Areas of strength: They can get up and down the floor with the best of them and score points in bunches from virtually any place on the court. Kevin Martin can sling in 3s, slash to the hoop and pile up free throws. Luis Scola has more moves than a flamenco dancer. Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger and Courtney Lee will fill it up.

Needs work: They desperately need a big man to clog the lane and protect the rim on defense. The days of relying on 6-foot-6 Chuck Hayes must be over if they're serious about returning to the playoffs. Even if Yao Ming comes back to give it one more try, they need size and they need dependable bodies on the frontline.

Two Stats That Matter:
5 -- Games played by 8-time All-Star Yao Ming since the 2008-09 season.

34 -- The number of home court losses over the past two seasons, which explains no playoffs in that time.

The Way to Go:
You can't teach height. That's the old basketball cliché that still holds true. If the Rockets are going to move from the middle of the pack into playoff contention, they need a reliable low post scoring threat and someone to be a shot-blocking presence on defense. It is way past time to get Yao Ming's replacement and a rebounding forward.

2010-11 Team Stats:
Offensive: 108.0 (6th)
Defensive: 106.2 (18th)

Under contract:
G: Kyle Lowry
G: Kevin Martin
G: Courtney Lee
G/F: Terence Williams
F: Chase Budinger
F: Luis Scola
F: Patrick Patterson
F/C: Brad Miller
F/C: Jordan Hill
C: Hasheem Thabeet

Free agents:
G: Goran Dragic (Team option)
C: Yao Ming (Unrestricted)
C: Chuck Hayes (Unrestricted)

-- Fran Blinebury