http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/rox/2143849 Rockets guards still part of mix Inside-out game goes beyond Yao By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle PORTLAND, Ore. -- Steve Francis had heard the talk. With Jeff Van Gundy coming in, Francis and Cuttino Mobley would have to give up the ball even if it took a crowbar to pry it loose. More specifically, they finally would notice the 7-5 guy in the middle. It was an easy theme to repeat. And when Van Gundy's briefest summary of his offense was described as "inside-out," the criticism of the Rockets' outside brothers seemed to have been confirmed. But there were a few problems with that logic. First, Van Gundy is convinced Yao Ming did get the ball as much as he could handle as a rookie last season. "They did throw the ball to him," Van Gundy said. "I know it's been written a lot, that doesn't make it true." And second, his description of inside-out does not take the ball from the guys on the outside that have led the Rockets in scoring the past three seasons. "Everybody was saying, `they're taking the ball out of Steve's hands,' they're doing this or that," Francis said. "I wasn't worried one bit. "We talked about it. It was more that outsiders wanted to bring scrutiny to me, coach or Cuttino. We'll find out how much we've adjusted in these preseason games. But really, it's not much to adjust to." In the first test run of the new offense Tuesday night, the old problems seemed as evident as ever in a 104-80 preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Details aside, if a team can't shoot or pass, it probably doesn't matter what offense it runs. "You don't have a chance when you beat yourself in this league," Van Gundy said. "It's hard enough to beat the opponent, you have no chance when you have the turnovers and you are unable to guard people. "The bad part is you're playing an exhibition game so early. The good part is, you're playing an exhibition so early to get slapped with reality. I have to do a better job getting us ready to play, getting us organized. We had a hard time getting aligned." Through much of the night, the Rockets moved quickly but rarely seemed comfortable with where they were going. In the first half alone, the Rockets committed 18 turnovers and finished with 31. But Tuesday's first look at least showed what Van Gundy has in mind. If the Rockets' often-horrid offensive play last season proved anything it might be that "open" shots are not necessarily "good" shots. If Van Gundy drove home any points about his offense in his four days of full-squad workouts in Galveston it might be that he wants smart, unselfish execution working toward shots the Rockets can make. "Inside-out is probably one of the least understood terms as far as fans and maybe players," Van Gundy said. "I think the fear is when you say inside-out is that you'll just go to the post every time. You can get it inside five ways. You can get transition layups, second shots, you can drive it, you can cut and you can post. We hope to play inside-out using all of those. "I think what wins is well-balanced teams. That may be offense to defense, but on offense, it's using your great low-post force, your perimeter players to have creativity to use their skills to the best of their advantage. When you play inside-out, it can maximize their abilities." The Rockets did move more without the ball Tuesday, using more screens, than in past seasons. And in four days, they have been given a staggering array of new sets and plays to master. But in many ways, the strengths of their offense are unchanged. "I think to a great extent that's how they played in the past," Van Gundy said. "No one drove the ball more than Steve. He lived at the free-throw line. Cuttino is a driver and a slasher. It's not like any of this is new to them as far as concept, at all." But so great is the emphasis on working the ball inside, that it took only a few hours of training camp for Van Gundy's priorities to be clear. Even Tuesday, of the Rockets' first seven shots against the Trail Blazers, only two were outside of the paint, and one of those -- a Francis 3 -- was taken to beat the shot clock. "I saw it in one practice," forward Maurice Taylor said. "I had a lot of opportunities down there. We play inside-out. That doesn't mean just throw it in to the post. We work for layups first. We work for cutters. We work for post position. We work for easy baskets. Then we pass it out to our jump shooters." The offense rarely worked so neatly Tuesday. Without Taylor and Yao inside, the Rockets could not draw low-post double teams inside. Their guards worked more on hitting shooters coming around screens than breaking down defenders off the dribble. But after a struggle Tuesday reminiscent of last season, what the Rockets do offensively did not seem to matter as much as finding a way to do it better. "I don't care," Francis said. "I just want to win. I wasn't worried. Good players will find a way to get it done." --

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