In the deep end of the pool that is the Western Conference, the Rockets have spent the last few seasons doing little more than treading water. Not anymore. Houston made a huge splash in the offseason by trading for Ron Artest.
Before that move, the Rockets were good but could hardly be considered legitimate contenders for the Western Conference crown. The flip side was that they were not anywhere near bad enough to fall completely out of the picture and get a jolt of young talent from the Lottery.
With the addition of Artest, which cost them next to nothing, the Rockets are right there with the Lakers, New Orleans, Utah, and San Antonio as title contenders.
Frontcourt
The simplified scouting report on Yao Ming entering the 2002 NBA Draft was pretty simple to digest—“the Chinese Bill Walton.”
That thumbnail sketch referred to Yao’s incredible all-around skill set, which included shooting, rebounding, and passing—and included in the latter talent was a seldom-used break-triggering outlet pass that was, well, Waltonesque.
But people are starting to wonder if Yao isn’t mirroring Big Red in another important aspect—foot injuries. Fear not. While Yao has been injury-prone the last three seasons, it’s more due to bad luck than Walton’s congenital defects. Yao suffered a stress fracture of the tarsal navicular bone in his left foot that forced him to miss the final 27 games of the season. It’s the fourth serious injury Yao has suffered, all of them involving his lower extremities.
Yao recovered from his latest injury in time to participate in the Beijing Olympics, but there have to be concerns about the foot supporting a 7'6", 310-pound player throughout the rigors of an 82-game season.
When he’s on, Yao is as close to an unstoppable force as there is in the NBA. He can score in a variety of ways—the baseline turnaround, an improving jump hook, a face-up jumper at the foul line and, of course, the power dunk. And he’s deadly at the line, too, so there’s always a benefit to getting the ball down low to the biggest big man in the league.
In the past, the problem was finding suitable frontcourt complements for Yao. Consider that solved. The addition of Artest, who is already familiar with coach Rick Adelman’s offense, solves many problems for the Rockets. Artest, who gives the Rockets a consistent third offensive option behind Yao and Tracy McGrady, has three-point range on his shot. But Artest is just as comfortable bouncing bodies around in the paint and is a finisher on the break.
Artest joins Luis Scola, who was a revelation last season as a rookie, on a much-improved frontline. Scola, acquired from the Spurs, showed tremendous offensive potential, with a delicate touch and an intuitive sense when moving without the ball, one of the reasons he was a surprisingly good offensive rebounder. His defense didn’t exactly stir up visions of Maurice Lucas, but Scola at least worked at that end.
Scola’s backups, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry, bring divergent styles to the position. Hayes is a lunch-pail-carrying workhorse, getting every ounce from what little pure talent he possesses. Landry, last year’s surprise rookie, is a lithe, bouncy athlete whose explosiveness around the basket made him a threat on the offensive boards and a decent defender.
But something has to give here, since the Rockets’ draft-night wheeling and dealing landed them Memphis muscleman Joey Dorsey, a physical beast whose defense and hustle make up for his rim-bending offense.
With Artest on board, Shane Battier suddenly becomes a situational defender, able to rotate anywhere he’s needed. Battier is a wonderful talent, willing to do all the little things that help a team win. But he has been little more than a catch-and-shoot safety valve in the offense, which is no longer a liability.
Backcourt
Rumor has it that when the Rockets pass around their NCAA Tournament pool brackets, Tracy McGrady only fills out the first round. Why? Because everybody knows that McGrady never gets past the first round. Cheap shot? Perhaps. But McGrady, one of the league’s brilliant natural talents, has yet to prove that he can lead a team to greatness.
There is the nagging feeling that while McGrady wants all the perks that come with superstardom—the fat contracts, the shoe deal, and face time on national TV—he balks at assuming the responsibilities that come with the territory.
McGrady wants to take shots, but not THE shot. He talks incessantly about his ability to make plays, but he can’t (or won’t) make THE play. Mix in his lack of durability (only 66 games, keeping intact his streak of never playing as many as 80 games in any season) and his unwillingness to attack the basket (295 three-pointers vs. only 358 free throws) and you start to ask questions.
It seemed as if the Rockets spent a good deal of last preseason looking for a point guard to replace Rafer Alston, but when the dust settled, Alston was their man. After an understandable adjustment period, Alston performed surprisingly well in Adelman’s system, hitting open three-pointers and getting the team into the offense.
Bobby Jackson was dealt to Sacramento in the Artest deal, so Aaron Brooks should get plenty of minutes at point guard. Brooks had people scratching their heads when he was drafted last season, but wound up turning heads with his play. The Rockets signed Brent Barry to a free-agent deal, giving them veteran savvy and a three-point threat in the backcourt. If nothing else, Barry’s three-point shooting should prevent defenses from collapsing on Yao.
Final Analysis
With Yao and McGrady, the Rockets were a threat, but few considered them a legitimate championship contender. Even in the glow from their ridiculous 22-game win streak, which came after Adelman’s ideas on offense finally sunk in, the Rockets were doomed to yet another first-round exit.
But with Artest now in the mix, the Rockets are no longer treading water. They’ve been suddenly elevated from first-round fodder to contention in the West, which means they’re ready to make some waves.
Carter's Prediction
First in Southwest Division
Third in Western Conference
Defeats Phoenix Suns in six games in Western Conference Quarterfinals
Loses to Utah Jazz in seven games in Western Conference Semifinals
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