Enemy Likes An Opposing Team's Scout Sizes Up The Rockets

Rudy Tomjanovich allowed his young players a lot of freedom—the same approach that won him two titles in Houston—but they didn't accept responsibility for themselves. 10 Now they have to deal with a hard-liner in Jeff Van Gundy....

The Rockets were criticized for not capitalizing on Yao Ming's skills, but Tomjanovich did the franchise a favor by bringing him along slowly. He didn't put Yao on the perimeter or in other complicated situations; on the pick-and-roll Yao would always roll to the basket. This year Van Gundy is going to run the offense through Yao and take advantage of his variety of skills, including his ability to play out of the high post and either hit the jumper or pass to cutters and jump-shooters. I believe Yao can be up there with Bill Walton as one of the best passing centers of all time: When you double him, he reverses the ball with snap and rhythm that leaves the shooters in excellent position to score....

Steve Francis does well running set plays, but in transition he shows he doesn't have the instincts of a point guard. You can tell he wants to do the right thing; sometimes he'll pass when he should have taken it to the hole. If you move him to the two, though, you lose his strength as a rebounder. Other point guards have trouble boxing him out, and Francis is like Jason Kidd the way he takes the ball off the boards and starts the break himself....

People say Patrick Ewing was brought in as an assistant to help Yao, but he might do his most important work with backup Kelvin Cato. If Ewing can get Cato to work harder, the Rockets could have the best center tandem in the league....

Eddie Griffin needs to get his act together. The team suspended him in the preseason, and he has yet to develop into a more aggressive inside player to complement Yao offensively.