Print
Friday February 29, 2008 3:50 PM


Rockets turn to Mutombo with Yao out for season


Denver at Houston, Sunday, 7 p.m.


Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer


HOUSTON -- Nearly eight minutes into his first start in almost a year, Dikembe Mutombo glanced up at the scoreboard and calculated how long he'd been on the floor.

He couldn't recall the last time that he had played such a long stretch.

"I felt a little bit winded out there," Mutombo said after his first start against Washington on Tuesday. "With like four minutes left in the first quarter, I thought, 'Man, it's been a while.'"

He won't have much time to catch his breath.

With Yao Ming out for the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, the Rockets will be asking the veteran center to log more and more minutes over the next two months. Mutombo could even be back in the starting lineup Sunday when the Rockets host the Denver Nuggets.

But whether he's starting or not, Mutombo's role will be considerably different than the one he had as Yao's backup.

During the first four-plus months of the season, Mutombo appeared in only 15 games and averaged a modest 9.1 minutes. The 41-year-old was mostly just enjoying what was expected to be his final season in the NBA.

Now, Mutombo will be needed to defend some of the NBA's top big men and help the Rockets return to the playoffs. Houston is seventh in the Western Conference with two teams less than three games behind them.

The 7-foot-2 center is preparing himself for the grind.

"I didn't play that much in the first half of the season so there's a lot left in my tank to go and help the team finish the season strong," Mutombo said. "I don't see why not. I just have to watch myself. It's not easy being my age."

Mutombo has been through this process with the Rockets.

During the 2006-07 season, the veteran center was called upon when Yao had a fractured tibia in his right leg. Like this season, Mutombo hadn't played much when Yao was hurt. But the veteran did an admirable job of filling in for the All-Star center, averaging 4.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.45 blocks in 33 starts.

Despite not making up for Yao's offensive production in the paint, the center was turning away opponents with his shot-blocking like the Mutombo of old.

The center's play was a major reason why the Rockets were 20-12 without Yao last season.

"He can set the tone for us defensively," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "Everybody told me about what he did last year. He can affect the game on the defensive end. He rebounds the ball. His heart. You just have to admire him so much. We're going to need him."

Mutombo won't necessarily be in the starting lineup for the remainder of the season.

Since the Rockets have three power forwards with different skills and strengths, Houston has the flexibility to go small. Carl Landry and Luis Scola -- Houston's two rookie power forwards -- could provide help when Houston needs low-post scoring. Chuck Hayes, meanwhile, is a quicker option than Mutombo who provides solid low-post defense.

But given that the Rockets' roster isn't loaded with big men after losing Yao, the Rockets need Mutombo's 7-foot-2 inch frame whenever an opposing team has a 7-footer capable of piling up points in bunches.

Mutombo's teammates are confident that he can handle the extra workload.

"He hasn't played practically the whole season," Hayes said. "But he comes in and still dominates the paint. He alters shots. It's a privilege to know him and I'm even more grateful to be his teammate."

The funny thing is Mutombo was seeking more playing time before the news about Yao's injury broke.

Before leaving the practice floor on Monday, Mutombo had a conversation with Adelman about playing 5 to 10 minutes per game so that he'd be fresh if the Rockets need him in the playoffs.

Less than 24 hours later, Mutombo was preparing for his first start of the season after the Rockets lost Yao.

The center is ready to welcome his increased role.

"The coaches don't want to burn me (by playing a lot of minutes immediately after not playing at all)," Mutombo said. "(But after the first quarter of Tuesday's game), I said look, 'If there is a way to win the game and you need me, just do it. I don't have another choice.'"