<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With Yao Ming back, the Rockets also returned Chuck Hayes to the starting lineup. Hayes had been starting until Yao's injury Dec. 23, with Juwan Howard moving into the lineup when Dikembe Mutombo replaced Yao. Coach Jeff Van Gundy said he had wanted to pair Howard with Mutombo, and also to use Hayes' ability to complement Yao and Tracy McGrady. "I thought it was our best balanced lineup, our best balanced rotation," Van Gundy said. "It only works well if Chuck gives us hard play, which both covers for Yao's non-strengths and comple-ments Tracy by screening, (being a) help defender, (drawing) charges (and getting) rebounds. If it doesn't do that, it doesn't work." "Until we stop playing soft, it doesn't matter who we have. Every team goes through soft periods, but right now is not the time to be a soft team. Right now, we're a soft team."</div> Source
