March 2004 Houston Rockets Wiretap

Yao Ming working on becoming more powerful force

Jan 23, 2004 10:22 PM

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets are trying to help Yao Ming change his playing style.

China's 7-foot-6 gentle giant has been slow to adapt to the rim-clanging, in-your-face play of the NBA. He's a big man with finesse, and the Rockets would like him to be more of an aggressive force.

In his second season with the Rockets, Yao is running a close second to Shaquille O'Neal in the balloting for starting All-Star center for the Western Conference, but he's still trying to overcome the no-contact style of play he learned from years of playing international basketball.

``It's not something you snap your fingers and it happens _ I just wish we could do that,'' Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. ``It's just the way the game is played here. Even college players from the U.S. have to make the adjustment. Until you get hit, you don't understand that.''

Yao was the first player chosen the NBA draft last year, creating immediate excitement for the Rockets. Houston didn't make the playoffs last year and Yao spent a season learning the brutal nature of the sport as played in the NBA.

Jeff Van Gundy has taken on the job of pushing Yao into an NBA mentality.

``He's teaching me to be more aggressive and the whole team is encouraging me, too,'' Yao said.

Former Rockets forward Matt Bullard, a teammate of former Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, expects Yao to reach a high level _ once he adjusts to the NBA.

``The Chinese culture is so different, everyone is supposed to be so respectful of everyone else,'' Bullard said. ``Yao comes here against guys who've been playing street ball all their lives and they're going at him as hard as they can.

``It's going to take him a while to learn that when he has a chance to dunk on somebody he's got to dunk on them hard.''

Yao's big frame and strong legs weren't enough to allow him to bang with the game's top physical centers, including O'Neal, as a rookie. Yao has moved forward this season, gaining some 20 pounds after get Rockets put him on a weightlifting program.

``We need to continue to get him to be aggressive, to be assertive,'' Rockets guard Steve Francis said. ``When he's like that, we're unstoppable. As he continues to get a feel for his shot and as he gets more comfortable out there, we can only continue to get better.''

Still, there have been frustrating moments when Yao hasn't been able to break free of the double teams. And despite his added strength, he still has a tendency to move softly to the basket.

Yao played only 23 frustrating minutes on Jan. 11 against Boston, finally sitting down with only six points. Since then, he's scored more than 20 points in four of five games, including a season-high 29 points against the Knicks on Wednesday night that was one point shy of his career high.

There were no slam dunks that brought the crowd to its feet. In fact, Yao had one drive during which he could have dunked, but instead lightly put the ball up and missed. Yao was most impressive against the Knicks with his jumpers.

``There is a phrase in China that is similar to manna from heaven, meaning that something good has fallen out of the sky,'' Yao said after the game. ``That was tonight.''

He shot 12-for-15 from the field and was unstoppable, at least for the Knicks.

``When he makes his jumper, he is really hard to guard and creates all kinds of problems for the other teams,'' Van Gundy said. ``There is a lot that Yao can do and I think he is looking for his shot a lot more and it's because of his teammates.''

Bullard wishes there could be a trend that brought the NBA style closer to Yao's.

``It's been a breath of fresh air for me just to watch him play,'' Bullard said. ``I think the game has gotten to be too much chest-thumping and too much celebrating. I think some of the NBA players ought to bring some of that respect back to their approach to the game.''

Associated Press

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Jeff Van Gundy Defends Scott Layden, Ewing Defends Don Chaney

Jan 21, 2004 3:02 AM

Jeff Van Gundy stuck up for former Knicks GM Scott Layden yesterday. At least there's one out there.

The ex-Knick coach would not be specific but he believes some of Layden's moves were forced upon him by upper management. It's been widely reported owner James Dolan wanted Latrell Sprewell dealt because he thought it would improve the character of the team.

"Everyone has their own evaluation of Scott, but there's no doubt in my mind he worked extremely hard," said Van Gundy, who had a great relationship with Layden. "He followed orders from above him and ended up taking a lot of grief."

Van Gundy and Layden have exchanged several phone messages and the former Knicks coach wishes Layden stuck up for himself more with the media.

Meanwhile, Rockets assistant Patrick Ewing was upset at the Chaney firing episode in which he was axed at the Garden two hours before tip-off.

"I was very sorry to see Don go," Ewing said. "Don's a great guy. It's disappointing the way the whole situation happened. The funny thing is everyone keeps saying Lenny [Wilkens] was a guard and Isiah was a guard and they forget Chaney was a very good guard also. It could have been handled better."

NY Post

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Former Rockets forward convicted of marijuana possession

Jan 20, 2004 8:57 PM

HOUSTON (AP) Former Houston Rockets forward Eddie Griffin was convicted Tuesday of marijuana possession.

Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law Judge Larry Standley said he would sentence Griffin on Feb. 13. A jury convicted Griffin of the misdemeanor after a daylong trial.

Griffin, who signed with the New Jersey Nets following his release from the Rockets, also is scheduled next month to answer a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon based on an alleged fight with a woman in October.

Griffin was arrested in April on the marijuana charge.

He was suspended from the Rockets in October for a series of missed practices and a skipped flight to Sacramento, Calif. Later that month, a woman accused him of hitting her three times in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his Houston home before dawn on Oct. 25.

Griffin, a 6-foot-10, 232-pound forward, averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks in 150 career games over two seasons with the Rockets.

Associated Press

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Rockets sign Jackson

Jan 15, 2004 10:57 PM

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets signed point guard Mark Jackson on Thursday.

Jackson, who ranks second all-time in NBA career assists with 10,215, played for Utah last season. While with the Jazz, he averaged 4.7 points and 4.6 assists.

Jackson was drafted by the New York Knicks in 1987 and has since played for five other teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers and the Indiana Pacers.

The signing brings Houston's active roster to 12 players.

Associated Press

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Jax to rejoin JVG in Houston

Jan 14, 2004 3:02 AM

Former Knicks point guard Mark Jackson will be reunited with Jeff Van Gundy and Patrick Ewing in Houston, The Post has learned.

Jackson, 38, will work out for the Rockets tomorrow and, if all goes well, debut Saturday against Minnesota.

The Rockets lack a true point guard and have been using Steve Francis in that role. Jackson, who ranks second behind John Stockton in career assists with 10,215, will likely serve as a backup.

NY Post

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Yao muscles in on Shaq in All-Star vote

Jan 12, 2004 7:28 PM

NEW YORK (AP) Yao Ming is making a strong run at Shaquille O'Neal to be the Western Conference's starting center at the NBA All-Star game next month.

Fewer than 24,000 votes separate the two in the third set of totals released by the league Monday. Balloting continues through Jan. 18 for the Feb. 15 game at Staples Center in Los Angeles, O'Neal's home arena.

Yao, averaging 15.3 points and 8.9 rebounds for Houston, drew 1,091,997 votes. O'Neal, averaging 20 points and 11.6 rebounds for the Lakers, leads the center vote in the West with 1,115,881.

In the previous release of ballots, the two were separated by 142,059 votes.

Vince Carter of Toronto (1,629,169) and Kobe Bryant of the Lakers (1,333,262) are the top vote-getters in their conferences.

Carter and Jermaine O'Neal of Indiana have the most votes among Eastern Conference forwards. The leading guards are Allen Iverson of Philadelphia and Tracy McGrady of Orlando. Cleveland rookie LeBron James is fourth, behind Jason Kidd of New Jersey.

Ben Wallace of Detroit leads by more than a million votes at center.

In the West, the leading guards are Bryant and Steve Francis of Houston. The two top forwards are Kevin Garnett of Minnesota and Tim Duncan of San Antonio.

Balloting this season expanded to include 17 languages on the NBA's Web site.

Associated Press

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Ewing offered Mourning a kidney

Jan 12, 2004 9:55 AM

Former NBA star and current Houston Rockets assistant coach Patrick Ewing offered Alonzo Mourning one of his kidneys before he received one from a family member.

"He was a friend in need," Ewing told reporters in Houston, "I could have helped him. It was a chance to save his life. It was something I wanted to do. I was tested before I came to Houston, and it was a match. I have high-blood pressure so it didn't work out."

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

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Rockets more structured; Ricky rips Cleveland

Jan 9, 2004 8:31 PM

Cuttino Mobley of the Houston Rockets took offense when asked about the offensive system installed by Jeff Van Gundy.

Mobley was perfectly happy to talk about the team's defense. But his opinion of the offense, ranked 27th among the 29 teams in the NBA, was off-limits.

``Don't ask me that question,'' Mobley said one night after the Rockets managed just 66 points in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Mobley's average has dropped almost two points from last season, and Steve Francis has gone from scoring 21.0 last season to 17.0 as the Rockets have switched to a more structured offense designed to get the ball into Yao Ming's hands more often.

The Rockets reached 100 points for the third time Thursday with a 111-79 victory over New York. It was just the seventh time in Houston's 35 games that either the Rockets or their opponent surpassed 100 points.

Houston began the weekend with the exact same record, 20-15, as it had after 35 games a year ago.

``Everything's good, we're working our way into it,'' Mobley said. ``The defense is great, getting a lot better, the offense is going to take time to learn more, keeping our turnovers down and our shot selection better.''

Van Gundy's teams have always been strong defensively, and this season's Rockets are no exception.

Tying an NBA record, Houston held consecutive opponents below 70 points by holding Utah to 63 and Golden State to 65. It was only the fifth time in league history the feat has been accomplished. (The Detroit Pistons became the sixth by holding Boston to 68 and the Rockets to 66.)

Van Gundy has coached three of those teams.

Opponents are shooting only 38.7 percent against Houston, which ranks them first in the league, and the Rockets have held teams to an average of 83.7 points _ the second-lowest behind San Antonio's 82.3

``Jeff's philosophy on defense helps a lot, shrinking the court, keeping the ball out of the paint,'' Mobley said.

The trick to making the Rockets better on offense will be getting Yao out of his recent funk. The 7-foot-6 center had reached 20 points only twice in the past 16 games, including a season-low four points against Detroit.

``Yao's got to stop worrying about everything and learn how to love the game again,'' Rockets assistant coach Patrick Ewing said.

___

RICKY RIPS CLEVELAND:@ Ricky Davis criticized the Cavaliers and the city of Cleveland on the eve of his matchup against his former team, calling both ``the black hole.''

Davis faced the Cavaliers on Friday night for the first time since the Dec. 15 trade that sent him, Chris Mihm and Michael Stewart to the Celtics for Eric Williams, Tony Battie and Kedrick Brown.

It's probably a good thing for Davis that the game was in Boston and not in Ohio.

``I was glad to be out of the black hole. It was terrible over there. The organization. No system. The town. Everything. The GM. All of it is kind of backward,'' Davis told reporters. ``It's good to be in a winning organization that has a system and knows what's going on.

``It's a step up in everything ... class, coaches, owners, GMs, players, winning, tradition, everything.''

The Cavaliers acquired Davis in an October 2001 trade with Miami. While in Cleveland, Davis progressed from role player to starter. In the summer of 2002, the Cavaliers matched an offer sheet from Minnesota and signed Davis to a six-year deal worth $34.7 million.

The five-year veteran had a breakout season in 2002-03, leading Cleveland in scoring (20.2 points), assists, steals, minutes and 3-point percentage. He has been coming off the bench in Boston.

Davis said he regretted having to leave his family in Cleveland.

``They hate it,'' he said.

___

COACH EWING:@ When Patrick Ewing watches the Milwaukee Bucks, he becomes envious of Terry Porter.

Ewing, an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy in Houston after spending last season working under Doug Collins in Washington, wants to be an NBA coach.

``One day, hopefully one day soon,'' Ewing said. ``I see Terry Porter's doing a fantastic job, and he only had one year of experience. This is my second.''

Porter has led the Bucks to a record of 19-16, making them one of only six Eastern Conference tams with an above-.500 record.

Several former players in Ewing's age group, including Byron Scott, Rick Carlisle and Maurice Cheeks, have all become successful NBA coaches. Ewing caught the coaching bug from sitting alongside former Magic coach Doc Rivers during Ewing's final season as a player.

``I'm enjoying it. It's a lot of work, but hey, that's life,'' Ewing said. ``When I was playing, if you asked me if I'd be a coach the answer would have been no, but when I went down to Orlando I got brainwashed.

___

LAYUPS:@ Shaquille O'Neal did not call the Lakers last week to tell them he was skipping practice because of back pain. He told reporters his back hurt too much to lift the phone book, and he couldn't remember the phone number at the practice facility. ``We, as humans, only use 8 percent of our craniums,'' O'Neal said. ``Why fill it up with nonessential things?'' ... Eddy Curry of the Bulls did not get his ankles taped before practice, angering coach Scott Skiles, who made all the players run extra laps. Bulls GM John Paxson won't extend the contracts of Curry and Tyson Chandler, though the Bulls will retain the right to match any offer when the players become restricted free agents in 2005. ... In the quotable department, Houston's Maurice Taylor on his slimmed-down physique: ``I haven't weighed 254 since Krispy Kreme franchised.'' ... When he turned 19 last Tuesday, LeBron James took over the record for most NBA points by that age. His 625 topped the 539 by Kobe Bryant, 451 by Tracy McGrady, 292 by Bill Willoughby and 185 by Jermaine O'Neal. Although he has scored only 11 points all season, Darko Milicic could still crack the top five. He does not turn 19 until June 20.

Associated Press

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Ward will likely be a Spur

Jan 9, 2004 10:22 AM

It looks like Charlie Ward is heading to the San Antonio Spurs.

"Ward has told friends, including some of the Spurs, over the previous two days that he wants to sign with the team. Though nervous Ward might experience a last-minute change of heart ? or be swayed by a late offer from another team ? Spurs officials were optimistic of completing the deal once the veteran point guard clears waivers at 10 a.m. today."

On Thursday evening, Ward's agent, Craig McKenzie, said Ward was still considering and New Jersey but officials from both teams  said they expected Ward to sign with the Spurs.

Johnny Ludden of the San Antonio Express-News

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Ewing wants to be a head coach

Jan 9, 2004 10:16 AM

Houston Rockets assistant coach Patrick Ewing is hoping that he is not on the coaching of Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy much longer, instead he wants to be a head coach.

"I'm just waiting for an opportunity," Ewing said before the Rockets handed the Knicks a 111-79 throttling last night at the Garden. "I'm ready."

New York Post

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Yao urged to send message

Houston Chronicle