Notes: Simply the Best

Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- After wrapping up his first two weeks of the preseason with Houston's retooled roster, Tracy McGrady was asked how his current team compares to his past teams.

The Rockets leading scorer didn't think it was a serious question.

"Do I really need to answer that?" McGrady asked.

He thought the answer was rather obvious.

Despite playing most of the preseason without stars Yao Ming and Bonzi Wells, McGrady is convinced that he has never been a member of a better team.

McGrady has been impressed with Houston's starting five in the first two preseason games and believes the Rockets will have plenty of depth once the regular season begins.

"This is the best team I've been on in my 10 years in the league," McGrady said. "With the athleticism and shooters we have, my creativity on the court and our inside game with Yao (Ming), we have everything. We have a lot of depth and talent."

His coach, Jeff Van Gundy, noted that McGrady's statement was saying something since he played with some talented Toronto teams early in his career.

"I'm glad he feels that way," Van Gundy said. "I never coached those other teams he was on. I thought when he had Vince Carter, Doug Christie, Dee Brown, Antonio Davis and Charles Oakley, they were pretty good. So that's a major statement for him to say we're better. The good thing is we'll find out."

Wells out: Rockets swingman Bonzi Wells won't make his first appearance in a Houston uniform until at least Sunday.

Wells, who is nursing a sore groin and dealing with the pain of two root canal procedures, is expected to miss the Rockets' preseason games on Tuesday and Wednesday because he has not practiced.

The swingman did not practice Monday.

"I would suspect he's not going to," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's only been through a few practices."

Toe epidemic?: Besides mentioning that his coach stepped on his toe during Monday's practice, Rockets center Yao Ming had one other zinger following Monday's practice.

Yao, who missed Houston's first two preseason games with a highly-publicized left toe injury, was asked whether he would prefer the Mavericks to use Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry in Tuesday's preseason game instead of playing primarily against Dallas' reserves.

The center had no idea the two players hadn't played in the Mavs' first three preseason games.

"They haven't played in the first three games?" Yao asked. "Do they have toe problems?"