<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">When the Raptors were busy tearing through the Rockets in the first half, and especially in that second quarter, I kept trying to determine if it was a lack of intensity or ability that had so shackled the Rockets defense. The Rockets, of course, later said that with all due credit to the Raptors' remarkable shooting that they lacked the requisite defensive passion. That might be. And in truth, it probably is a combination of both attitude and aptitude. But for the Rockets, the frightening thought is that maybe teams like the Raptors, teams with the shooting to spread the floor and then beat the Rockets on the dribble. The Rockets' defense excels with the usual Jeff Van Gundy game planning and preparation, with help and rotations, and of course with tenacity. But there is no game plan that starts with getting beat off the dribble. Bigs have to help, leaving shooters open. Guards back off, leaving shooters open. Everyone, rushing back to their man after having to help elsewhere, gets beat off the dribble again, getting more shooters open. Suddenly a very good defense looks very bad. Not every team can shoot as the Raptors can. They are the real deal, winners of 10 of 13 games, and holders of the third-best record in the NBA since the New Year. But the Rockets absolutely must excel defensively to succeed regularly. Since the All Star break, they played well defensively for three quarters against Orlando, and that's it. They might have been starting the countdown to Yao Ming's return, or maybe even the playoffs. They might have felt good about all they had done well since Yao went out. But that's gone now. They don't feel good about much of anything. With the Rockets, defense and rebounding is the foundation for everything, and the foundation is crumbling.</div> Source
