Do some research, Legler

From Tim Legler on ESPN.com's Daily Dime (Feb. 5):

Houston Rockets (Grade: C-) -- Granted, the Rockets have a new coach and have dealt with the annual absence of Tracy McGrady due to injuries, but they earn a below-average grade nonetheless. The offensive freedom that was expected in the post-Jeff Van Gundy era hasn't turned into wins and they have taken a step back defensively.

I don't care when someone grades my favorite team poorly. C- is probably a better grade than I would give them at this point. My problem with capsules like these, is the author has to make up things on the fly and chooses not to research his statement. I really like Legler, but this is just plain lazy. The Rockets have not taken a step back defensively -- they are freaking second in the league statistically behind Boston! What the freak to you want them to do? They lost because they couldn't shoot and had no other threats besides Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Now they have started playing Luis Scola and Carl Landry more and they are winning. No one could have predicted the force Landry would be this early in his career, so he didn't play early. I think Adelman has a pretty good grasp on his rotation now and McGrady is playing unselfishly and just taking over games when he needs to. They'll make the playoffs, then we'll see if T-Mac can finally get them over the hump. I think they're playing well enough to do it -- they just need to avoid Dallas or New Orleans in the first round.