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Friday January 15, 2010 12:55 PM

News and Notes - January 15


Rockets prepare for D-Wade, Brooks and Alston reunite

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON - It’s no secret: stopping the Miami Heat begins and ends with figuring out a way to slow down Dwyane Wade. The do-it-all two-guard enters Friday’s showdown with Houston averaging 26.9 points, 6.2 assists and 5 rebounds per game; numbers which are slightly down from the stratospheric figures he posted a year ago but still more than good enough to place him among the cream of the crop in the NBA.

The Rockets, of course, counter with two of the league’s premier wing defenders in Shane Battier and Trevor Ariza. Both figure to take their turn guarding Wade and though their respective defensive approaches differ, the ultimate goal remains the same: keep him out of the paint and on the perimeter as much as humanly possible – a tall order given the fact Wade currently stands tied for fourth in the NBA with 9.4 free throws attempted per game.

“He’s an elite foul-drawer,” says Battier. “That’s his most dangerous attribute. He shoots a ton of free throws, puts your team in foul trouble and puts his team in the bonus. You have to play him knowing he’s going to score his points. You just have to try to keep him out of the paint and keep him off the foul line.”

Of course, that defensive strategy doesn’t just apply to Wade. It essentially doubles as Battier’s plan for every premier wing player; so much so that it might as well double as his permanent Facebook status.

“I heart long jump shots,” he quipped.

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Friday’s contest also doubles as a reunion of sorts for Aaron Brooks and Rafer Alston. Hard to believe, but less than one year ago the two point guards were going head-to-head every day in practice, with Alston serving as Houston’s starter while Brooks provided instant offense off the Rockets’ bench.

Today, Alston is back for his second tour of duty with the Heat, after having made stops in Orlando and New Jersey during the past 11 months. Naturally, he’s kept tabs on Brooks’ rapid progression as the Rockets’ starter and says he’s not at all surprised by the success Houston’s third-year point guard is currently enjoying.

“He’s been super this season,” said Alston following Friday’s shootaround. “I think the good thing about him and I is, his rookie year, he was trying to be the point guard that I was, meaning trying to lead the team (the same way). And I told him, ‘The best thing that can happen for you is to go back to being the Aaron from the University of Oregon. That’s the attacking Aaron, the scoring Aaron and everything else you’ll figure out because you’re going to be on the floor so much’ And that’s what’s really helped him.

“He’s so fast. He’s probably one of the best finishers, at that size, right now in the game. You figure Tony Parkers is one of the best finishers as a guard… but Aaron by far is one of the best right now in the game finishing at the rim over big guys.”

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