Minus T- Mac, Rockets turn to defense on road trip

From wire reports

The Houston Rockets will have to depend on their defense until Tracy McGrady gets healthy because they sure can’t rely on their offense.

With their star out for three weekswith a back injury, the Rockets ( 1- 2) opened a 8 ve- game road trip Thursday in Miami. It looks like a tough stretch for a team that has averaged 36% shooting and blown fourth-quarter leads in consecutive home losses to New Orleans and Orlando.

The rugged road trip includes visits to New Jersey, Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio.

“ We’re just not very good right now,” guard Jon Barry said. “ It’s disappointing because the easy thing to say is that Tracy’s not here. But we’re good enough. There’s no excuse.”

McGrady strained his back doing a reverse layup in practice Friday. Without him, Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy has mixed up lineups, looking for the right combination to generate points.

So far, he hasn’t had much luck.

Yao Ming scored 17 points in Tuesday’s 76- 74 loss to Orlando but was 6- for- 15 from the 8 eld and missed a short hook shot in the 8 - nal minute.

“ We’re just struggling,” Van Gundy said. “ Yao’s historically been a very high percentage shooter, Stromile’s not making and no one on the perimeter is making. That basically covers it. We’re struggling to make shots.” League = nes Frank: New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank was 8ned $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for failing to leave the court in a timely matter after Monday’s loss at Miami.

Frank also was cited for verbal abuse of a game of 8 cial by Stu Jackson, the NBA’s senior vice president of basketball operations.

Frank was upset that Jason Kidd was called for a foul with 5.2 seconds left, and Dwyane Wade made a free throw to give the Heat a 9089 lead. Frank then thought Wade fouled Vince Carter at the buzzer, and ran halfway across the court to plead his case. Celtics hire Parish: Hall of Fame center Robert Parish was hired as a consultant by the Boston Celtics, whom the 7- footer helped to three NBA titles in the 1980s.