Day 2. On their second day of training camp, the Rockets continued their efforts to learn new systems and new players. While the team returns nine players who spent time with the organization last season, there are still some significant new faces such as guards Derek Anderson and Rafer Alston, and forward Stromile Swift. While both Swift and Anderson had completed three practices by early Wednesday afternoon, Alston, acquired in a trade with Toronto yesterday evening, was just finishing his first workout with the team. He made a great first impression. ?Today, he brought a lot of energy,? Swift said. ?(He brought) speed, great ball-handling, made good decisions. He looked pretty good today for his first practice.? The issue that often comes with training camp is that there is a lot of uncertainty. Coaches don?t know exactly who will fit where or what style of play the team will embrace, and no concrete decisions will be made until much later on. However, while that means there may be little excitement as far as news, Rockets? training camp received an injection of energy as soon as Alston stepped on the floor with his new teammates. ?There?s not much weakness here,? Alston said, following his first practice as a Rocket. ?I bring energy and an up-tempo style of game. I can put pressure on opposing guards and I'm going to defend the ball. I know my role and I'm not coming in here to do anything I'm not supposed to do. It's the chance of the lifetime. You don?t get many chances to get a crack at the title or close to contending. I'm happy to be a part of a team that?s a contender and looking forward to playoffs.? Both Alston and the Rockets are more than willing to disregard his past and do not see it as a representation of him as a player. The team, for now, is going through the motions of getting all the new players acclimated to what is a complex and intricate basketball system. They are also enamored by the fact that they now have their first true, legitimate point guard who can run a team and do it well. ?He's a highly energetic player who would be the first one to recognize himself that he's gotten into a little bit of trouble with emotional instability,? Van Gundy said. ?He wants to play at the highest level and play successful. He's going tohave to be intense and energetic but emotionally under control, and we feel he can do that.? Training Camp- Day 2- Quotes Jeff Van Gundy (on the power forward competition between Juwan Howard and Stromile Swift): ?I'm not really looking at it yet. Those things will work themselves out. Juwan is a great professional and Stromile is a younger player trying to earn his way to better things. Both guys have practiced very hard for two days, but it's a little premature for anything like that. I'm happy with both of them.? Stromile Swift (on his impressions of Jeff Van Gundy thus far as coach): ?It's pretty new. It's a different way of thinking the game. When you're out there, he makes you think. I think his style is more intense. The basketball stuff is more the same, but with him, he's intense. He expects everybody to come out and work hard.? Yao Ming (on the acquisition of Rafer Alston): ?It's great. He has great skill and he brings our team speed up because he's quick. To have success in the NBA, you have to have great speed.? Rafer Alston (on his progress as an NBA player throughout his career): ?The last couple of years in the NBA I've continued to make strides and find my niche in this league. Every year, I've added something to my game. I've toned it down. I'll be able to run the team and control the offense. I'm able to defend guards. I don't have that big, muscular frame, but I'm able to take the hit and keep on finishing. I added the long-ball to my game. I can shoot the three. I continue to add things to my game. I added the floater in the lane over the big guys.? Jeff Van Gundy (on the criticism Yao often receives from media and others):?I think Yao is a very harsh critic of himself and that can lead to good things when guys are very tough on themselves. Yet at times, he has to have a shorter memory of his mistakes. I think sometimes being a harsh critic of your mistakes is very good for you. It can serve a guy well. Most of those people are perfectionists, which I think Yao is.? http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Training_C...152621-822.html
