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Monday October 30, 2006 9:55 PM


Ready for Liftoff


Rockets 2006-07 Season Preview


Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- Behind a desk filled with shuffled papers and stapled documents, Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson watched practice last week on the flat-screen television inside his office.

He has been viewing the team's workouts on a live feed to his television daily since the preseason started earlier this month and rarely misses an opportunity to study how the Rockets' latest collection of talent is progressing.

Nearly a month after viewing the team for the first time inside the confines of his office, Dawson sees a group that is still developing chemistry and player rotations.

He is convinced, however, that he isn't watching the same team that finished a disappointing 14 games below .500 last season.

"We're healthy and we also feel like the new pieces are fitting in as well as we had hoped in the summer," Dawson said. "Everything we thought about this team coming into the preseason has, so far, come true. It's very, very encouraging."

He's about to find out how encouraging.

The Rockets' latest bid to resurface among the Western Conference's elite teams will begin Wednesday night when Houston opens the season on the road against the Utah Jazz.

Despite failing to reach the playoffs last season, the Rockets have renewed optimism after acquiring Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells and -- more importantly -- getting Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming back after an injury-riddled 2005-06 season.

Besides returning the stars and picking up the two big names in the offseason, the Rockets have added more depth and shooting.

The hope around Toyota Center is that this retooled roster will compliment Houston's two All-Star players and become a cohesive unit in time for a deep postseason run.

The caveat that Yao and McGrady must stay healthy remains, but, if they do, the Rockets have the potential to contend in the West.

"I don't think you ever know what's going to happen before you get into a season," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "But I know this: I like our group. We'll see how good we can be, but I don't want to underestimate how good we can be if we have a steady rate of improvement."

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

The Rockets certainly don't have as many skeptics as they had after finishing last season with 34 wins.

Houston was picked to finish fifth among the Western Conference's 15 teams in Sports Illustrated's annual NBA preview and most publications have the Rockets projected to win 50 games.

After playing the Rockets in the preseason, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard Michael Redd gushed over Houston's revamped lineup.

"I really like what coach Van Gundy has done with this Houston team," Redd said. "He has brought in a lot of shooters to play around Tracy and Yao is emerging as one of the best players in the league. It is up to them as to how far they will go."

IMPROVED PERIMETER

The Rockets need Yao and McGrady to return to their All-Star form to live up to such expectations.

McGrady contends his back problems are in the past and Yao has already bounced back from a left toe injury in the preseason.

Since the two players are in the prime of their careers and healthy again, the Rockets' primary offseason changes came on the perimeter to compliment their stars.

After finishing 29th in the league in points scored (90.1 points) and 30th in field goal percentage (43.3 percent), Houston aggressively restocked its roster with slashers and shooters.

Besides being one of the league's premiere defenders, Battier arrived in a trade from Memphis after making 48.8 percent of his shots from the field and finishing 39.4 percent from three-point range. He's expected to knock down open shots as a perimeter threat who can stretch the floor from the forward positions between McGrady and Yao.

Wells brings more experience and size to the backcourt. Since he was been unable to play in the preseason because of a groin injury, the Rockets haven't determined whether Wells will be better suited to start at shooting guard or come off the bench as the team's sixth man. Still, the Rockets know that Wells is a bona fide scorer who can provide a lift if either Yao or McGrady are sidelined.

Wells is part of a contingent along the wing that suddenly appears to be a strength. Kirk Snyder, a part-time starter with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets last season, brings athleticism, rookie Steve Novak turned heads by draining 47.6 percent of his three-point attempts in the preseason and rookie Vassilis Spanoulis is a promising slasher who is still developing his range. The roster has more guards capable of breaking down defenders off the dribble and more three-point threats that can punish teams for doubling McGrady or Yao.

The Rockets believe they have enough offensive weapons around their All-Star duo to turnaround last season's shooting woes.

"I definitely think the organization did a good job of going out and getting key guys that we really need," McGrady said. "They've surrounded us with talent that is really going to off-set us a little bit and take pressure off myself and Yao. Shane is a smart basketball player and does everything well and we've got a ton of shooters. We've got guys that you have to respect all over the floor."

DEEP CONFERENCE

The problem is the Western Conference isn't exactly filled with a bunch of slouches.

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a breakthrough season that ended in the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs had the league's best regular season record in 2005-06 and the Phoenix Suns are a sexy pick among several publications to win a championship this season.

"We're in a very tough conference," Dawson said. "It's going to be hard just to win in this state."

The rest of the conference isn't any easier.

The Los Angeles Clippers won a playoff series last season for the first time since 1976 and "We're in a very tough conference. It's going to be hard just to win in this state."
-- Rockets general manager Carroll Dawsonthe Denver Nuggets appear to be on the rise after Carmelo Anthony elevated his game at this summer's FIBA World Championships in Japan.

Houston's own division could turn out to be the most difficult in the NBA. Besides Dallas and San Antonio, the Rockets must contend with Memphis and New Orleans/Oklahoma City in the Southwest Division. The Hornets revamped their roster over the offseason after acquiring sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, big man and defensive stopper Tyson Chandler and veteran Bobby Jackson.

The Rockets are well aware that it's conceivable that a team with high expectations in the preseason could end up watching the playoffs at home when the season is over.

"The Western Conference is loaded," Snyder said. "There are going to be some good teams that don't even make the playoffs. It's crazy because the No. 8 team isn't going to be that much worse than the No. 2 or No. 3 team. That means anything can happen in the playoffs."

GAINING CHEMISTRY

Since training camp opened nearly a month ago in Austin, the Rockets have been trying to gain enough chemistry to avoid being one of those teams left on the outside looking in.

Van Gundy tinkered with different lineups throughout the preseason and said late last week that he still hasn't determined whether he would start Battier at small forward or power forward. The Rockets, of course, are a much smaller team with Battier at power forward, but have more athleticism on the court with the former Memphis Grizzlies forward at that slot. The coach also spent the last portion of the preseason searching for a solution to his team's slow offensive starts.

The good news is that several roles are defined no matter which lineup is on the court since the offense is built around the inside-out game of Houston's two All-Stars -- Yao and McGrady. The Rockets' other players are be counted on to hit open shots.

Starting point guard Rafer Alston and others were on the practice court all summer making sure they were ready to hit open jumpers when the opportunity arrives. Battier has also stayed on the practice court for expanded work after every practice to work on his three-point shot.

"If you can make those open shots, it's going to make it hard for other teams to clamp down on Tracy and Yao," Alston said. "I'm going to get open looks and I've got to make them when I get them."

Dawson is certainly encouraged by what he has seen. After an offseason aimed at finding the right pieces around Yao and McGrady, the Rockets general manager believes his team has the potential to compete in the West.

"We needed more shooting from everyone," Dawson said. "We also wanted more size at the two, more depth and a little more athleticism. I think we've been able to accomplish that. We're happy about where we are at. We've just got to see how it all comes together as far as chemistry."