego to the team, but that is far from true. A sacrifice is made when one gets nothing in return. This is a trade; the success of the individual being based on his contribution to his team - and all accomplished on a voluntary basis. It should be a shining example of how people can work together to better themselves, and coincidentally, their fellow man.

But enough philosophy. How about just a big thank you for all the hard work and dedication the Rockets exhibited this season? It was a fantastic run, guys, and you deserve every accolade. I won't even mention the individuals who were injured. For now, I just want to laud the ones that were there for the duration. Way to go.

There will be some housekeeping here in the next few days and weeks. I will make some predictions, both about the ongoing playoffs and the future of the Rockets and NBA. I will offer an end-of-season report card for the individual Rockets and make my online pitch to Daryl Morey and Les Alexander as to what moves to make in the off-season. So stick around ladies and gentlemen. The game will go on.

Adios Big Red

The Rockets' season will end today.

Who'da Thunk It?

This group of glorious overachievers continue to amaze everyone who sees them. I went to the game last night (thanks to the generosity of a good friend) and have not had so much fun in a long time. My voice is gone and I think I broke some blood vessels in the palms of my hands. With the exception of the first half of the third quarter, there was plenty to clap for all night.

The Rockets had a magnificent 17-1 run to open the game and the Lakers had a similar run to start the second half. Those stretches aside, Houston beat L.A. by 15 points and seemed in control for the whole game. To a man, they played smart basketball. Yes, Ron Artest and Aaron Brooks had their brain farts, but on the whole, both contributed handily to the victory. Artest was a defensive monster, which I'm sure made Rick Addleman extremely happy. He didn't overdribble (very often) or force (many) passes into a crowded lane. He let the point guards be point guards and mostly took shots only when he should have. No player can have great shooting nights every night, but if they take their shots in the flow of the game and according to the offensive strategy, the coach will not complain.

Shane Battier did a yeoman's job on Kobe Bryant. Kobe scored 32 points, but it took him 27 shots to do it and Bryant never got his teammates involved to pick up the slack. Great job, Shane. Luis Scola was extremely effective early, getting the Rockets off to a great start. Aaron Brooks scored early and often, leading the Rockets with 26 points and keeping the Lakers on their heels all night. Carl Landry was very active on both ends of the court, hitting all six of his shots and grabbing nine rebounds in 27 minutes. Also credit Rick Addleman for having Brooks help defensively on Pau Gasol when Gasol moved into the paint. It virtually shut down Gasol's offense and the rest of the Lakers could not hit their open shots.

In short (if that's still possible), it was a great night for Rockets basketball. They had $40 million dollars' worth of players on the bench in street clothes and $18 million on the court, and they wiped the floor with the defending Western Conference chamions.

Game 6

Quick prediction: The Rockets will win tonight. Barely, but they will win. The good news is that if I'm wrong, no one will be reading Rockets blogs for months.

Tonight in LA

For the record, I predicted that the Rockets would lose game 4. Oops. Who knew? So I'm 1-3 so far. Now for tonight's game. The Rockets will lose game 5 in LA. That's not to say they will lose the series. At least I'm not saying that yet.

The Rockets have surprised me any number of times this year, so I'm hoping to be gloriously wrong. Go get 'em guys!

Stunning!

The Yao-less Rockets amazed the NBA by soundly defeating the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers today in Toyota Center. The rest of the Rockets jumped on the Lakers early and often, building an insurmountable lead by the fourth quarter and coasted to a 12 point victory.

Aaron Brooks scored 34 points on 60% shooting and ran the Lakers into the court, but the real damage was done by the workhorses on offense and defense: Chuck Hayes, Luis Scola and Ron Artest. Why were we surprised? More than half of last year's 22 game win streak came after Yao went out with an injury to the same foot he injured on Friday. Subtract McGrady, add Artest and the beat goes on. Great job guys!

While the Lakers regained home court advantage in Houston, it's still a tied series, guaranteeing at least a 6th game. This is fun.

Lakers Were Just Better

Game 3 showed a disappointing truth. The Lakers are the better team in this playoff matchup. Both teams played hard in a relatively clean game and it was well-officiated. And Los Angeles won.

Three factors stand out in Game 3.

1. The Rockets outrebounded the Lakers by 13,
2. They gave it back by committing 13 more turnovers than L.A.
3. The Lakers just shot well from the 3-point line. On average, a team that takes 20 three-pointers will make about seven of them. The Lakers hit 11, four more than average. That alone counts for most of the margin of victory.

With the exceptions of Lowry and Landry, virtually the entire team again seemed determined to dribble into the teeth of the Lakers' collapsing defense. Ron Artest and Aaron Brooks were two of the most guilty. Both were so anxious to contribute and be aggresive that they hurt their team.

The reason the Lakers hit so many threes is that the Rockets were so focused on stopping Kobe and Gasol that they were giving away open threes to the supporting cast members - and they hit them. I'm not saying that this was a bad strategy by Coach Addleman, but sometimes good strategies work and sometimes the other team just gets hot.

Artest's flagrant foul late in the game was a non-issue relative to the outcome of that game. The game had been decided and he obviously did not intend to hurt anyone. He merely committed a "play-off foul" in attempting to keep Gasol from scoring in the lane. The Rockets are waiting to hear if Artest will be suspended, but upon further revue, I think the NBA will see it as just a hard foul.

Having regained home-court advantage, the Lakers look almost invincible. If the Rockets lose game 4, the lead will be insurmountable.

Red and Rowdy

Toyota Center will be rockin' tonight, and not just from that group of zanies, the Red Rowdies. Rockets fans are hyped for several reasons. They are finally getting to watch a second round game, it's against the hated lakers and the hated Lakers played a nasty game a couple of nights ago.

Von Wafer's petulant display is behind him, according to both Von and Rick Addleman. Yao Ming is healthy and anxious to show the world he can bounce back from a bad game. Ron Artest and Shane Battier are battered, bruised, and boiling mad at the NBA's darling, Kobe Bryant. Derek Fisher will not be in uniform tonight, serving his suspension for having waylayed Luis Scola - who is probably also looking forward to a little revenge. For all of these reasons, I am picking the Rockets to win game 3.