Inside the NBA | McGrady-less Rockets taking flight in Houston

    The NBA playoff picture seems to be taking form as we approach the season's final three weeks, and for the most part, there are not too many surprises. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic have all clinched playoff berths in the East, and out West the Los Angeles Lakers once again are leading a pack of powerful Western Conference squads. The biggest surprise, though they have made the playoffs four out of the last five years, is the Tracy McGrady-less Houston Rockets. Boasting the West's second best record at 47-25, the Rockets are a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs in the playoff race and are firing on all cylinders.

    As McGrady limped off the court on Feb. 9 with a knee injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the season, most analysts and fans counted the Rockets out of the conversation as possible title contenders. Despite the general consensus of doubt, the Rockets have not missed a step since their All-Star swingman went down. In fact, they've been cruising, going 16-4 since McGrady's injury, including wins over the Cavs, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets and the Spurs. The catalyst for their success has been their defense, allowing teams to score over 100 points only five times in those 20 games.
    The Rockets are not unfamiliar with the unfortunate situation of losing a superstar. Last season, they lost Yao Ming in the middle of what would turn into a franchise record-setting 22-game winning streak. There's something about adversity that propels the Rockets to excel. The members of Rockets' supporting cast have stepped up their games and are gelling nicely as they head into the home stretch of the season.
    The seven-foot-six center Yao is putting together another great season, averaging 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and continuing to anchor the defense as he makes it extremely difficult for teams to penetrate the lane consistently. Yao's greatest strength is his efficiency, shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 86.9 percent from the free throw line. Argentinean Luis Scola is averaging 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season, and he and Yao on the court together create difficult matchups on both ends of the floor for opponents.
    The Rockets are one of the league's best teams at defending the perimeter, as they have strong, quick guards and fundamentally sound forwards. Ron Artest and Shane Battier, who support the frontcourt behind Yao and Scola, are the best defensive forward tandem in the league. Artest, the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is a defensive stalwart. Standing at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, Artest can muscle any small forward in the league, including LeBron James. Artest is a tenacious defender, but he has also lifted his offensive game. Averaging almost 20 points per game since McGrady went down, Artest has picked up most of the offensive slack that McGrady left behind. He has proven that he is not afraid to take the big shot down the stretch, a task that McGrady had mastered.
    Battier, who has been often noted as the ultimate team player by coaches and teammates, has been the glue for the Rockets on both ends of the ball. The seven-year veteran out of Coach K's Duke program does not flaunt gaudy offensive numbers, but he does all little things well. He can be a lockdown defender at the shooting guard and small forward positions; he has the ability to knock down open jumpers, shooting 35 percent from behind the arc this season; and he is a vocal leader on the court.
    The backcourt that McGrady anchors when he is healthy has remained strong, as head coach Rick Adelman uses a platoon system to cycle through his interchangeable guards. The Rockets' backcourt got even thinner when they traded starting point guard Rafer Alston to the Orlando Magic on February 19 for 6-foot-9 power forward Brian Cook.
    Second-year player Aaron Brooks out of Oregon has handled his responsibility effectively, averaging over 11 points per game and spreading the ball throughout the offense. Brooks, like Alston, has the ability to break defenders down off the dribble and is shooting 36.1 percent from three-point land. Adelman also goes deep into his bench, bringing in Von Wafer, Carl Landry and Kyle Lowry. Together, the three combine for over 25 points per game, giving the Rockets a lot of options on offense and keeping them fresh into the late stages of games.
    The Rockets are currently sixth in the NBA in total defense, allowing 94.5 points per game and grabbing over 42 rebounds per game. They have proven they can run with the NBA's best, even without T-Mac, and if they continue playing well, they will be able to lock up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Their defense will keep them in most games, but their vulnerability without a guy who can dominate in the fourth quarter of a playoff game may come back to haunt them against the Lakers.