Kleeman's Last Word

A Spurs ultimatum and Grading the Rockets

If the New Orleans Hornets fourth quarter demolition of the defending champion San Antonio Spurs surprised you, consider watching more hoops next season.

That's the great and the ugly the Spurs can take from Saturday's 101-82 defeat. They knew it was coming and also know the Hornets will not change much before Monday. However, does the lost element of surprise matter if you cannot deal with the inevitable?

Tim Duncan played one of the worst games in his decorated post-season career, scoring a measly five points and securing only three boards. The Manu Ginobili who came out firing at his superstar best, looked more like an injured sixth man in the second half.

The solution for the Spurs, who hope to win a fifth championship in 10 years, is simple: figure out what to do with David West or get swept. The power forward that star point guard Chris Paul dubbed his "17-foot assassin" looked every bit the part, as he drained 15- and 20-footers, finished slam dunks, lay-ups and hook shots. He is not a Spurs killer, he is an every team killer.
Let us hope that Mike Budenholzer, game plan master and assistant coach, can help coach Pop figure out how to stop this guy.

The good news after this rout? The same open looks the Spurs nailed in the first half were there in the second. The Hornets did not take those shots away.

The Spurs chance of winning this series will be predicated on Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen, Jacque Vaughn, Brent Barry and Michael Finley knocking down the open looks a doubled Tim Duncan will give them.

The Spurs will not hold this Hornets team in the 70s and 80s, so the players must score. This team is as dangerous offensively as the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. If the Spurs had forgotten that, the NBA's story of the season offered them plenty of reminders Saturday night.

GRADING THE ROCKETS
After all the praise and fandom the Houston Rockets earned from a gritty season, the team completed its third unceremonious first round playoff exit in four years on Friday night, and few were in the congratulatory mood.

The 22-game winning streak was this season's greatest story. A team full of reserves and undersized youngsters and aging veterans showed it would not lay down when Yao Ming announced his year-ending injury.

Whipping the Utah Jazz in game 5 was a wonderful memento that Rockets fans can keep of the team that showed how much heart and hustle can accomplish. Unfortunately, the next few stats are the bottom line: Tracy McGrady is 0-7 in the first round, the Rockets have not won a playoff series in 11 years, franchise foundation Yao Ming has battled injury most of the last three years and the competitive Western Conference will only become more so next season.

Before I grade each player on the Rockets roster, here are some sad facts about the team: Without Yao Ming, the Rockets became a jumpshooting squad. On the best nights, players cut to the basket and finished layups, and the shooters made the loose defense pay. In all the others, the Rockets looked like a jump shot happy team with players who could not, um, shoot.

After the Utah Jazz pistol-whipped the resilient Rockets 113-91, the team's weaknesses became even clearer.

1 - New General Manager Daryl Morey spent his first off-season drafting and trading for tough-minded, passionate players. He might want to spend this one finding a player who can make a free throw. When the Rockets were beating teams by an average 17 points per game during the streak, the hot perimeter play and stingy defense masked the awful free throw shooting. I am still amazed the Rockets pulled out an 80-77 victory over the Detroit Pistons at home earlier in the season, despite clanging 16 of 22 foul shouts. Yao Ming's great charity stripe stroke is a start, but you cannot rely on your most oft-injured player to fix the free throw woes.

Against physical, stronger teams like Utah, getting to line is one way to combat the pushing and shoving. When the Rockets cannot make them, as was the case in most games this season and the first round, the strategy blows up in coach Rick Adelman's frustrated face.

2 - The Rockets piled up a supporting cast of players who cannot shoot consistently. Shane Battier and Rafer Alston will never become dead-eye outside threats. The team's best shooter, Steve Novak, cannot do enough of anything else to earn meaningful minutes.

3 - The Rockets as constructed can only contend for a championship if Yao stays healthy and I would hesitate to bank on that ever happening. Rookies Carl Landry and Luis Scola are built to succeed around what Yao does. The double teams he gets open up shot opportunities for Houston's dual power forward machine. The ScoLandry combo have a lot of work to do if they hope to substitute for the Great Wall's inside scoring production.

4 - The players must contend with the pathetic jewelry rattlers and fair weather fans. When the team won its 20th game in a row, those empty baseline seats filled up before tip-off. When the chance at a 23rd consecutive W failed, those seats emptied just as quickly. The Houston fans will support whichever team they believe has a shot to win it all. If the Astros make a run or the Texans nab a great free agent, expect the buzz around those teams to grow. The cheers will fade when they start losing again.

If the Rockets want to become Houston's number one team again, they must escape the first round.

HERE'S THE PLAYER-BY-PLAYER REPORT CARD
Aaron Brooks

Years in the league: 1
Position: point guard
Grade: C+
Comments: When Rafer Alston began his season in usual shooting slump fashion, Brooks' feisty play off the bench turned some heads. The Oregon speed master showed at many other times this season, including the 22-game win streak, that he may be a diamond in a rough of poor point guards. He also proved with his erratic shooting and ballhandling that he lacks the maturity and composure to play major minutes on a championship contender. One minute, you see Brooks glide by New York Knicks' guard Nate Robinson for a nifty layup. The next, he throws an errant pass that almost hits a beer vendor instead of the guy cutting to the basket.
Should the Rockets keep him? At his low price, the Rockets should consider tutoring him for another season. Let's see how good this kid can be. However, if Brooks becomes an essential piece in a trade, Morey should not lose any sleep over letting him go.

Bobby Jackson

Years in the league: 10
Position: point guard
Grade: C
Comments: The Rockets brought in Jackson to back up Alston because Brooks was too green for the playoffs. The team needed his veteran presence and shooting. In a few games such as a key 107-103 late season victory over the Golden State Warriors, he nailed big shots and looked like the seasoned player for which they traded. However, his career low shooting numbers proved not to be a fluke. As badly as the Rockets season ended in Salt Lake City on Friday, it would have been much worse without Jackson. He gets an average grade because of his average tenure with the Rockets.
Should the Rockets keep him? Morey should scale the free agent market and look at all his sign-and-trade possibilities before making a decision on Jackson. It would not surprise me to see Jackson in another uniform next season.

Bonzi Wells (before he was traded)
Position: shooting guard
Grade: As many Fs as possible
Comments: I was thrilled when the Rockets sent this despicable egomaniac packing to New Orleans. I have never heard so many people talk about what a guy did in one playoff series. He has something in common with Rasheed Wallace and it is not a championship ring. If he gave a damn more than once a month, he could be one of the league's top 25 players, its best rebounding guard and a more likeable guy. Happy trails, Bonzi, and don't you dare show up against the Spurs.

Carl Landry

Years in the league: 1
Position: power forward
Grade: A-
Comments: 22 teams passed on the Purdue product in last year's draft. If they knew what they do now about Landry, he would have been a top 10 pick, not the first selection of the second round. The 6-9" forward's terrific season, in which he averaged 8 points and nearly 5 rebounds, meant far more to the Rockets than any number can say. That Adelman was relying on this rookie's health and explosiveness to beat veteran, championship contenders, speaks volumes about his value to the team. He must improve many facets of his game, including his positioning on the offensive glass, his jump shot and his defense at the rim. He earns an A, though, for becoming the hustle-driven, rookie project 29 other coaches would love to have.
Should the Rockets keep him? Thank God for no-brainers.

Chuck Hayes

Years in the league: 3
Position: power forward
Grade: B-
Comments: If great role players must execute then compete like they need a meal ticket, Hayes has mastered the second part but needs tremendous help with the first. It is hard to fault the undersized Hayes' effort when he gives up an average 4-5 inches on the player he guards. Few players dive for loose balls or defend like the Kentucky alumnus does every night. Unfortunately, when Yao exited this season, Hayes' weaknesses became team handicaps. When he misses eight easy layups or fouls out because his man punishes him in the low block, it is hard to appreciate his scrappiness. Oh, and ever seen the guy shoot a free throw? To steal the title of a popular musical number, "That's Entertainment!"--unless you are a Houston fan or his teammate and know his foul shooting (pun intended) can ruin a game.
Should the Rockets keep him? Championship squads need a Chuck Hayes-esque player. The San Antonio Spurs employ Fabricio Oberto because he covers his faults with an incredible fervor and initiative. Morey and owner Leslie Alexander should consider saving Hayes a roster spot for the same reason.

Dikembe Mutombo

Years in the league: 16
Position: center
Grade: A
Comments: The 41-year-old, still ticking Mutombo provided my favorite moment of the season. The Rockets were playing the Washington Wizards the same day Yao had informed them he would miss the rest of the season and the playoffs. Less than two minutes into the contest, Caron Butler drove to the hoop for a scoop but Mutombo was there and sent the shot flying into the fifth row. He swatted two other attempts that quarter and let the Wizards know with his finger wag they would not be getting to the rim. His inspirational play sparked a 94-69 win that showed these Rockets would not wilt without Yao. In game 13 of the Rockets remarkable streak, Mutombo summarized in four minutes what he has meant to the Rockets and the NBA. His always debated age limits what he can contribute offensively but his interior defense and locker room voice made a Rockets playoff run possible.
Should the Rockets keep him? Mutombo has been a wonderful backup for the injured Yao each year of his Rockets career. But, as he admits with frequency, he did not sign up with the intention of starting or tabulating major minutes. The NBA's charitable chief should retire, as his chances of escaping the first round with McGrady are slim. My gut tells me he will.

Loren Woods
Position: power forward
Grade: Incomplete
Comments: The Rockets signed this guy so the coaches and team execs could examine him in the summer league. It looks like they will have a chance to do that. We'll know a lot more about what he can contribute when training camp begins. You might say the same about ousted guard Gerald Green, if he ends up back in his hometown.

Luis Scola

Years in the league: 1
Position: power forward
Grade: B+: The 27-year-old Scola, like Landry and Hayes, is not lacking in the determination department. The Argentine showed Houston fans at many junctures this year every quality the Spurs saw when they drafted him five years ago. He plays an intelligent game, finds the right spots on the floor and uses his craftiness around the rim to create high-percentage shots. He also clangs too many free throws, misses too many of the aforementioned shots and is a pick and roll defense liability. His man-to-man and help defense must improve leaps and bounds. He should also use his athleticism to dunk more instead of forcing layups against taller defenders.
Should the Rockets keep him? Some numbers lie, this one does not: The Rockets lost only single-digit regular season games after inserting him into the starting lineup in January/February (hey, I don't have all those nifty stats Jonathan Feigen has, so cut me some slack). Morey has to love this no-brainer.

Luther Head

Years in the league: 3
Position: shooting guard
Grade: D-
Comments: Luther Head's failed Rockets career is as much the fault of his coaches as his own. Why both Jeff Van Gundy and Adelman tried molding Head into a point guard escapes me. Whoever coaches the Illinois shooting standout next year must realize that he is a spot-up guy and not a playmaker. He can pass to a cutter every once in a while, dunk or drive for a Tony Parker-like layup on occasion. Maybe a change of scenery would help the youngster find a consistent touch. Last year, he was top three all season in fourth quarter treys. In the playoffs against Utah, his swell shooting percentage nose dived into the low 20s and he became part of the Rockets non-existent bench.
Should the Rockets keep him? His diminishing production would make him a hard sell as a key trade component. Hopefully, Morey can use his GM smarts to bait a buyer. I loved Head's potential but have come to the somber conclusion that he needs to go.

Mike James (before he was traded)
Position: point guard
Grade: F
Comments: He returned to Houston promising he could provide a scoring punch. He failed to deliver the only thing he does well and now his one-dimensional act has him nailed to the end of the Hornets' bench.

Rafer Alston

Years in the league: 8
Position: point guard
Grade: A-
Comments: Say what you want about his shoddy shooting. Call me an idiot for handing perhaps the franchise's rockiest offensive player an A. My bottom line: the front office tried trading him three times during training camp, and instead of complaining, he practiced more than the four others vying for his spot and kicked their asses on the court. No player upped his game more than Alston during the Rockets playoff run. He's not Chris Paul or Steve Nash in his prime, but when he returned in game 3 from injury, the Rockets became the only team to beat the Jazz twice in Energy Solutions Arena. The Rockets do not have enough players to trade for a better point guard. The salary cap will prevent them from finding one in free agency. He rarely turns the ball over like some of his better counterparts do (see Kidd, Jason) and allows the other four starters to play their natural positions.
Should the Rockets keep him? Yes. Alston can be the starting point guard on an NBA Finals-bound team and deserves another chance to try getting the Rockets there.

Shane Battier

Years in the league: 6
Position: small forward
Grade: B+
Comments: Battier, like Spurs' forward Bruce Bowen, earns his paycheck for his man-to-man defense, not his scoring. If the Rockets are relying on Battier to put up points, then the attempt to deepen the offensive talent has failed. Still, unlike Bowen, the Duke-bred Battier has a toolbox of scoring weapons he seldom uses. Adelman brought out a jump hook and an inside game many did not know existed. It's up to #31 to finish more of his open looks and better his free throw shooting.
Should the Rockets keep him? The Rockets would be a crappy defensive team without him and his skill in defending the Kobes and LeBrons makes him invaluable. Keep Battier but find a versatile small forward who can score to share some of his minutes (see Miller, Mike).

Steve Francis

Years in the league: 8
Position: point guard.
Grade: Incomplete
Comments: Like most fans, I hope Francis can offer more than what he showed in his short stint this season. He arrived to training camp out of shape and let the guy the Rockets tried trading three times thoroughly outplay him. He teased us with that game-winning layup against the Phoenix Suns then infuriated us against the Dallas Mavericks when he dished only three dimes and looked about as into the game as the third row jewelry rattlers.
Should the Rockets keep him? Morey will likely give Frances another chance to prove he can still play. It is up to the former "Stevie Franchise" to avoid the dreaded 'DNP - coach's decision.'

Steve Novak

Years in the league: 2
Grade: C-
Comments: Novak will remember his moment of glory against Sacramento-a game-winning three to keep the Rockets' streak rolling-for the rest of his career. No one denies his shooting touch. Every time he enters a game and gets open looks, he drains at least one of them. Question is, can he do enough of anything else-rebounding, defense-to get enough shots to join the regular rotation?
Should the Rockets keep him? His value will not fetch much in a trade and his cheap contract is a low-risk investment. So yes, keep him around, and let the boy shoot.

Tracy McGrady

Years in the league: 10
Position: shooting guard
Grade: C+
Comments: The latest playoff ouster, the seventh in as many tries in his career, is not on him. He played like a superstar should in four of the six games (two near triple doubles) but did not have enough help. However, his body of work as the most talented athlete never to win a playoff series is on him. McGrady never shies away from post- or pre-game interviews (ever notice how every Feigen or Fran Blinebury story has a McGrady quote in it) and I cannot indict him for that. But, sometimes he should just shut up and play. He solidified this season what most already knew-that he lacks the consistent drive or poise of a championship team leader. Given that he refers to himself as a shooter, his horrid free throw percentage is inexcusable. McGrady, like Yao, must always focus on things he can do to help the team when he plays through an injury. Healthy or not, carelessly firing contested jump shot after jump shot will never be one of them.
Should the Rockets keep him? His sticky contract leaves the Rockets no choice, and besides, what young team with talent would want a guy who lost every first round series in which he played? The Rockets are stuck with him and rather than groaning or moping about it, both sides can do the necessary work. For McGrady, that means continuing to trust that his teammates can knock down open shots by feeding them the ball. For Morey and co., that means finding some players who can knock down open shots. Third scoring option, anyone?

Yao Ming

Years in the league: 5
Position: center
Grade: A+
Comments: Yao's competitive fire almost single-handedly turned around a sinking season. When embarrassing losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Memphis Grizzlies threatened to destroy a year full of promise, Yao wouldn't let the damn thing implode. He called his teammates "soft" and they deserved every bit of his harsh criticism. When the refs botched the verticality rule and other things they promised to enforce, he knew he needed to rely on himself, not the officiating, to correct those key fouls and turnovers. The Rockets could not have imagined a better franchise player, a guy who wants it more or a guy who is willing to do what it takes to get there than Yao. The melancholic look on his face as the Jazz slammed the Rockets' and their first round hopes off the Energy Solutions Arena floor said all you need to know about how much he loves the game. Unfortunately, Morey must accept that his most reliable scorer will remain injury prone, that the time he missed the last three years is a pattern, not an anomaly.
Should the Rockets keep him? He remains the foundation of the franchise. The Rockets must spend this off-season finding more scoring talent, enough for them to win a playoff series without Yao.

posted by Robert Kleeman @ 1:41 PM