Status of the rotation

Don't forget the times when Moochie, Steve and Cat are in the lineup together. Steve will see some minutes at the 2 and Cat might see more minutes at the 3 than Bullard.

It may be just a preseason combination, but I think it may surface throughout the season based on matchups.

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"I'd like to be going down Fourth Avenue in a parade with all the graffiti coming down on our heads." -- Patrick Ewing, showing off that Georgetown edumacation.

 

In regards to Moochie, I think he is the best point guard we have had in the last decade besides franchise himself.

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Better than Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith? Let's not forget what Kenny did when he first got here. 17.7ppg, 7.1 apg, 52% from the field. In 93, close to 44% from 3-pt range.

That's just sticking to recent history, how about Calvin Murphy who averaged 20+ppg and 7+apg in a couple of seasons for the Rockets.

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"Not just a layup, but a mundane layup." -- Calvin Murphy, not realizing that a mundane layup IS just a layup.

[This message has been edited by Tb-Cain (edited October 18, 2000).]

 

Yeah, better than SamIAm & the Jet ? That call may be a little early but check out this link www.moochieisabadmuthawatchyourmouthimjusttaliknboutmoochie.com

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I agree with rockbox.

Calvin, Kenny and Sam were not classic PG's. By any stretch of the imagination.

Calvin and Kenny were off guards. Sam was an explosive ball handling PG (with a fair amount of turnover and miscues) who did not control the game or particularily make good PG decisions. Of course, he made up for this unpredictability by being very difficult to stop. I loved his game. It was like having a dogpound runt playing with the pureblood showdogs and beating them all the time with a big grin on his face.

Mooch, takes what he needs (or whatever is given to him by the defender), to make him effective. He is a better than fair defender. Is tenacious in the half court, and is so mature with that puck, that before anyone can say "do this!" he has done it.

He is poised. More than all of the above mentioned guards.

He has as good a set of eyes as Calvin and Sam.

He can pass better than Kenny or Sam.

He is almost as fast on his feet as Sam I Am.

His shooting is calculated, and taken almost as if there was no one else to hand it to, so he shot it. But he showed the other night that he can get rid of it as fast as Kenny.

At times he's almost as agressive as Sam on the drive. Well maybe not almost. But he has a drive to reckon with if he sets himself up correctly.

I think he is one of the few PG's in the league that practice "old style, classic" PG duties. He also happens to do it this almost effortlessly.

I think he is a Godsend to the Rockets. I said that last year too.

 

I don't care how you categorize a point guard, whether its classic, avant garde, modern, contemporary, or post-modern neo-classical commander general on the court of roundballs. The fact is Kenny and Sam played the point for Houston and I think it's premature to say Moochie is better than them all, save Francis.

Of course, Francis isn't a classic PG, though, is he?

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"Not just a layup, but a mundane layup." -- Calvin Murphy, not realizing that a mundane layup IS just a layup.

 

Can I join the Moochfest?

Agreed. A thousand times agreed. Mooch has shown this preseason that he deserves more minutes - I just don't know how Rudy can squeeze more time for him! Good problem to have. Especially since Mooch seems like he's one of the fellas - good chemistry between him and our nucleus of young stars.

I don't know why this type of point guard isn't more prized in the NBA. Not just being pass 1st, shoot 2nd, but knowing how to run an offense and how to play fundamental D. Eric Snow in Philly to me is the prototypical example of this. Not a great shooter, but better-than-competent in every other aspect of the game.

This is just an aside, but as long as we're talking about past Rocket PGs: where the heck did Kenny get the nickname, "the Jet"??? I never remember hearing it when he was a player. Don't get me wrong. He was the fastest player on our team, but never really used that speed very well (on defense, or driving to the bucket, etc.). Did TNT just decide he needed a nickname, to add to his new-found personality?

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I was not counting Calvin since he played in the 70's and 80's which is almost two decades ago.

Sam was good, but he was way too uncontrolled back then and that was why he played behind Kenny Smith. Sam was and still is more of a SG that brings the ball up the court.

In regards to Kenny and his numbers, his sole responsibility was to feed Hakeem and Clyde and hit the open shot when they were doubled. He was good for that type of offense, but hell Maloney was pretty good for that type of offense. Kenny was not that good of a point guard which is why he didn't do much anywhere but here.

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"Sam was and still is more of a SG that brings the ball up the court."

I've gotta disagree. Never seen a SG that averaged 9 assists a game. Yes he scores alot - but so does Marbury. So did Timmy Hardaway and KJ in their primes.

You must be thinking more about his role with the Rockets (scorer off the bench) than his assignments since then.

And, SamIAm might have played behind Smith. But that was a reflection of Rudy's roles in the system, and everyone's fear that Kenny would get his nose out of joint when he lost his starting job. The important thing then (and for that matter, today) was who was on the floor at the end of the game.

[This message has been edited by SamCassell (edited October 18, 2000).]

 

so true! Sammy's true point guardedness didn't begin to shine until post-Rocks. You've seen him recently, does great work w/ the Bucks!!

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It's easy to sell Kenny short when you look at his last couple of years with the Rockets when he split time with Sam and was on the down side of his career. We don't judge Hakeem as a center by his last couple of years. Look at what Kenny did over his career and then tell me Moochie is a better point guard.

And don't get me wrong, I am SOOOO glad that we got Moochie. He's an excellent pick up, but that doesn't make him a better point already than Kenny (since we're talking last decade).

This year he MIGHT equal the numbers of Kenny's final year with the Rockets, and that is being generous.

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"Not just a layup, but a mundane layup." -- Calvin Murphy, not realizing that a mundane layup IS just a layup.