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Friday October 10, 2008 7:41 PM

Trying To Beat The Numbers Game

Von Wafer making his case to earn spot on Rockets' roster


Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON - There are hundreds of Von Wafers out there; guys desperate for a shot to stick with an NBA team who, for whatever reason, haven't yet found the right fit.

Some are defensive aces who can't shoot. There are defensive duds who can. Still others fall victim to the salary cap. But whichever category they fall into, all are united by the fact that they are subject to the whims of the NBA's numbers game - a cold, callous reality which serves as the application fee for those attempting to become a permanent part of the deepest, most talented pool of players in the world.

Wafer, a player who's had brief stints in Los Angeles, Denver and Portland in the past, knows what he's up against as he attempts to crack the Rockets' already-crowded roster. He's been in this position before. Yet the long odds staring him right in the face have done nothing to discourage his dream.

"I’ve been in some tough situations where I’ve lost out on playing time to some great players," says Wafer. "This is another tough situation of course, and if I happen to make this team it will be hard to come by some minutes. But you just have to be patient. It’s tough, but you’ve got to be patient in this game.

"So when I get between those lines I don’t think about anything but playing hard. If it doesn’t work, then at least I know that I did all that I could do. I don’t think about anything else."

To his credit, Wafer is doing everything he can to seize the opportunity placed before him. After collecting a "DNP" in Tuesday's preseason opener, the native of Homer, Louisiana came off the bench to score 14 points in the Rockets' 85-78 victory over San Antonio Thursday night. And while Wafer seemed unimpressed with his performance (he was more concerned with a few missed assignments), it didn't escape the attention of head coach Rick Adelman.

"He was very good," said Adelman after the game. "He came in and was aggressive offensively – he’s a very good offensive player; we’ve see that in practice all along. When you get an opportunity in these games, it’s a chance to make something happen and I thought Von did a nice job."

It will take much more of the same, starting Saturday night against the world champion Celtics, for Wafer to earn the roster spot he so desperately desires. But he won't be lacking for motivation, especially since he's already grown very attached to his new teammates.

"Man, I love this team," raves Wafer. "I understand why they were so successful last year, because it’s like a family environment. Other teams I’ve been with, it’s not always like that.

"Everybody is together, everybody works and no one holds them self above the rest. T-Mac works his [butt] off, Yao works his [butt] off – those guys set the tone. And everybody just wants to win, everybody is willing to pass to the open guy, it’s just different."

And 1's: It's no secret that coach Adelman has not been satisfied with what he's seen from his club over the course of the first two preseason games. So it's no surprise to hear that he's looking for significant improvement as the club embarks upon a three-game road trip.

"We’ve got to set this road trip up like it’s the regular season," said Adelman after today's practice. "We’ve got to continue to get better and not just say, ‘Oh, we’re going on a three-game exhibition.’ We’ve got to find something to get out of this trip and have to keep getting better as a team… It’s like that fourth quarter Thursday night – That’s not going to help us when guys go out and play that fourth quarter the way they played."

Shane Battier concurs: "Time is running out. We tip off three weeks from [this past Wednesday] night. So every practice, shootaround and every game we play, we have to go with the mind set that we’re going to be better than we were yesterday. And as long as we have that mentality and just improve a little bit everyday – we don’t have to take giant leaps and bounds everyday – I think we’ll be ready to go on opening night."

Speaking of Battier, today he dished on the latest news regarding his injured foot. "Mentally, it’s tough. Physically, I’m doing better…. Two weeks from today I’m getting an MRI and that will determine a lot… If it shows that the inflammation has gone down and I’m OK to resume practice, then I’ll start working my way in slowly and we’ll go from there."

More injury updates: Tracy McGrady says he's continuing to make progress as he attempts to get back to 100% following offseason knee surgery. "I feel good. I feel like I am getting better and that’s a positive sign. I am going on this road trip and hopefully I’ll suit up for some of these games and get out there and play with my guys.

"[Right now] It’s up in the air. I’m not ruling anything out right now. I’m getting up and down pretty well but, yeah, I’m still favoring [the knee]. It’s more of a mental thing, because my leg is weak and this is the first surgery that I’ve had… I’m taking my time because we’ve got a long season ahead, but it means a lot for me to get this thing going and get out with my guys."

Adelman's stance: "He practiced today and we’ll just see how he feels tomorrow. He looked OK. He’s still bothered by [the knee]. He’s still got to work himself through it… When you’re playing against the other teams, sometimes you’ve got to push yourself a little bit more than you would in practice. It’s like what I’m trying to do with Yao right now - I want to play him twelve straight minutes and I want him to get through that. I think that’s what Tracy has to do, too."

Have a question for Rockets.com? Send it to Jason Friedman via email at: jasonf@rocketball.com.