The ability to work the "inside-outside" game is pivotal for any NBA contender.
If you can't do it, you're doomed to postseason failure.
In 1994, Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to their first world championship in 27 years by working the inside-outside game. Along the way, Olajuwon was named league MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year.
Today's Must Reads
Today, Chairman Yao has the potential to accomplish the same thing—but the team has to understand that he's the focal point, and that everything has to go through the middle.
During the offseason, the Rockets made some key changes to help them keep up in the highly competitive Southwest Division—including bringing Olajuwon in to work with Yao.
If Houston is to succeed, though, Rick Adelman has to emphasize fundamentals, and help his team understand that self-motivation and professional work ethic will pay dividends in the postseason.
Tracy McGrady, for one, needs to create plays on the perimeter. T-Mac is without question a talented ballplayer, but he's yet to show leadership, durability, or composure.
McGrady will need plenty of support from the rest of the Rockets—including prodigal son Steve Francis, who still has a lot to contribute if Adelman can create the right situation.
The coaching staff on the whole needs to make player-development a priority. Only then can Houston's talented young cast become a force to be reckoned with.
comments (2) write a comment »
write a new comment
11 months ago
Agreed 100% that player development is the ultimate goal in Houston but championship can be won when superstars take their game to another plateau when needed. The inside game is great and can definately win championships but no matter how great Yao is, like he showed last year, this team will not go to the next level unless Mcgrady puts his game on a different plateau. We saw D-wade in the finals 2 years back and we witness Lebron in the East last year....The Rockets roster is way better than both of those team (including the Heat championship team) so it boils down to Mcgrady reaching new heights when his team needs him the most.....The ball is in his hands majority of the time, so he needs to make it happen......it's now or never.
11 months ago
McGrady just isn't durable enough to shoulder this kind of load in the Western Conference.
The Rockets are the perfect example of a team that would benefit greatly from moving to the East where a superstar scorer and a legit post presence are usually enough to win the conference.
But there's no way that these guys can get past the Spurs or Suns. And I'd expect they'll be blown off the court this year by the Nuggets and Warriors as well.
write a new comment