Why did Mobley play 39 minutes while Shandon only 24 minutes last night? I didn't watch or listen to the game, but looking at the box score it seems to me that Anderson was playing better than Mobley (except for turnovers -- they both had three, but Shandon turned it over that many times in fewer minutes than Mobley). Was Mobley the reason for Maxwell's poor night or something?
Dakota, that type of insightful analysis is why I am so highly respected. ------------------ A broken coffeepot in the dishwasher is worth five stitches in the wrist.
Isn't it so refreshing to see us rocket supporters so quick to critise, especially when one of our players (Mobley) has just finished his rookie year (50 games last season and 30 this season) and he goes out and has three great games in a row, putting up Drexler like numbers and then after one bad shooting game gets shot down in flames. What a great attitude for us so-called supporters to have at anytime, especially in a rebuilding year when, getting experience for these players is the most important thing, I'm sure both Mobley and Rogers (who also shot poorly) will learn a great deal from their poor performances. Maybe this picky negative attitude would be appropriate if were in a playoff fight, and every loss hurts our position, but this isn't the rockets situation and this season is just a learning experience in preparation for bigger and better things in the future.
drexler like numbers? would that have been the 3-13 perchokeance during his last game (utah), when the rockets were the only team that would have challenged in the west in 98? sorry, I had to.
I'm with SmeggySmeg, TheFreak and heypartner! Come on guys! It's one thing to down Walt Williams before he started coming on finally but Cuttino has been clutch for us many times this season. Besides even if he is always a streaky,Vernon Maxwell-type player (but better than Vernon in my opinion at least offensively), and I hope he will not be, I still think he is gutsy, hits clutch shots, is not afraid to take the crucial shot, and he is a very valuable player. And I like him! Give him time - yeehaa what a great backcourt, Stevie, Cat, Shandon! GO ROCKETS!
I don't think Mobley was the reason that Maxwell was having an off night. If you look up "streaky shooter" in the dictionary, Maxwell's mug will be right there... Vernon was just being Vernon
We needed someone to take a bunch of ill-advised shots. Notice I didn't say make them. ------------------ A broken coffeepot in the dishwasher is worth five stitches in the wrist.
when people mention pulling Cuttino and his streaky-shooting based on game time performance...can anyone else hear Calvin Murphy jumping right through this bbs and saying "shooters have to keep shooting" "you're open Maloney: Take it. Don't let Payton ruin your confidence" "Did I tell you I hold the record for lifetime FT percentage."
Traj I agree with you that Shandon should be on the floor more. Cuttino and Francis are the two green light shooters on this team, hot or not. But with experience they will learn how to play if there shot is off, don't forget Cuttino has only play 85 games, and 50 of those were at the PG. So just give him time and I'm sure he will learn how to contribute to the team (assists, rebs, def and FT) when the J is off.
As best as I can tell, no one is saying that Mobley isn't valuable or that he needs to be put on the end of the bench, never to see the light of day. All I was asking is why he played 39 minutes compared to Shandon's 24. If they had both played in the 31-32 minute range I wouldn't have really had a problem. Don't all of our players need experience? I know this is a rebuilding year and that the young players need experience. That's one of the reasons I would have liked Shandon to get more than 24 minutes, and Mobley less than 39. There is nothing than can be said as to why Mobley remained in the game that could not also be said in support of Anderson getting more time. I think it's great that Mobley is willing to take the last shot and that he's gutsy, but he does take a lot of ill-advised shots. That can't be denied. And it won't be remedied by getting the "green light" every time he touches the ball. I don't see anything wrong with wanting him to be more than a Vernon Maxwell or a John Starks. Doesn't he have the talent to be much better than they are? I'm not asking for Drexler numbers every night. Everyone has off nights. But why shoot the ball 15 times when you're having one? And why shoot eight of those 15 from three-point range? To point that out does not relegate one to the status of a "so-called fan;" it's merely an indication that we would like to see Mobley (and our other younger players) excel in this league . We take the good with the bad (if we didn't, we wouldn't be here), and it's not wrong to point out either of them. That's what this sight is for. P.S. We all know that Rogers had a poor shooting night as well, but the guy had the flu. (I wish we weren't so depleted in the front court; I'd have liked for him to have had the night off.) [This message has been edited by TraJ (edited January 06, 2000).]
Traj, nice post, and I agree completely with everything you said. Your posts weren't the ones downing Mobes. Yes, he does take some ill-advised shots and giving anyone but Francis a green light seems ill-advised as well. An exception would be a green light for players that are hot in an individual game. Come on, coach, let's be flexible - it's not laid in cement. I'm a big Shandon Anderson fan and would also like him to have more minutes, starter minutes he deserves, especially instead of Cat when he was having a bad game. So I'm sorry, this is repetitive of some of what you said. The only thing I can figure is this team has had trouble scoring in the 4th in the past and Shandon hasn't been that offensive-minded it seems like so maybe Rudy keeps Cat in there to create something, good or bad, letting him get experience. Who knows. Thanks for bringing up Shandon's lack of minutes though. I find it disrespectful to a long sought after free agent. I agree he might have made a different decision had he known what would develop here. GO ROCKETS!
