Sports
 

Rockets not likely to fold

Jay Gandy

The NCAA tournament is over, shining the basketball spotlight directly on the NBA. The playoffs start in less than two weeks, and the Rockets have once again decided to make their fans sweat as they await the team's fate. 

This, however, is not the same Rockets team we have seen in the past four seasons, meaning those of you with playoff tickets already purchased need not worry.

The Rockets, who seemed like a lock to make the playoffs just a few weeks ago, now find themselves in a dogfight to end the season after losing nine of 13 games. Many fans fear the sky is falling and the atmosphere is eerily similar to last year when a late season collapse left them one game behind Phoenix for the final playoff spot. 

The difference between this year and last is the two-game cushion the Rockets have over Denver, Portland and Utah. And that's for the seventh spot, meaning two of the four will make the playoffs. Last year Houston was playing catch up to the Suns; this year they control their own fate.

It doesn't hurt the Rockets to have the easiest remaining schedule of the four. The Trail Blazers have two games against San Antonio and one against a now-healthy Lakers squad. Denver must play Sacramento at home before ending the season on the road against the Spurs. Utah has road games in Dallas and Minnesota. The Rockets have Denver at home tonight, before traveling to Utah and Seattle, they end the season at home against Dallas.

If that isn't enough to convince you, don't forget about Yao Ming. In his rookie campaign last season, Yao tired down the stretch, largely because he had never played a schedule as grueling as the NBA. A tough off-season conditioning program coupled with a year of experience in the league has taken Yao from a late season dud to arguably an MVP candidate.

In a reversal from last year, Yao started the year slow amid criticism he was too soft inside. He apparently took that to heart in the second half of the season with dominating games over Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O'Neal. Rockets fans who remember Houston's championship runs in the mid 1990s are reminded of Hakeem Olajuwon. He would put the team on his back and carry them as needed, something Yao is poised to do.

New coach Jeff Van Gundy has the team focusing on defense, putting them in a position to win even when their shots aren't falling. When they hit shots, oftentimes the result is the same as the 23-point blowout of the Clippers on Wednesday.

Rockets fans can stop worrying about missing the playoffs and turn their attention to what will probably be a quick first-round exit.

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