Being in the western conference, we need a good 4. We've got two choices here and they are as different as night and day. Mo-He can score with the other 4's and thats about it. He'll give you 15 ppg and under 5 boards. He won't get blocks or anthying else for that matter. He's a decent passer and he's a big ole body to be thrown around in the paint. The catch is he doesn't like to throw his big butt around. Eddie-does absolutely nothing for you on the offensive side of the ball. Glen Rice can do what he does. Eddie makes his money on the defensive side of the ball and if given enough time (30) mpg, I can see him getting 9-10 boards. He's also a great weakside shotblocker, but will that be neutralized by JVG's new defense. What if JVG makes Steve and Cat lock down on their players? Then what will Eddie get to block? Eddie's also a rather timid 1-1 defensive player. "Big Splash"-We're going to trade for somebody to play the 4?
I think Mo and Yao showed better chemistry last season, so I go that way. Plus, pot smoking an fat jokes aside, it feels like Mo is the harder worker, and you can be sure JVG will take that into consideration.
This is a hard one. Mo is clearly a better attacker. E.G on the other hand is a blocker. If Mo can be a little bit better in defending/rebounding/blocking, the starting job is Mo's no doubt. We had so much hope on EG, we traded away Kenny to make room for him. I am not sure at this point EG is deserving the starting job. Maybe we should give the job to Mo to motivate EG.
Mo has a great offensive game. He is a below average rebounder. He is an average defender. Griffin is an average rebounder. He is an average defender. His offense is below average. I'd rather have someone who brings something great to the table play starter minutes.
They are both about equal. I don't really care if either one starts. They are both average power forwards... I think Eddie Griffin is useless in the end of games. Usually the only times he scores is in the very beginning when he is involved and has a lot of energy...he usually makes a 3 in the first quarter. ANd when he came off the bench, he was very energetic and efficient to me. I think that he and Yao and Francis and Mobley can be a great team...if he starts to become more active and more involved...and the Rockets find a way to get him to score or set others up. He just needs to get stronger and improve his shooting. His defense is decent...although Karl Malone owns him sadly every time. Mo Taylor is more of a veteran...but came from injury. He is kinda short. He can't really jump that high. He can really score though over and over. But Tim Duncan is much quicker and can shoot right over him. I think they should split the minutes...and Griffin should start if he has improved...and Mo Taylor should come off the bench. Actually, I would trade one of them.
Griffin is a great shot-blocker and a good rebounder. I just wish we could combine their strengths and ship out their weaknesses .
I think Griff is a good weak-side shot blocker, but great? Nah. I don't think he strikes fear into the hearts of anyone or changes the game with that ability. Yet. It'd be cool to splice their talents together, but I'd settle for shifting some of Mo's baby fat to Griffs body.
MoT is the MAN! I look for him to come to training camp in good shape and really assert himself, much as he was doing just before he blew out his Achilles tendon. Should be a breakout year. Mo can be an offensive force, and with improved conditioning should be a more effective rebounder. And he and Yao seem to have a great chemistry on the low blocks. EG will be the backup 4 and may play some 3 depending on matchups. Both should be much improved under JVG. D R
Both should be much improved regardless. Mo will be completely healthy, and Griffin will have another year under his belt.
if all those bulls fans can have so much confidence for chandler and curry, i can spare a bit for EG. although mo has a better offensive game, gundy will get on him if he plays weak d and doesnt rebound. we already have steve, cat and yao on the offensive end, if mo is in the same shape as last year, then id like to see him do 15-25 minutes off the bench when we need a spark and when EG is lethargic.
I say Griff, but only because he's not the scorer Mo is. We're going to want to give Yao ample scoring opportunities, and that being Mo's best quality, he would be wasted in the starting lineup. And besides, if Mo was starting, who exactly would act as our firepower/sparkplug off the bench? Mo's coming in should coincide with Yao going out.
We should get Barkley to train Mo on how to rebound and post up. If someone with Mo's body could have half the game of the RMoR, they would be a hall of famer.
MoT rebounded successfully from Achilles surgery last year... But that's about all he rebounded. Eddie has shown some flashes, but nothing that would convince me that he has an even decent inside game. It'll probably depend largely on the other Rockets. If the guards don't turn up their defensive intensity, expect Eddie to start for shotblocking. If Yao is considerably stronger down low, and becomes a 10+ rpg player, I think we'll see MoT starting. MoT does have half of Barkley's game! ... Unfortunately, it's the defensive half...
Griffin's defensive ability is way overestimated in this thread. I love his potential, because a great shotblocker is perhaps the best way to alter the other team's game plan. But his positional defense is pitiful. Mo is probably better, right now, at guarding other PFs. Griffin's not that strong, and doesn't really know what to do. I'd go with Mo for now, but I hope Griffin can beat him out eventually.
