Rockets could use a fresh voice

The Rockets fell in seven games to the Utah Jazz in the opening round of this year’s postseason. Houston lost Game 7 on its homecourt and have not advanced past the first round since the 1996-97 campaign.

Under Van Gundy, the Rockets have made the playoffs in three of the four years that he has been the general of the club. In the 2004 postseason, Houston lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the Western Conference quarterfinals, and in 2005 his Rockets blew a three games-to one lead and were ousted by the Dallas Mavericks in round one.

The Rockets have won more than 50 games twice during Van Gundy’s tenure. They finished 51-31 in 2004-05 and 52-30 in 2006-07. Van Gundy has compiled a 182-146 record with Houston.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Van Gundy’s original contract with the club is set to expire on June 30. After the 2004-05 campaign, the team added a non-guaranteed year to the deal. Van Gundy also has the right to opt out of the contract.

All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are two of the best in the business. McGrady, who just finished his third season with the Rockets, is one of the most exciting players in the league, while Yao is arguably the top center in the NBA.

Yao missed 32 games during the 2006-07 season with a non-displaced fracture in a bone under his right knee. Without Yao, who led the team in scoring (25.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg), the Rockets were a surprising 20-12.

McGrady, who will turn 28 on May 24th, stepped up while Yao was sidelined and put the team on his back. The All-Star guard averaged 24.6 points and a team- best 6.5 assists in 71 games this past season, which was arguably his best in a Houston uniform.

A dominant center and an athletic, highly skilled player who can do it all should be enough for a coach to devise a scheme to get his team to do some damage in the postseason. Van Gundy, who did guide the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1998-99, has not been able to figure out the right formula to get the Rockets over the hump.

Talent is not the issue with the Rockets. In the days of the salary cap, teams in the NBA cannot simply sign players for any amount of money and put together a roster full of high-paid stars, like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox do in Major League Baseball.

Yao and McGrady are surrounded with solid role players. Shane Battier, who completed his first season with the Rockets, is an excellent defender and a solid shooter from the outside, while guards Rafer Alston and Luther Head give Houston a decent perimeter game.

Veteran forward Juwan Howard and swingman Bonzi Wells, who played just 28 games in his first year with the Rockets, are still productive.

It’s just not working in Houston for Van Gundy. There is no doubt that he is a good coach who would definitely find another head coaching job if he wants one.

However, Van Gundy, who stresses defense, doesn’t seem to have the answers to winning in the West. Having Yao and McGrady in the lineup should be enough for him get his team at least past the first round of the playoffs.

A new direction and a different voice is just what the doctor ordered. McGrady and Yao have backed Van Gundy and would like to see him return.

The bottom line here is that Houston has failed to win a playoff series under Van Gundy. Maybe somebody else can figure out how to get McGrady, who is 0-6 in playoff series, and Yao deep into the playoffs.