1) If Yao can simply learn how to stand his ground under the basket and let the offensive player adjust to him, as opposed to going for every block and contesting every shot, he'll be able to avoid some fouls he's picking up now. Plus, Eddie Griffin will become one of the greatest weakside shotblockers in history!!! I can hardly wait! 2) Did anyone else feel that when Yao started getting calls against him, he stopped going for it. On a couple of late sets before he fouled out, he would just watch the rebound come off the rim with no try at it. Maybe a little gun shy? I think so! 3) Imagine throwing this lineup at teams- C-Cato PF-Yao SF-Griffin or Taylor SG-Nachbar or Rice PG-Francis You could play with the backcourt combinations depending on the opponent. You think Dallas, Portland, or San Antonio wants any part of this? And if you could blanket Shaq with the aforementioned three, hmmmm........ Of course it's never Shaq who beats us. It's always our lack of respect for a Rick Fox or anyone who can hit an open jumper that does us in. But that's another topic.
Kev, what you said about Cat is true, but still against the Lakers, Spurs, Blazers, and T-Wolves this lineup of Francis, Mobley, Griffin, Ming, and Cato would be really hard for them to deal with. Think about it, on defense (especially against Shaq) when he gets the ball in the low post all three of our 7'0 shot-blockers collapse in and surrond him. Another thing, if anyone tries to drive in, they probably won't be very successful in scoring. Switching to offense, you have the best backcourt in the league along with two 7 footers who have range past the 3 point line and a alley-oop monster/pick-setter in Cato. If they don't pick and roll you to death, good ball movement to find the open man should do the trick. I bet Rudy feels like a mad scientist, plotting against the rest of the NBA.
http://www.nba.com/rockets/photogallery/Yao_Ming_Photo_Gallery__821-51653-106.html','Rockets',560,435 -Here is a Photo Gallery of 22 pictures of Yao in Rockets Uniform but I do not know how to paste it into my post so here is the link!
Ming-Cato Griffin-Taylor/KT Rice-Nachbar Mobley-Torres? Francis-Norris That's a bada$$ starting 5 and a good bench. There is no need to start people out of position. Also, you can't risk having Ming, Cato getting into foul trouble at the same time, then you have to put in someone like Collier.
What's wrong with the Creampuff man? I predict he could get 15-20 ppg with good mpg. Remember when he went off in the summer league? (BTW, this was meant to be a joke. I don't want Collier there either.)
I like the big line up. It can be a part of the solution to our back up two guard. On to Ming's foul problems. One time will go a long way. Two, a bit of NBA coaching and experience will help. I suspect that is whay Batter (spelleng?) looks so much more polished. Lastly, I think the zone is hurting Ming. He is the last line of defense. Let's face it, at best China is a mediocre team. On average they will loose one on one defensive battles, and those plays will end under the basket. The center is involved on an unusually high percentage of plays. Better defense, less plays under the basket. less foul oppurtunities.
The Rockets experimented with having KT and Griffin on the floor together last year at the 3 and 4 and found it just didn't work that well. Having all that size also creates a lot of problems for you offensively because it clogs lanes, which is why so few teams employ it even when they can.
I don't like it. First Cato is in the game. Second, Yao, Eddie, Taylor, Nachbar, and Rice are all playing out of position. They won't have the quickness to guard anybody. They'll get in foul trouble. If we collapse three guys on Shaq, he'll just pass to wide open shooters. And does anyone really think we want Rice or Nachbar guarding Kobe?
