How About This?

[heypartner]

Almu,

Have you seen Cato stand next to Hakeem? He is bigger and taller. We're you get this 6'10" from.

I'm a big advocate of two shot blockers with the new zone rules. This is why San Antonio has the best shot at beating LA, IMO.

HOOP-T

I think Almu is right about SF being forced to drive. That is pretty easy to do. The dish off can definitely kill you; you're right, but the new zone rules allow SA to prevent that very effectively.

Say Pippen is on the wing against KT.
KT plays him overly close.
With two shot blockers, you place one on the strong-side elbow (legally straddling the side of the lane--ala Duncan), then you place the other shot blocker on the weakside low block (legally straddling the side of the lane--ala Robinson).

Pippen can only drive baseline...that's going to be tough for him with strong-side Cato (let's say) dropping down the lane from the elbow and Mihms holding his ground to cover the baseline passes.

Note how the Pippen drive is shielded towards the baseline by both KT and Cato making a pass out front difficult. Mihms becomes the help on any successful passes into the middle.

This is one of the things I've seen SA do. LA is doing this stuff, too.

What I like most about Almu's suggestion is that premier defenses are really stepping up this year with strong-side zoning. I believe this will continue to be the crux of a championship team. I haven't seen too many Utah games, but I'm willing to bet they are overachieving this year because again they are the smartest team in the league at execution...and they probably are playing new zones very well.

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The farther the Rockets move down the standings, the farther I move down the bleachers.

[Almu]

Partner,

I haven't seen Cato that well. You might be right about him being bigger. I thought he was 6'10", but I could be wrong.

Hoops T, if you push people towards the middle, I believe the dish to the open man is a problem, but, only for teams that doesn't have the quickness to close off the lanes or make it back under the basket. We are not going to stop all dishes. But, with Cat, Francis and Anderson,and KT, I think that we can afford that chance right now. Also, taking Cato and putting him on the PF spot, his presense can allow the double team with Cato and Kenny Thomas rotating to cover the open PF and everyone elses quickness rotating also. I don't know if what I see in my head and type here works. I am just imagining that the quickness this team has is probably the best in the league right now. Sort of the way the Sonics were in the mid 90's. I see this team being sort of like those teams were and using quickness to rotate, trap and make teams try and do those same dishes and then thinking that they have a free layup when then Cato or the center come over and challenge the shot.



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Live Rocketball. Breathe Rocketball. Die with Rocketball.

[Almu]

This idea might hurt our bench a little. But its only an idea. Let me know what you guys think.

How about if we draft a Center. For arguments sake, lets say someone like Mihm from Texas. We can then take Cato and put him at the PF position and slide Kenny Thomas at the SF position.

Now, if we do that, we have a 7 foot center. A 6'10" PF who is a great leaper and can help out on the weakside with his shot blocking presence. We have a big SF in Kenny Thomas who can abuse 80 percent of the other SF in the league with his size and strength and if he faces a quicker player, he can just guide him to the middle where Cato/Mihm will be waiting to help out. Then, we have Francis at the PG and Anderson at the 2.

That lineup is big and athletic. We can continue to bring Mobley off the bench and he can either play the 2 or if Kenny is facing a quick 3, he can slide over there also or Anderson can. The bench will be depleted a tad, but, we can always get bench players to fill the role for a few minutes. This will be a relatively young team anyway so you can play them good minutes without worrying about substitution. I think you can always get bench players in this league. Its the starting line up that causes problems when you don't have the players.

This is just an idea. I am not that good with lineups and stuff like that. I might be looking at this wrong. But, I believe that Cato shouldn't be playing center. He goes for too many fakes and needs to bulk up alot. If he is a PF, he already has the height and with less bulking up, he can play the position. The Rocks will then have a 7 foot center, a 6'10" PF and a 6'8" SF.



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Live Rocketball. Breathe Rocketball. Die with Rocketball.

[HOOP-T]

Bulk up Kelvin Cato and you risk some loss of leaping ability and quickness. Cato is a quick, athletic leaper and is ideally suited for center or PF. I don't think he needs more muscle to play center. If he can go toe to toe with Shaq on the defensive end, he is not weak by any stretch.

I like the line up on paper, but KT can't guard very many, if any, small forwards in the NBA. They will take him to the perimeter and KT will be forced to do one of two things. Take a half step back defensively to lessen the effectiveness of a quick first step. But then you are going to have guys like Glenn Robinson and (gasp) Scottie Pippen hitting jumpers on you. True, it does create a post mismatch on the offensive end for KT, but with the well rounded games the SF's in the NBA have, KT would suffer defensively. I don't think you can say KT would be able to force the player to take the ball down the middle and rely on help side "D" either. This leaves the C or PF to rotate and that in turn leaves a man open.....easy pass for a dunk. Too much of a liability. I prefer replacing the 3 spot with Shandon and Walt, KT off the bench as a backup PF. Maybe he will start at some point.

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HOOP-T

Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!