# Preseason Notes



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Alston's return surprises some*



> Rafer Alston never expected to be in Toyota Center on Monday, still a part of the Rockets' glut of point guards. But after a summer filled with acquisitions at his position and accusations against him, he was ready to be anywhere that would move him from offseason to preseason.
> 
> After the Rockets picked up three players who play the position he has manned the past two seasons, Alston, 31, was arrested twice and charged with assault, charges he said again would be proved unwarranted.
> 
> ...


*Injury sidelines Wells again*



> For the second straight season, a groin injury is expected to keep Wells, 31, off the court through the Rockets' six days and seven practices in Austin.
> 
> "We've known about it a little while, and were hoping it would clear up by this time," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "Bonzi's got a minor groin issue that looks like it's going to keep him out for some time. We're not sure how long at this point.
> 
> ...


*Mutombo heeds advice from Hakeem*



> When Dikembe Mutombo, 41, finally listened to the urging of his family and friends and members of the Rockets' front office and decided to return for a 16th and final NBA season, the last thing he was thinking about was starting 33 games as he did last season when Yao Ming was injured.
> 
> "As a matter of fact, when I was told (Sunday) that Yao was not here, I was like, 'What?' I was saying, 'Hey, Yao! I'm too old to be going out there and playing 37 minutes a game. They better bring you back quick to play in the preseason, because I'm not going to be trying to push myself.'
> 
> ...


*Rockets' Francis says his knees are OK*



> Though Rockets guard Steve Francis was limited to 44 games last season, going out for several long stretches because of tendinitis in his right knee, he said he has no problems with his knees and no concern about going out with the condition again.
> 
> "Everybody suffers at some point in their career with some type of tendinitis," Francis said. "For me, it's more maintaining it and not letting it flare up. The thing I was excited and happy about there was no structural damage to my body."
> 
> ...


*Battier gets his YouTube moment*



> Shane Battier returned as a different player. For one, he'd spent the summer in the weight room and definitely showed a more muscular upper body. For another, he is now a worldwide star on YouTube after his karaoke performance at a Houston nightclub last season, when he sang Neil Diamond's Forever in Blue Jeans.
> 
> "I was waiting for that question," Battier said. "For those who don't know, I became a karaoke superstar this off-season for my karaoke performance was posted on there. Justin Timberlake's career is safe."


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

I guess it's not so bad if Alston stays. Let's hope he doesn't chuck the ball to many times.

Wells out again? I hope he can be at full health when the season starts.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Come on Wells. ugh!


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

i wonder if battier bulking up has anything to do with him possibly getting more time at the 4


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*2007 Training Camp Day 1*
More in the link.



> The best news was that Tracy McGrady was there, ready to roll. I didn't think he would be at training camp for a few days.
> 
> Under Jeff Van Gundy, the media never really got to see Rockets practice. Technically the NBA tells teams to give the media 30 minutes of practice time, so Van Gundy would get around that by letting the media in at the end for "shootaround", when players would just shoot free throws.
> 
> ...


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

Pimped Out said:


> i wonder if battier bulking up has anything to do with him possibly getting more time at the 4


defend the 4 while scola defends the 3? cos i dont see him playing more time on offense at the 4


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Owner watches as team goes to work*



> Rockets owner Leslie Alexander took his place watching a training camp practice Tuesday, as has long been his custom.
> 
> The difference? He enjoyed it.
> 
> ...


*Take what comes*



> Lucas, who played sparingly last season for the Rockets, looked at the offseason acquisitions, counted up the seven players under contract who could play point guard, then asked general manager Daryl Morey to move him.
> 
> "It was nothing against the Rockets," Lucas said. "I can just see the situation with so many people who play my position.
> 
> ...


*Scola says Adelman forces players to think*



> Rockets forward Luis Scola hardly looked like a fish out of water in his first official NBA practice.
> 
> He impressed teammates with his hustle and his passing and said he felt comfortable in coach Rick Adelman's system.
> 
> ...


*McGrady finds much to like in Rockets' offense*



> To Tracy McGrady, the first Rockets practice was "pretty sloppy." It was "rocky." It was "rough." And he loved it.
> 
> But it was not simply the return to the floor that cheered him. McGrady got his first taste of the offense that will use him differently, letting him pass from more areas on the floor and catch more passes on the move. As ragged as it might have been, a few hours of running the offense was enough to get an idea of what could be.
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Brooks outshoots Novak, Bullard*



> Aaron Brooks won the 2007 3-point-shooting contest at the collegiate Final Four. Steve Novak did the same in 2006.
> 
> They said they would square off in practice, and Wednesday they did just that -- even adding former Rocket three-point specialist Matt Bullard into the mix as well.
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Fran Blinebury's Blog*



> It's the freedom to toss away those thick offensive playbooks and do away with the memorization. It's the freedom to pass and cut and move instinctively all over the floor and find a way to get the open player the easiest shot.
> 
> It's the freedom to play the game the way every player envisions it on the playground of his mind.
> 
> ...


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## Block (Apr 22, 2007)

I love Brooks but he will give up a lot of points.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Brooks beat Novak AND Bullard in a 3-pt shootout? wow, really starting to like this kid now!

Sounds like everyone's happy out there, really looking forward to seeing them play together.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

as much **** as i give alston, i like this
"Oh [yeah], Aaron's fast," Alston said grinning. "But I had to tell him how it was gonna be and then I showed him."


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

It seems like Brooks will be a great player. I hope he will get some playing time. It would be great if Yao was in training camp.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Scola no mountain man*



> Asked what is different about training camp in the NBA and in Europe, Scola said: "Everything. The teams I have been playing (for) in Europe, we usually go up in the mountains and stay there for a couple weeks and work just physically outside, running up and down the mountain many times.
> 
> "It seems much nicer here. Everybody starts the same day. You have your media day. Then you have your friendly matches, preseason games. It's not like there (in Europe). You just do whatever you want, whenever you want it.
> 
> ...


*Rockets' guards sidestep traffic jam so far*



> The Rockets are not ready to declare their quality is greater than their quantity at the position. But after two days, the idea of bringing five point guards — Steve Francis, Mike James, Rafer Alston, John Lucas III and Brooks — to camp no longer seems so strange, either.
> 
> "One thing I always tell people," James said, "it's better to have a bunch of good players than a bunch of mediocre players."
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*2007 Training Camp Day 2*



> The Rockets had another nearly 4-hour practice session on Wednesday, Day 2 of Training Camp. They won't start two-a-days until Friday (ironically when Yao Ming will first join the Rockets).
> 
> This was the second practice with new Rockets coach Rick Adelman, and for the second time he let the media in to watch the final 10-15 minutes or so of the scrimmage action.
> 
> ...


*Rockets 'D' different, but not forgotten*



> But the man who replaced the defensive-oriented Van Gundy knows that the new offense has to change the defense.
> 
> "That's always a problem for us because guys are never in the same spot [on offense]," said Adelman of the type of transition defense Van Gundy instilled. "It's not as easy when you just have three spot-up shooters -- when the shot goes up, those three run the half-court (defense). We're not in that situation. I want to take what they did really well, and they did a lot of things really well in the halfcourt defense, and we're going to keep that, but right now we're more concerned with getting them acclimated with what we're trying to do."
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Yao joins team, begins work*



> *Yao Da Man*
> 
> Yao Ming felt awful.
> 
> ...


:worthy:


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Blinebury's Blog*



> "We're just playing basketball now," McGrady said following Thursday's workout at the Cooley Pavilion in Austin. "It's how I grew up playing the game. It's how most of us like to play the game. I think I can produce more."
> 
> By being asked to do less.
> 
> ...





> The Rockets will hold their only two-a-day sessions of training camp on Friday and it will mark the debut of Yao Ming.
> 
> "We need to get him on the court and figure out what we're doing," Adelman said. "A lot of things we kind of skipped over because he wasn't here. I tried to really take advantage of playing Luis (Scola) and Chuck (Hayes) together and see how they play. When Yao gets here, we see how they both play with him. I'm looking forward to getting him on the court."





> Bonzi Wells is making progress in recovering from a groin pull. He took part in most of Thursday's workout, even participating in some 5-on-5 scrimmaging at the end of practice.
> 
> "He did OK today," said Adelman. "He scrimmaged for a while. He sat out at the end of it, mostly as a precaution. Of course, he should do OK. He's got the freshest legs here. He was very active, very live. Certainly didn't didn't look like he was effected by anything."





> Adelman acknowledged surprise at how quickly some of the Rockets are adapting to his motion offense, especially Luther Head.
> 
> "You don't know," Adelman said. "I've really been surprised at a lot of these guys. Some of these guys have really picked it up and are very active in this offense. Luther Head has been terrific the last two days with the way he cuts. It's been a very pleasant surprise watching these guys. Then you've got to kinda rein 'em in. You get a little bit of freedom and it's not that we're just jacking shots up. You've got to do it within the offense. They're doing a nice job to this point. They're very willing to make hard cuts."





> Chuck Hayes was the only minor casualty at practice on Thursday, sitting out at the end with a bruise on top of his left foot. Kirk Snyder landed on his foot when both were jumping.
> 
> "No problem," Hayes said. "I'm fine. I'll be ready for practice in the morning."


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*2007 Training Camp Day 3*



> One guy who continues to impress me some is Mike Harris. Granted we don't see much action, but he looks quick and strong. On one fast break he trailed the ball and came flying in to slam home a miss. I asked Adelman later if Harris has a shot on a team with 19+ contracts.
> 
> "Harris has been good since the very first day we had him in the summer and he's been very, very good in this camp," said Adelman. "The kid is just tough and he finds a way to be successful whatever position he plays. He's someone that we like a lot. I don't know about the contracts -- I'm just looking at the guys who come out here to play and Mike's been impressive to us since the first day we had him."
> 
> ...





> I did get to ask James though what he thought the difference was for him between Toronto (insane numbers for a point guard: 46.9% shooting from the field and 44.2% from long range) and Minnesota (dropped to 42.2% and 37.2%).
> 
> "It was just a mental game," said James. "I felt like I never fit in Minnesota. I never fit their system and never played to my potential. I just got in to a rut early and stayed in it. It's no excuse but to myself, but every day I remember my season in Minnesota and ever day it makes me focus on what not to do. One thing I'm going to do is play ball with a smile on my face for the rest of my career."


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Yao passes physicals*



> Rockets center Yao Ming, passed the extensive physicals he took Thursday morning, with the slight tear of the labrum in his right shoulder not considered a problem meriting concern.
> 
> Yao had developed soreness in the shoulder last season, with the tear found in MRI's after the season.
> 
> ...





> *Wells practices*
> Rockets guard Bonzi Wells went through the majority of Thursday's practice, returning from a pulled groin muscle ahead of schedule.
> 
> Wells was not expected to practice until Monday in Houston.
> ...





> *T-Mac back at it*
> Tracy McGrady said the blister that forced him to cut short his participation in Wednesday's practice did not bother him Thursday — as long as he did not look at it.
> 
> "It's nasty," he said. "The whole skin is peeled off."
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Yao ready to play catch-up with Rockets*



> Yao Ming arrived at the Rockets' training camp Thursday tired and jet-lagged. He was fighting a cold, worn out from a tough road trip with the Chinese national team.
> 
> But mostly, he was late, and that was the condition that weighed on him most.
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Blinebury's blog*



> *Meet the newest Rocket -- the crowd gets larger.*
> 
> As if the practice courts inside the Cooley Pavilion at the University of Texas weren't already crowded enough, the Rockets brought another player into the training camp mix on Friday morning.
> 
> ...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

> Question: What's it like having Steve back out there with you?
> 
> Yao: Steve Novak?


:laugh: ahh I miss Yao, good to have him back with the team


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

It is great that the Rockets are on track. It looks like Yao has no problem with the new style of play which gives the team a very strong boost.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*2007 Training Camp Day 4*



> "We will be must faster, which will be a challenge for my conditioning," said Yao. "There are a lot of cuts, off ball movement, lots of outside shots, but not just three-point shots. Particularly I like those off the ball cuts, which will create some easy baskets."
> 
> On playing again with Francis:
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*D-League a possibility*



> Rockets coaches and administrators on Friday met with Bob Hoffman, the coach of the new NBDL team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' D-League affiliate.
> 
> The New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rockets will have the option to send players to the Vipers, an option Rockets coach Rick Adelman said he would consider if there are players he believed needed playing time.
> 
> ...





> *China syndrome*
> Guards Steve Francis and forward Luis Scola last week signed with Chinese shoe company Anta to wear their shoes. Forwards Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier already had shoe deals with Chinese companies, with Hayes wearing Li Ning and Shane Battier Peak shoes


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Yao lends ear to new system*



> He went through plays Thursday evening with Rockets assistant coaches Jack Sikma, Elston Turner, T.R. Dunn and R.J. Adelman. But Friday's first practice of the camp's only two-a-days drew the familiar raves.
> 
> "He really looked good," Rick Adelman said. "He's picked things up so easily. We've been working on it, but he's going to be hard to guard. He's so versatile. He looked good.
> 
> ...





> "In this new system, everybody gets a chance to take care of the ball, create plays," Yao said. "I believe it will speed up our team. We'll play much faster. That will be a big challenge for my conditioning.
> 
> "I think it's pretty simple, you know. I just need to take time to get used to it, and also to play with teammates to know every chance we have in this new system."
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Rockets wowed by offense*



> It has been called the Princeton offense. But despite some similar backdoor cuts, it is often far different from the offense Pete Carril took from his 29 years at Princeton to Adelman's Kings staff and the Hall of Fame.
> 
> It has been compared to Phoenix's style, and Adelman similarly will encourage fast-break jump shots if they are open. But there are other aspects starting with interchangeable guards and high-post passing big men — that could not be more different from the Suns' offense.
> 
> ...





> *Work with Yao*
> The Rockets will have Yao Ming on the low blocks more in one game than some Princeton centers posted up in a season, though Yao usually will take his position within the movement.
> 
> "I think the back-cutting is Princeton," Turner said. "There is a combination of the triangle, Princeton and other things going on. I hear we run the Princeton offense all the time, but if you saw the Princeton offense, it's not really that.
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*ROCKETS SUMMARY*



> "I understand more about the system," Yao said. "We're growing our chemistry with the teammates, because in the new system, everybody can shoot and the open-shot timing will be different. I need to know that better so in the season, I won't miss anything.
> 
> "The first preseason game is coming soon (Tuesday). If there is something wrong, we have time to fix it. We need more experience. Even though we make mistakes, we need to learn from those mistakes and learn from success."
> 
> Yao said he felt much better physically than in his first practice, but was still battling a cold.





> After playing almost entirely at power forward last season in Rockets practices and in his 35 games as a rookie, forward Steve Novak has worked as much as a small forward in training camp this week.
> 
> "I've played more three than before," Novak said. "This year, it's more interchangeable. The way we play in this offense, there is still a lot of screening at the three, and the way our splits are, you split high and pop, and that's a three-man spot.
> 
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*The word and what we heard at Camp Adelman:* *Feigen's Blog*



> *McGrady*'s passing continues to amaze. The guy just has tremendous vision. OK, that's no revelation. But I heard that more than anything else so I had to start there.
> 
> *Luther Head* was terrific. The offense seems ideal for him. He is a guy that cuts hard and cleverly, finishes well and is a good standstill shooter. He does not do much off the dribble, but in this offense he doesn't have to.
> 
> ...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Interesting to hear the praises going to Head, I really didn't know what to expect from him coming in with our added guard depth. No reason why Head and Hayes can't continue to improve given that this is only their 3rd year.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

There hasn't been any good news of Snyder lately. I wonder how he is doing. Harris is working hard to be on the team. I'm very interested in seeing what the roster will look like when it's all said and done.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Likes what he sees*



> "The two power forwards, *Chuck (Hayes)* and *Luis (Scola)*, have really been good," Adelman said. "They're active, they cut, they fill the open spots. They're both really good at that.
> 
> "*Mike James* has been really good. *Luther Head* has been very good. The thing I like is they cut so hard. And if they don't get it, they open it up for somebody else. And *Tracy (McGrady)*, he's an incredible passer. He's so long and so big, he sees everything. He's such an unselfish player. If we do the right things, he's going to find the right guy. What I found out about him is he's very, very intelligent. He sees. He's already said to me, if we do this and put guys in these spots, it's going to be good. I want that. They're out there on the court. That's what's really good about him. That's where he has an advantage over other people."
> 
> ...





> *Beautiful thing*
> Perhaps no players' offensive duties will change as much as *Shane Battier*'s.
> 
> Battier will cut as a potential scorer much more often and will be used as a passer. Typically, he said he prefers his new passing duties.
> ...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Bonzi on own terms*



> Wells is about 15 pounds lighter and has been bouncing around the different courts inside the Cooley Pavilion at the University of Texas as if someone unstrapped a piano from his back.
> 
> "This is how you want a professional camp to be," he said. "You want guys to be themselves and come out and play their games and not play a game somebody else tells you you have to play."
> 
> If the Rockets have a different look, different offensive philosophy, different demeanor this time around, nowhere is it more evident than in Wells, 31, the swingman who is reveling in the coaching change from Jeff Van Gundy to Rick Adelman.





> "Players can be players," Wells, 6-5, said. "You ain't got to worry about it. Coach last year had a problem telling guys what he wanted them to do instead of letting guys play your game. Coach Adelman doesn't do that. He lets you go out here, and it's OK to make a mistake. When you make a mistake, you don't worry about it. You don't stress about it and think about getting yelled at. Coach's way is just make up for it.
> 
> "This year my mind is clear. Coach Adelman is here. I know what he expects from me."
> 
> ...





> But after reporting out of shape, missing several days of camp for dental appointments and personal reasons, Wells set off a tug of war with Van Gundy that lasted all season.
> 
> He fell hard and suffered a back injury that put him on the inactive list in December and never found a rhythm or a rapprochement with Van Gundy.
> 
> ...





> "He's a big part of it," Adelman said. "When you put him on the floor coming off the bench, he's someone who's very explosive around the basket. He ran our stuff pretty well in Sacramento. He's a great offensive rebounder.
> 
> "I think when Tracy's not on the floor, he's somebody you can go to who really has an advantage on most people. He's so strong. He really can be a huge help.
> 
> "It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out, see how these guys play together. But I've seen Bonzi in our offense, and he's been effective. So I don't see any reason why he can't be now."


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Pickin' a new tune on the pick-and-roll*



> Here's something to look for when the Rockets open the exhibition season against the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night. Check out how they defend the pick-and-roll.
> 
> In Van Gundy's defense, Yao Ming was constantly asked to step out and help on pick-and-roll coverage. This often accomplished two things — it got a lot of cheap fouls called on Yao and it also took him away from the basket and made it difficult for him to recover.
> 
> ...





> Among the hi-jinx of the afternoon was "head coach" McGrady getting whistled for a technical foul. After a lot of laughing and jawing, Steve Francis went to the line to shoot. But at the last second, "referee" Bonzi Wells stepped in and blocked Francis' free throw.


:biggrin:


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*McGrady, Head return*



> Rockets guard/forward Tracy McGrady and guard Luther Head returned to practice Friday after sitting out Thursday's preseason game with minor injuries. McGrady was out with a bruised thigh, Head with a sore right Achilles' tendon.
> 
> Guard Steve Francis did not practice Friday to rest some general soreness, while forward Steve Novak is out with the flu.


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## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Good to see them back. It's always worrying when players get injured.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

It's great to hear McGrady and Head back.

Novak out with the flu...sound like a sign that he will not be on the team.


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