Re: Lucas Isn't Tall, But he's growing. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4032550.htmlLucas isn't tall, but he's growingRockets guard learns to overcome his shortcomingsBy JONATHAN FEIGENCopyright 2006 Houston Chronicle LAS VEGAS - With the Rockets leading by three in the final minute and, as always, treating the occasion as seriously as if it were late spring rather than early in the summer league, Denver's Cheyne Gadson backed John Lucas into the lane and hit his short jumper over the 5-11 Lucas' reach.There was a time when Lucas would have cursed that he stopped growing nearly a half-foot before his father did.On Friday, he took the ball into the teeth of the Nuggets' press, kept his head up and his dribble going until he fired a pass 60 feet to center Matt Haryasz for the dunk that clinched the Rockets' 93-90 win."Back in the day, I would have probably gotten down," Lucas said. "I hate when people score on me. But I kept my eyes up. Matt was wide-open for an easy dunk."Two in a rowLucas' pass was a nice finish to a second outstanding performance, a key to a win that meant everything at the time and absolutely nothing 10 seconds later. But it might be more significant in his career in which nothing can happen without perseverance. He has no doubts about where he wants to play."I love the organization, I love the coaching staff," he said. "This is where I want to be."The Rockets could be in a position to give him that chance.If they can sign their top free agent target, Mike James, they would have James and Rafer Alston to play the point and handle all the minutes Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy has to offer. In that scenario, Van Gundy said he "certainly, certainly" would be happy to have his third point guard be a young, developing player.In Lucas' case, it might help that the third point would happily live in the gym, run practice pick-and-rolls like a master and appreciate every second in a Rockets uniform."I think John has a lot of good characteristics that a guy his size would have to have to make it, which is a love for the game, a definitive skill in that he can really shoot it and run a pick-and-roll," Van Gundy said.'Tremendous kid'"He also has some deficits to overcome, his size and strength. And he doesn't have great defensively quickness to be one of those Muggsy Bogues-type defenders. He does have some things he does well and he is a tremendous, tremendous kid. I'd rather be with a younger guy who really loves to play the game. I like him a lot." Lucas ? son of former Rockets guard John Lucas ? has been nearly unstoppable in the things he does well, following his 26 points on Thursday with 25 against the Nuggets and his 10 assists on Thursday with nine more in 34 minutes on Friday. He has made 21 of 34 shots in the two games.He scored easily on jump-stop fadeaways and drives to the basket. He set up teammates inside. He showed some signs of being a more disruptive on-the-ball defender. But he also had some trouble with the dribble penetration of Brandon Roy on Thursday and to a lesser degree John Gilchrist and Gadson on Friday.Rockets assistant head coach and summer league coach Tom Thibodeau said Lucas has already made strides in shoring up not just his shortcomings but also more assertively using his strengths.20 days in the pros"Mostly I think he's grown up," Thibodeau said. "He's gotten more comfortable. His experience last year in those 20 days with us helped him. "He didn't shoot the ball as well as he is capable (making 38.9 percent). He has a great shot, not a good shot, a great shot. Now, he's not hesitating. He's playing much better team defense; he's more disruptive. He's making it a lot harder on guys."He's proven to people he's an NBA player. He just needs an opportunity and to make the most of it."
