Improving defense buoys Van Gundy
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/rox/2188677
The problem was not that the Rockets were giving up layups. To say they were
giving up layups would be kind. Defensively, they began the preseason worse
than that.
"Everything," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We gave up everything."
Layups. Wide-open perimeter shots. Shots in the lane. Fast breaks.
In the first games under the coach who arrived with a glowing reputation for
defense, Rockets defenders were traffic cones.
But in the preseason, the scoring by Rockets opponents decreased in six of
the final seven games. The only exception was the 79 points the Nuggets
scored, and that was 20 points shy of their preseason average. The Spurs' 63
points were their fewest ever in a game, preseason, regular-season or
postseason.
None of which means the Rockets have become a great defensive team. Nor were
they a terrible defensive team last season. But as much as Van Gundy insists
his reputation is incomplete to the point of being inaccurate -- he preaches
balance in all things -- the Rockets might have to become shut-down defenders
to excel in the loaded Western Conference.
"We're trying harder," Van Gundy said of the improvements this month. "That's
the first thing. When you try, you have a chance to do better. I thought we
did a better job of taking away the basket area and taking away the 3-point
shot. Now, you can do both, but you need guys who will make multiple efforts
to do both. We have to continue to grow defensively."
The Rockets had already shown improvement defensively. In the 2001-2002
season, they ranked ahead of only the Bulls in opponents' field-goal
percentage. They were 20th in opponents' scoring. Last season, they improved
to fifth in opponents' field-goal percentage and eighth in opponents' scoring.
"Even though we didn't make the playoffs, that's damn good to be (eighth),"
guard Steve Francis said. "I think there will be a lot more ball pressure
this year. We're definitely looking forward to getting out and denying the
basketball. Even our big guys are going to push out beyond the free-throw
line."
Van Gundy's defenses feature little risk-taking behind that ball pressure and
generally force few turnovers. But last season's Rockets ranked 28th in
turnovers forced. And when the Rockets computed the points scored per
possession -- a Dean Smith formula that coaches consider a more telling
statistic to measure defense -- the Rockets allowed .894 points per opposing
possession, which placed them 11th in the NBA last season. (The formula adds
field goals attempted, free throws attempted and turnovers and divides by
points.)
The Rockets came out as better than average, which, considering their
below-average offense and 43-39 record, seems about right. But for the
Rockets to move up into the Western Conference playoff pack, they must
improve defensively.
"He is very, very focused on defense," center Yao Ming said of Van Gundy. "Of
course, there's improvements that can be made. The success we had in preseason,
we're doing pretty well. I think we're communicating a lot more on defense,
so we're coordinated better, we're cooperating better, so that just creates
better defense."
One change Van Gundy cited was the move of Kelvin Cato to forward. Cato
brings better size and rebounding than the other Rockets power forwards.
Cato, who flailed wildly as a shot blocker in his early days with the
Rockets, has become disciplined against pump fakes, an improvement that will
be tested against the West's All-Star power forwards.
"Cato, I think since he went in the starting lineup, we played better
defensively," Van Gundy said. "He is a good defender. He's smart, so he knows
schemes and how we're going to cover things. As far as closing against fours,
the perimeter fours, that will be a lot different. If we have to adjust ...
we'll figure that out as we go."
The next step has been the understanding of roles and responsibilities. As
much as all good defense begins with trying to play it, Van Gundy's emphasis
on help defense demands that players are positioned correctly.
When defenders were in the wrong position in the preseason, Rashard Lewis and
George Lynch took target practice. When the Rockets began to understand and
execute the defense, the Kings and Spurs' shooters had defenders chasing them
to the 3-point line.
"He's demanding more as far as everybody being in the right positions
offensively and defensively," Jim Jackson said of Van Gundy. "You have to be
there to be a good defensive team.
"There's ways you help. If I'm a guard and I help a big man, then another
guard has to help me. If a big man comes to block a shot, I have to come down
and block out his man. That's why he's really drilling us on help defense.
"Now we're starting to catch on a little bit as far as why he wanted you in
that position as far as cutting off penetration and layups. It's all starting
to come into view."
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