Brooks keeps faith in Wall
Washigton coach Scott Brooks disputed comments made by Rockets guard John Wall to NBC Sports-Washington that, among other things, the Wizards thought he was done after his series of injuries and surgeries.
“It’s not true from our standpoint,” Brooks said. “I never. I (said) last year he was improving every day. He was tackling his rehab at high level, very diligent. I remember a practice last year in Toronto it was amazing he hasn’t played five-on-five and all of a sudden, he just took over the practice. He was getting closer.
“I don’t know if he would have played if he didn’t have COVID hit the league or the world. He was definitely trending in the right direction. I knew he would be back. The guy works hard.”
Wall was out through much of Brooks’ four previous seasons as Wizards coach, but Brooks said he knew him well enough to appreciate and admire how hard Wall worked to come back.
“He worked his butt off, and he didn’t give up,” Brooks said. “He had a contract he could have just gave up. Let’s face it. It’s generational wealth. He kept fighting and kept fighting and kept fighting. It’s admirable.
“I wish him well. He’s going to finish up his career at a high level. I hope he does.
“He deserves it. The basketball gods weren’t good to him. They weren’t good to us the years we were together. It’s deserving that it turns around.”
Practice time benefits rookies
As much as some stability with the Rockets’ rotation and a bit of practice time was welcome throughout the roster, it could be especially valuable for rookies playing regularly without the benefit of a summer training camp, summer league or the usual practice schedule.
Jae’Sean Tate is one of
two Rockets players, along with P.J. Tucker, to have played in every game. Mason Jones has been filling in more frequently, with K.J. Martin getting some playing time in recent games.
A rare full practice on Monday with a workout scheduled for Wednesday was especially welcome.
“I think the whole group is trying to find some sort of chemistry,” coach Stephen Silas said. “It’s not just the rookies who are finding it a little bit hard to establish that chemistry because our groups have been so different from day-to-day, game-to-game.
“The rookies that we have and are getting playing time need that practice time because it is very different. The drills that we do I would assume very different from what they’ve seen in college. The NBA practice vs. the college practice are night and day as far as what you do and what you demand. For us, it’s getting to the details and for those rookies it is important for them
to kind of grasp what the details are. But the way our group has been … for the whole season, kind of in and out, mix and match it’s important for everybody.”
Tate said practice time was helpful because even a month into the season, rookies are still more accustomed to practicing all week with a few games, as is typical in college or overseas, rather than the NBA schedule that is the other way around.
“It’s very important,” Tate said. “Being a rookie, some of the young guys, we’re used to practicing every day, playing once or twice a week. So, just being able to get out there and actually slow down and take learning tips from coaching and some of the vet players, I think we made another step to get better.
“Just slowing it down, I think that was the greatest thing for us. We were … going over things we can do better as a team whoever we’re playing.”
Limits placed on backcourt
Though the Rockets had their three primary guards — John Wall, Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon — all available at the same time for the first time this season, they did not intend to play all three together —yet.
That could still come, coach Stephen Silas said. But he still needed to limit playing time, especially for Wall, who missed five games with a sore left knee before returning Saturday.
Wall started alongside Oladipo for the first time. Gordon returned to the sixth man role the Rockets had planned for him before injuries pushed him into the starting lineup in five of his first 11 games played this season.
“We’re trying to monitor John with his minutes coming back,” Silas said. “We don’t want Victor to play in the high 30s, as well. Eric for that matter. It will be exciting to have two of three together.”