Barry The Glue to Rockets Backcourt
The Houston Rockets have a nice array of talent in the backcourt, although nobody besides Tracy McGrady strikes fear into the hearts of opposing teams, coaches and fans. Besides the projected starters in point guard Rafer Alston – who was the key ingredient to the Rockets’ 22-game win streak last year – and T-Mac, the Rockets solidified their perimeter shooting by adding slick passer and lethal sharpshooter Brent Barry, one of the most underrated off-season signings in the league.
Point guard-of-the-future Aaron Brooks had a breakout preseason by posting a team-high 14.4 points per game and dishing out 4.1 assists while shooting 45.8 percent from the field in seven preseason games. Although undersized at 6-0 and 160 pounds, Brooks has outstanding quickness and finds his way to the basket. He has continued to develop a decent jump shot, and now as the primary backup behind Alston, he will need to mature quickly, which will help his confidence.
Also returning is the ever-steady Luther Head, a combo guard who enters his fourth season in Houston with career averages of 9.2 points and 2.4 assists per game in just over 25 minutes a contest. Head had a strong preseason shooting the ball, making an astounding 61.9 percent of his shots and shooting 60 percent from beyond the arc.
Fourth-year man Von Wafer rounds out the guards, assuming Steve Francis doesn’t make a full recovery. Wafer has bounced around the league playing a sparse amount of games, but his upside is his good athleticism and jump shot. However, his attitude still remains a concern, which might explain why this is already his fifth team.
If Steve Francis can make a recovery from his troubled knees that have cost him his explosiveness, that will provide an extra ball-handler and locker room leader. Barring a miracle, Francis will probably never regain the athleticism that helped him play above the rim, because if he did, he would be the starting point guard and the Rockets would be the NBA champions on paper. More than likely, Francis will have to settle to be a mentor for Brooks, but swallowing his ego could help him get out of the first round for the first time.
Barry will be the x-factor in the back court. As the only champion on the team, his pedigree will bring a swagger to the Rockets from day one. Barry will be the glue that holds the Rockets’ back court together. He can play both guard positions and the small-forward position when needed. When Adelman wants to go big, look for Barry at the point and McGrady at the two-guard, giving the Rockets one of the tallest - if not tallest - back-court in the league.
If anyone thinks Barry is too old to make a difference, just rewind to Game Four of the Western Conference Finals last season between San Antonio and Los Angeles, where he scored 23 points and nearly pulled out the win for the Spurs.
Injury is the Rockets’ greatest nemesis and a yearly concern. McGrady is coming off knee surgery over the summer and has postponed needed surgery on his arthritic shoulder until the off-season. McGrady has only played a quarter this preseason, and his health is still a big question mark heading into the season.
As much as I love the guy, it’s hard to imagine McGrady playing a full 82 games and/or staying fully healthy during the playoffs, especially considering he is at his best when he drives to the rim, and his arthritic shoulder is sure to take a pounding in the postseason like it did last year against the Utah Jazz. Then there is his unstable back problem, is attributed to an abnormal curvature of his spine. However, if he defies the odds, I will be the first in line to apologize.
That is where Ron Artest comes in. Artest will give the Rockets a mean streak they have lacked in nearly a decade. When teams like the Jazz get physical and push the Rockets, Artest will push right back. Artest is the missing third scoring option the Rockets have long sought ever since they paired McGrady and Yao Ming.
If Artest, reunited with perhaps his favorite coach ever in Rick Adelman, decides to finally sacrifice his ego and shot attempts and be the role player the Rockets need him to be but a difference-maker when at crunch time, Houston will win a playoff series for the first time since 1997. Artest resembles a combination of McGrady and Shane Battier, providing a scoring punch and posting weaker guards down on the block while handcuffing the opposition’s best perimeter player.
With Artest on the floor, McGrady has a bona-fide scoring alternative to Yao, so he does not need to expend as much energy trying to create for both him and his 7-6 teammate. Artest has been known to handle the point duties at times, although that is not his strong suit, as he tends to look for his own shot whenever he does that.
Perhaps the Rockets’ other major problem will be how to space the floor so that Yao has room to operate down low while allowing McGrady to drive to the rim. Where does Artest fit in this equation? Does he spot up on the weak side waiting for an open 3 or does he handle the point guard duties when McGrady needs a breather. His role must be determined ASAP.
While Alston has continued to mature as the point guard the Rockets need him to be, it is hard to see his stats improving. He his 32 years old now and will have to do his best to keep up with the likes of Chris Paul and Tony Parker (both of whom are quicker than him), as well as Deron Williams (who is quicker AND stronger).
Alston must continue his maturation and look to get his teammates involved more frequently, abstaining from hoisting up low-percentage shots and having a high assist-to-turnover ration. If he improves his field goal percentage and his assist numbers, and takes care of the basketball, he will have done his job.
If Adelman can monitor McGrady’s minutes and keep him relatively fresh from the playoffs, barring any more cruel injuries, McGrady will be an MVP candidate this year and will finally make it out of the first round and perhaps the second.
