After just a few games, it has become clear to me that we NEED Cuttino Mobley. His shooting last night was scorching and he (along with MoT) kept us in the game until SF finally erupted in the 4th quarter. Without Cat, we would have lost the game last night, and would have been blown out in the 3rd quarter. I am totally aware that he can be a black hole and has a lot to learn about passing the ball, but I think that Cat is just right for our team. He has also stepped up the defense this year, as has the Franchise. I have not seen Mobley dribble the shot clock down nearly as much as SF and Mooch are prone to, and my biggest complaint is that Cat will still try and split the double team too often instead of passing the ball once the second man rotates. All in all, I say GO CAT!!!
And the thing that some people on this board forget is how every contract he has ever signed here he did it by simply stating that he wanted to stay here and then he signed for less than he could have gotten elsewhere. And you never hear about any trouble from this dude. I have seen him in public twice and he was incredibly nice and humble both times.
Good point Grouper. Cat has a reduced burden on him this year and that alone can propel him to have a breakout year. Folks forget that Mobes have scored 20 pts a game in this league and for some stretches have been in the class of the top SG's in this league. Refering to him as a SG, however, hides some of the other things that he brings to the table. The man is versatile. One night he can be Reggie Miller, another night he can be Finley, another like Houston, another like Allen. If he does have a special year he could be a rocket for life.
Yes. I agree...and I am also very happy that we picked up Jim Jackson. He keeps everything under control and he does all the basics like boxing out...he is actually a good shooter too! Mobley has been awesome at shooting...hopefully it was his surgery...knees are revitalized! Keep it up!
He is our third scoring threat. Other than that, no one in the team can put up +/-20pts/game on a more consistent basis. Not Jackson, Pike, or Mo. Besides, I think he plays good D too. In the western conference where teams are loaded with offiensive power, I don't think we can go far by simply playing good defense. Unless we can get another scoring option through some sort of trade or Yao suddenly becomes as dominant as Shaq, IMO he is still very indispensible to this team.
It's too bad i don't get to see the games for myself because with the crew we've got on this board it's hard to know what to make of all the comments... Half the people here have started threads with TRADE CAT, CAT HAS TO GO...and the other half is on this thread...very confusing... Are yall watching the same games ?
Defense wins championships, plain and simple. If it were not that way, Dallas would have won it all last year with their firepower. Yes, we will have to put points on the board, but it is our defense that will eventually take us deep into the playoffs. Bank on it.
Anyone who watched last night's game would have to be insane to want to get rid of Cat. We could not have won without him, plain and simple.
Exactly. What we saw last night is what I have been saying for a while now. This team needs 3 STAR players. Tonight, Mobley played AS a star player. I still think he is too inconsistant for this team but when he is playing well and plays as the 3rd star player, this team does well. This is a perfect example of WHY we need THREE star players on this team. Tonight Yao and Francis were having bad games, we needed SOMEONE to step up and Mobley did that. Until Francis and Yao get to the level where they are consistant every night we are going to need at least another person to step up on nights when one or god forbid both of Yao and Francis are not playing well.
Cat came through 2 games in a row. I don't care what people say, Cat plays awsome D. HE SHOT 8-9 LASTNIGHT!! The thing Im happy about is that he didn't try to force bad shots, he took over when SF and Yao weren't in the game, and Im ok with that. I really think our team is coming together nicely, go rox.
Definitely Cat is our 3rd scorer. I think he is also our best three point shooter. He also set the tone against chicago when he hit three straight 3s.
Everyone tends to forget that Cat has been with the Rockets the longest. He was our point guard as a rookie. He has done any and everything that has been asked of him to help this team. I'm tired of the Cat bashers. But there is no doubt that we are lucky to have someone with that much skill that can take over a game as our 3rd option.
I love this thread. It's great having 3 potentially 20+ pt scorers on this team. At least one of them, Yao, Steve, or Mobley, will be on, hopefully more than one, but one is enough with the D that the rox have been playing. Keep Mobley.
If we didn't have the Cat then Steve wouldn't have anyone to pass to. Keep Cat but he should be the 6th man.
I acknowledge his brilliant game, but find it unbelievably difficult to believe that he'll be te same all year. I remember all to weel the brilliant Phoenix game he put up last year, only to "make up for it" with the next few games of selfish basketball. He had a superb game. I'd still trade him for Matt Harpring in a heartbeat.
If he can cut down on his boneheaded plays and keep shooting as well as he has then the argument is moot. I wish JVG would do a study and show Cat how much better he shoots off a pass than he does off the dribble. When he is open off of a SF, or YM pass, he is deadly. Much more accurate. DD
