HOUSTON -- Rockets guard Tracy McGrady suspects that most people figured his team would slide down the Western Conference standings after enduring a month filled with injuries.
He and his teammates are so far proving everyone wrong.
Despite being hampered by injuries for the second straight season, the Rockets have maintained a winning pace and have gained confidence that the wins will keep piling up heading into Wednesday's game against Seattle at Toyota Center.
The Rockets (19-12) have picked up three straight wins since losing leading scorer Yao Ming to a fractured right tibia and three others to various injuries.
The result: Houston has remained sixth in the West and is still hovering just five games behind Dallas in the Southwest Division.
McGrady believes that his team clearly isn't the same bunch that fell apart last season because of injuries.
"Last year when things happened, I don't think we believed we could win," said McGrady, referring to last season's 34-48 finish. "But we think we can win right now even though Yao is out. With me playing the way that I'm playing and other guys around me stepping up their games, we feel we can hold it down before Yao gets back."
The Rockets don't exactly have a short injury list with the Sonics coming to town.
Yao is expected to miss two months. Bonzi Wells is sidelined with a sore back. Bob Sura hasn't completed his comeback from knee and back injuries. Kirk Snyder is still at least another week away from returning from a broken hand. And even McGrady recently missed seven games with back spasms.
The Rockets have managed to overcome those issues by playing smart on the offensive end and relying on the league's best defense.
"With all the injuries that we've had, we have to play smart and we can't afford to come out lacking energy on defense," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "When we play smart and don't turn the ball over, we're a very good team."
McGrady has been a big reason why the Rockets have played so well of late.
Since returning from back spasms, McGrady is averaging 26.3 points over the past four games and has spread the floor for Houston by penetrating defenses.
However, he isn't the only one coming up big of late.
The Rockets' veterans -- Juwan Howard and Dikembe Mutombo -- are suddenly playing vital roles. Howard has been averaging a double-double since Yao's injury and Mutombo has replaced the center in the starting lineup with surprising energy.
Houston is getting a lift, in other words, from several unlikely sources.
"We've all got to do more," Mutombo said. "Even myself, the old man on the bench."
The Rockets realize that things aren't going to be easy until they're healhty again.
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy acknowledged that his team will struggle at times to find scoring without Yao and will have nights where their best effort isn't enough.
The coach said his team will have to rely on McGrady to carry the scoring load and to set up teammates on the perimeter with his penetrations.
"The good part is I know our guys pretty well and I like what I know about them," Van Gundy said. "We do have some non-strengths like other teams. But the main thing is that success can still be accomplished for this team (without Yao). I'm not saying we'll win at the same rate as we would if both Tracy and Yao were healthy. But we can continue playing well if we play with passion and we play smart."
McGrady is, of course, convinced that his team can do it.
"We're a better team," McGrady said. "We were under-sized last season with all the injuries and didn't have enough shooters on perimeter. We're better now."
Re: Regular Season Game #32: 1/3/2007 Seattle SuperSonics v.s. Houston Rockets
TMAC and Allen will hopefully have some time guarding each other should be reasonably fun to watch. Plus will show how far TMAC has come.keep the TOs down Tracy.
Regular Season Game #32: 1/3/2007 Seattle SuperSonics v.s. Houston Rockets
