Rudy supporters always praise his coaching through talent discovering, as if saying a GM or a scout's job is to draw diagrams and substituting players.
Walt Williams, when he used to play for the Kings in 94-95 season averaged 16.6 ppg and 1.6 steals per game, for any one who is wondering if he used to be better! ------------------ -Junkyard Dog "Maybe we need an enema" - Othella Harrington
I am happy with the our starting 5 the way it is. Walt Williams wouldn't do as good, without post up players. At least, from what I have seen him do so far. You guys bring up a very good point with Carlos and spacing. That alone had me sold on your argument. I also like to see a lot more of a Francis/Mobley backcourt and moving Anderson to 3 and having Carlos at the 4 and Cato at 5. I really wished we would have nabbed Mashburn from Miami. He is playing really great over there.
Uhh Shanna, Carlos Rogers one-dimension is "hustling"? I wish I had 4 other one-dimensional guys, and if Carlos is one-dimensional, what is Walt Williams? Since we're pulling out oddball stats like Walt Williams' 2-point percentage (over 58% of the shots Walt Williams puts up are three-pointers), allow me to make a strong case for Carlos Rogers based on even numbers. <font color="blue">Average numbers over a 48 minute span:</font> Carlos Rogers: 19.26 points 13.58 rebounds (4.74 offensive) 0.95 assists 1.2 steals 1.46 blocks 3.158 turnovers 3.89 fouls committed per game 13.36 FG attempts (0.97 attempts are threes) 54.5% shooting (0% on threes) 6.8 FT attempts per game 67.9% FT percentage 4.62 total points from the FT line Walt Williams: 16.25 points 5.29 rebounds (0.95 offensive) 4.16 assists 1.16 steals 0.87 blocks 3.49 turnovers 6.11 fouls committed per game (he would foul out just over the 47 minute mark) 13.96 FG attempts (8.14 attempts are threes) 42.7% shooting (33.9% on threes) 1.74 FT attempts per game (not even getting fouled in the act of shooting once... per 48 minutes) 91.7 FT percentage 1.596 total points from the FT line Walt may be the team's leading FT percentage shooter, but in 13 games he's shot 12 times from the line -- not even a technical per contest. Walt is the much better passer clearly, though he turns it over more. Carlos has him beat in every other category currently. Points and rebounds (by a landslide) should clearly show he's not a one-dimensional player if Walt isn't. He scores more than Walt and shoots less. Shoots a better percentage. He stays in the game, blocks more, steals more, commits less turnovers and gets to the line much more (again, in less attempts). I agree Walt does provide the threat from long-range that Carlos can't, and they are two completely different type of players, but Rogers in the first 13 games has done a brilliant job. ------------------ Clutch Out to prove Scottie Pippen will apologize at gunpoint. www.clutchcity.net
Can't forget Bullard: Matt Bullard: 17.28 points 7.68 rebounds (0.00 offensive) 3.84 assists 0.0 steals 0.0 blocks 0.0 turnovers 1.0 fouls committed per game 50.0% shooting (60.0% on threes) 0.00% FT percentage
LOL! If only Matt hadn't come into the second game and played just the one game where he did all his damage -- oh the numbers! ------------------ Clutch Out to prove Scottie Pippen will apologize at gunpoint. www.clutchcity.net
Believe it or not, Rogers should start over Walt Williams, especially after reading Clutch's comparison. Rogers plays one on one defense, it is purely an idea brought up by a poster that he can't play defense snowballed. We will have strong rebounding with CB, Rogers and Dream in the lineup, better defense ( you can't teach height, and Walt's concept of defense is to give fouls, soft touchy fouls exclusively, and he gives uneccasery fouls trying to block shots while Cato is there), and lots of second chance shots plus put backs. Also, the Rockets aren't doing much of posting up in the first quarter, so Walt's three point shooting is not a concern. Another point is you really don't need that many three point threats on the court, one is enough, and Francis can take that role. One more thing, just because Rogers takes high percentage shots doesn't mean he has no range, he made all 3 shots in his first preseason game, including a 3 pointer.
The 48 minute stats are always interesting and make for good debate, but the reality is that players who play a lot of minutes play differently than they do when they play less minutes. Some players wear out by the fourth quarter so the numbers diminish over time(cato is a good example). For economic students I guess that would be the law of diminishing returns. Other players conserve their energy for three quarters so they can play at full speed when it counts (I can't think of one rocket who does this)... so their numbers diminsh as well. I can't truly say what Carlos Rodgers' stats would be if he played more, but I think they'd be less spectacular than one might think. When the legs get tired you lose your focus. It takes time for someone to learn how to be a starter. Just the same it takes time to learn how to come off the bench. Isiah Rider is an idiot, but what he said last night was on the money. He said that he didn't know how to play coming off the bench, but as a starter, he knew what to do. [This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited November 24, 1999).]
I don't like player stats comparisions for one essential reason, they are isolating on an individual. Yes, over the course of a year there's merit. But let's talk about WHO people are matched with. And WHO they are playing AGAINST. It gets very complicated pretty fast. i.e., when Drew enters the game, he creates a hurried and scattered team by his actions and body language which rarely pays off. IMO. SUBJECTIVELY, i would like to see.. Rogers start along with Cato. I believe that not only would this keep a strong running pattern to the club, it allows Barkley to enter WITH WIlliams, giving Williams one of the premiere post passers in league history, plus strongest rebounders, to provide shot opportunities. I feel Rogers DESERVES much more exposure, and Cato along Hakeem is a devestating combo. IMO. It also keeps the middle a little less clogged by Dream and Barkley when the team sometimes grinds to a halt.
Fantasy, My impression from quotes in the media is that Rudy and his men have personally identified the potential of Horry, Cassell and Cat...that they were the ones pouring over tapes...and now is the first coaching staff to give decent minutes to Carlos and Kato. Do you know different about CD's involvement in the talent search, or are you just making assumptions?
I really don't understand the "are you just making assumptions" part, all I was saying is if Rudy has an eye for talent it doesn't equal to that he is a good coach. Granted Rudy and CD watched tape voraciously, but look around the league there is teams that utilized their picks better than Rudy and CD. The Jazzholes, for example, drafted their future in Howard Eisley, Byron Russel, Shandon Anderson with mid or second round picks. Rudy and CD is good in finding gems but not good enough to impress me much in this league, all GMs and Coaches work their asses off during the draft, unless Rudy and CD draft someone like Latrel Sprewell at No.24 they are good not terrific. We got Mobley at 45 but gave up a lot to get Drew at 16th, we should get Tim Thomas but instead we got Kenny Thomas. These two picks didn't reflect the need of the team at the time respectively, and where are Rodrick Rhodes and Matt Maloney? Although this is off topic, I am saying Rudy and CD's drafting record is not unchallengable as someone claimed, for the sake of discussion. [This message has been edited by Finalfantasy (edited November 26, 1999).] [This message has been edited by Finalfantasy (edited November 26, 1999).]
Lately Cato has been getting less than 10 mins a game. Rogers short of last year, isn't getting anymore time than he ever has.
