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Wednesday January 28, 2009 1:35 PM

Rockets Eager To Get Offense Back On Track

Rockets vs. 76ers, 7:30 PM, FSNHOU

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

Houston - In the hours which followed all those missed three-pointers, all the standing around on offense and all the pain resulting from another blown fourth quarter lead, there was just one word which lingered over the Rockets like a dark cloud.

Selfish.

That was the adjective Rafer Alston had used to describe his team’s play during that fateful fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. It was harsh, damning and straight to the point. To be sure, the sentiment was one borne of frustration. But regardless of whether Alston’s description was wholly accurate or fair, the loquacious point guard’s message rang out loud and clear: If the Rockets are ever to become the team they hope to be, they must wholeheartedly embrace and commit themselves to the team-oriented principals and concepts which are the foundation of Coach Rick Adelman’s free-flowing offense.

“We have to understand that style helps us win,” says Alston. “We have to use energy, play with force, passion, intensity and desire because that wins games. When you come out and do whatever you want to do, decide you’re not going to play hard and just jack up shots, that doesn’t win games for us.

“We found out last year winning 22 games in a row, that when you play inspired basketball, a team brand of basketball, that takes you pretty far in this league. We know what wins games and I know for a fact [the way we played] that night will never win in this league.”

Making Monday night’s meltdown all the more frustrating is the fact that, just one week ago, the Rockets felt as if they had nipped this issue in the bud once and for all. They had knocked off Utah for their 6th win in seven games and the offensive chemistry was clicking better than it had all season.

Of course, Yao Ming then got hurt against Indiana, throwing all the accrued continuity out the window just as Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest returned to the lineup. And without their All-Star center serving as a fourth quarter focal point, the Rockets lost their offensive compass and the end result was an increase in isolation plays and forced jumpers down the stretch against Detroit and New York.

“Not having him out there really puts the pressure on us because we don’t have any inside presence,” explains Tracy McGrady. “You’ve got guys just trying to make it happen. When you have a talented group of guys that can score the basketball, individually you try to take over the game and sometimes you get caught up in trying to do too much.”

Alston insists those days are over.

“That’s not going to continue. We’re going to move the ball. We have plays and sets that are going to move the ball. I’m going to move. Tracy’s going to move. Ron’s going to move. Yao’s going to move. Shane’s going to move. We understand what we’re going to do. I know these guys and myself will come out with the idea that, ‘Hey, let’s move, let’s get up and down, and let’s do what we need to do to win the game.’”

“I think it’s been bugging the team. I know you guys aren’t blind to it. You see what goes on during the course of the season. I know you guys have seen us play a brand of basketball that works for us and other games you’ve seen us play a style that’s not cut out for us. We have to stay away from that and play together.

“We’re professionals. I have to tell me kids things over and over again. But they’re young. When you’re our age and you have to keep repeating things over and over again then, to a man, you have to decide: Are you going to do this, or are you not?”

The Rockets get a chance to put those words into action tonight against Philadelphia, a team whose athletic, run-and-gun style of play has given Houston fits during their previous three meetings. But perhaps the added challenge is the ideal scenario because, historically, the Rockets have played their best basketball when backed into a bit of corner.

Of course, only so much can be accomplished during a single, solitary regular season game. But at the very least, an inspired performance tonight can serve as a step in the right direction - and a step away from the word and style of play which has haunted them since New York.

And 1’s: Injury update for this evening's game against Philadelphia: Yao Ming’s bruised knee is feeling much better, so he will be back on the court after missing Houston’s last two games. He’ll be joined on the floor by Ron Artest who, despite sending signals that he might need more time off to rest his injured ankle, says he’s good to go as well.

“After the Knick game, my foot was really bothering me,” said Artest after today’s shootaround. “But I woke up this morning and the foot felt great so that’s a sign that the ankle’s gotten better. The pain didn’t go on past a couple days, so that’s a great, great sign.”

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