Gotta get away from the Hakeem stuff for a while... Anyway, am I the only one who thinks that this lineup in limited appearances will just be a hell of a lot of fun to watch? Taylor Griffin Morris Mobley Francis I mean, that just sounds like fun on hardwood to me! ------------------ Who's your buddy? Who's your pal? I am, aren't I?
Mo at Center? I guess you could run that against some of the smaller teams I could see Griffin filling out and playing at the 5. What if the Rockets let Olajuwon leave and told Cato he's gonna be playing 30-35 mins a night....would he show up? ------------------
The Taylor/Griffen lineup would be nice in many situations but I would like to see Taylor improve his 12-17ft range just a bit before we see him at center on a regular basis. I also think the SF position could be changed to suit certain situations but that lineup would be fun to watch run and gun. If only there was a way to sneak Mooch in there. ------------------ "banging Shaq is a whole different expirience"-Pete Babcock Behold the power of quotation
Taylor at center can be no worse then Cato!!! Jeff any word on Marc Jackson? It seems odd that he has vanished from the news media lately. Do you think that CD has contacted his agent about a deal if Hakeem leaves (with no S&T). ------------------
I've been consistently saying that in the long run Griffin will have to play the 4 which means MoT will have to move over to the 5 in order to get any playing time. It might actually be to Mo's benefit since the talent level he will be playing against at the 5 (except for Shaq) will be considerably lower than the talent level of opposing 4's. ------------------
Does anybody know what Taylor's stats were when he started at center for us last year? And more importantly the stats of the opposing center? ------------------
There isn't a C but how many teams today have legitimate centers that require a defender to match up? Midwest: Dallas - Bradley? They don't really have a center. Memphis - Big Country? HA HA HA! San Antonio - first big men on the list. Would be tough against them. Utah - Nobody Denver - LaFrentz is undersized for the 5 anyway. Minnesota - No real legit big man. Pacific: Golden State - even if Jackson re-signs, he is undersized. LA Clippers - Kandi man is large but with the zone do you need a legit big man to guard him? LA Lakers - best center in the league - Mo would need help. Phoenix - no legit center Portland - it is common for them to go with a PF at C Sacramento - Vlade is a different kind of center and Mo would probably need help Seattle - no legit center Atlantic: Boston - no legit center Miami - maybe the second best in the league New Jersey - no legit center New York - no legit center Orlando - Ewing and who else? Nobody really. Philadelphia - Mutumbo is a load defensively. Not a good matchup there. Washington - Jahaidi White? Central: Atlanta - Mohammed and Ratliff are both solid players - probably not a good matchup Charlotte - they regularly use PF's at C Chicago - LOL!!! Cleveland - They have a load of mediocre centers but still they are big. Detroit - nobody Indiana - Jermaine O'Neal is a solid youngster - might need help there. Milwaukee - Ervin Johnson isn't enough of a threat to need a legit center. Toronto - no legit center So, by my count, that is 9 legitimate threats at the center position out of 29 teams. I'm not saying this lineup would work all the time, but it could out-quick just about any team and, if the zone stays intact, they shouldn't have many defensive problems. Griffin may be the ideal defensive compliment to Mo at center with his weak side shot blocking abilities. Just sounds like a fun line up to me. ------------------ Who's your buddy? Who's your pal? I am, aren't I?
You know, I've really been wondering about that. It seems awfully quiet considering Golden State has his rights. It is certainly conceivable that Jackson is waiting to see what happens with the Hakeem situation to see if the Rockets might have some $$ for him. He expressed interest in Houston earlier in the year, so you never know. ------------------ Who's your buddy? Who's your pal? I am, aren't I?
I'd rather set Cato at C than Mo. Cato at least (occasionally) concentrates on traditional 5 duties like blocking and intimidation. Mo is really just a 3 in a 4 body who belongs on the perimeter, or 5-7 feet in... Jesus, did I just defend the Catomic Bomb? ------------------
Jeff, I like that line up, for stretches. I think Oeilpere likes it too: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/013757-3.html ------------------
Actually I love that lineup even though we DO still need a center! When we started KT and Mo at PF/C I liked that so Griffin and Mo would be even better,IMO.Man could that squad get up and down the court! If you look at it we really dont need a center at all,well maybe not at all,I would love to add a starting center but that lineup would do great together.No matter who plays at center against the big boys we will rotate are guards to double anyways so who cares if Mo is undersized,just as long as he doesent get in foul trouble or we get killed in transition,but with Morris in I think he could stay back to prevent the other teams from running. Just my thoughts! I wouldnt mind a KT,Mo,Griffin,Mobley,and Francis lineup either. I think a lot of people are exagerating a bit when they say we are in major trouble if Dream leaves,I think we played fairly well last season when we had NO center,and even if Dream leaves I think we will get at least a center that can step up and play some minutes and that would be better than the stretches last year when Cato,Collier,and Dream were all out! ------------------ AKA Rendiggler
Eventually, we need a Center. Mo T. could never play that position and get us to the top of the West. He's pretty much a PF. That means Griffin will either need to play C or SF. I see him at SF and a Center will be drafted soon, but I still think Cato may suprise when he's startng. This could be his make or break year unless Dream swallows his pride. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
Maurice Taylor will not play center. If that line-up occurs, Griffin will be in the middle. Last year in January when we didn't have Dream, Cato or Collier, both Mo and K9 started. I don't care how they were announced, K9 was guarding the opposing centers more than Mo'. In fact, I would expect Jeff's lineup to include K9 instead of Mo', if we go small. Mo' gets into foul trouble, and Rudy protects him. The funky line-ups seem to come in the 2nd q and the early 4th...that is, when we are resting Mo'. I expect us to use Taylor and K9 together, but I don't expect Taylor to be out there without a center, otherwise.
I'm not talking about whole games or as a starting line ups. Just part time. By the way, Lance Z said on KILT last week that the Rockets were planning to play Norris, Francis, Mobley, Griffin and Taylor a LOT down the stretch in ballgames. Don't know what that means, but just repeating it. ------------------ Who's your buddy? Who's your pal? I am, aren't I?
I expect to see Griffin, Morris, Mobley, and Francis on the court together 5-10 minutes per game later in the season, but think Cato, Collier, and Dream (doubtful he's here healthy, but if he is, it would be a solid lineup) would be better center options. ------------------
The Rockets aren't that thrilled with Marc Jackson, from what I'm hearing... I don't think he will be signed. But strangely he hasn't signed yet, so who knows. Something will have to be done though, no question, at the center position because Cato is Cato and Collier is injured (I don't think he will be back any time soon). I can't see Hakeem returning at this point though.... Rockets offer seems to be more of a PR offer I think. ------------------ NOTHING BUT .NET CLUTCHCITY.NET
I was wondering about that Clutch. There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency about the Rockets signing Dream. Marc Jackson not being signed yet is curious. Hopefully the Rockets have some other center options available. ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
Small ball is cool. Uh huh huh huh..... ------------------ My doctor says I am bipolar. I am going to get a second opinion. I have never had intimate desires for polar bears.
Just so you know - that was purely speculation. By the way, though this is speculation, if the Rockets had their choice of those centers, they probably would go for Doleac, a center with a nice outside shot who can pull opposing centers out to the wing. I think Doleac would be the kind of center Rudy is looking for. We do need rebounding and shot blocking, but Rudy likes players who set picks and can hit the jumper. Doleac is more of that type of a center. But again - just speculation. ------------------ NOTHING BUT .NET CLUTCHCITY.NET
