I've been looking at our deepth, and came to realize that we have a very very good bench. In fact, IMO, I think we ave one of the best benches in the league. Cato was a starting C, and will be for most of the season. So I'll be pssimistic, and say he's top 5 in backup C's. Then we have Griffin and KT. Griffin is the next starter, and is probably top 3 in backup PF's, with KT coming in at top 6. Then we have Nachbar. Unproven, so I can't rate him, but a sharp-shooting Euro with a propensity for dunking? I won't rate him, but the idea is, he's our starter next season, easily. Then we have Torres, who isn't great, but isn't bad. He put up a few 20-pt games last year when he started, and performed very well in the Wold Championships. Let's say he's the worst of the backups. Then, of course, we have Mooch. Mooch is one of the best backup PG's in the league. He could start on a lot of teams, and as a starter last year, did a fine job. Off the bench, he's, I'd say, top 5 easily, and very possibly top 3 as a backup PG. Overall, we have a team that can clean up for the starters, and can keep our starters fresh for the playoffs. If injuries happen, we have a cpapble starter at every position, except maybe SG. Some may argue against that. So overall, I rate our bench as 3rd in the league, behind Sacramento and Portland. Thoughts?
Well, technically I think we've added more players this season than any team in the league. We add Ming, Nachbar, Rice, and Mo! That's almost a whole lineup we added! And we went from the least deep team in the league to one of the most deep in the matter of one offseason. I think the Rockets could easily have one of the top 5 benches in the league. I still wish we could have gotten a solid 2-guard backup who could shoot the 3 and play some D, but maybe Torres can fill that role 1st line bench: Cato Griffin KT Nachbar Moochie Garbage minutes: Torres Collier IR: Maddox Another question, who do we put on the IR, Collier or Maddox?
this is the final chance for Torres IMHO..he has to perform big time in camp.....his 15% 3 pt shooting and hot or cold is not good.....he needs to become more consistent....this is more of a trial for him than last year....they will look for another player between now and end of camp IMHO and he will win a role on this team by default if he performs well....they do not have confidence in him either way..
Both should be on IR. Another key omission from bench action who deserves to be factored in is Tierre Brown. What? Yes Tierre Brown. If the team decides to use him the team will be even more dangerous. He gives us additional resources should we implement a more aggressive style on both sides of the ball. An example is playing Tierre Brown in the last five minutes of the second quarter. This comes after a hectic game so far run by Francis and Moochie. Here come Brown with the sole intent to keep the tempo on what should be a tired opponent. He should be playing with EG, KT, OT and possibly Ming or Boki. With his ability to run, penetrate and score I would think that we could have a net 6 point boost going into the half, while Francis rest up for the second half knockout.
Torres based on what he is being paid and the team's expectations has no undue pressure to prove anything. He is exactly what they thought he was. He plays great defense, is great on the break and can drain the 3. He is also an international player and would probably be more comfortable in a passing offense. When Ming starts sending those outlet passes, OT will be very lethal on the break. He covers ground as good and anyone on the team except possibly Mobley.
If Griffin and Boki are on our bench...then we have an average to above average bench. If Mo T and Rice are on the bench, then we are about as deep as one of those blow up swimming pools. Basically we are damned if we do (start Grif and Boki) and damned if we dont (start Mo and Rice). We could use some depth.
Our bench is very deep IMO and I expect some great things from the. With all the back2back games we have this yr. Mooch, Griff, KT, Boki and the rest of the crew will be an important part of our playoff push. All we need now is a nickname for the bench.
Sane: You are dreaming! Yes 'Dreaming'! Yao Ming will be the Rox starting Center from Game One on! Its for sure!Torres is not even a Rocket!
Torres will be a Rocket. He is a Rudy type player - cheap, hard working, fills a gap in several areas. I think we have arguably the best bench if Nachbar pans out and Tito can contribute after a month or two.
With the exception of Nachbar, who may be starting, and Rice, who at this point to me is injured until proven otherwise, this bench lineup resembles the starting Rox lineup last year without Francis, but is worse b/c it doesn't have Cat. I hate to say it, but it sucks. In comparing it to other benches, the fact that it sucks is too much for me to overcome to go that far.
It doesn't make for the starting lineup of a winning team, but to say they were so bad late last season that this isn't even a good bench squad is overstating the case.
When this bench starts clicking it might be the best, if not one of the best, benches in the NBA. Rudy can play match-ups until the end of time, and keep players fresh. I'm assuming right now that Griffin and Rice and Ming will start. Rudy can bring a big, shot-blocking body off the bench in Cato, a 6-9 PF with offensive skills and the ability to drive to the basket, Mo. He can also bring a 6-7 defensive PF with KT. Then he has a 6-10 SF/SG in Nachbar, a quality 6-6 scoring, defending 2-guard with Oscar, and great depth at the PG and SG spots with Tito and Moochie. This team is as deep as anybody in the NBA, and if this bench contributes the Rockets are going to make the playoffs without a problem, and is going to give somebody nightmares in the first round.
We do have a deep bench, but benches don't win Championships. Teh best player in the league (Larry, Magic, Michael, MJ, Dream , Duncan, Shaq) wins championships.
Yetti: I don't know why you think I hate Ming. You come after me every time mention Cato as our starting C for a while, or when I comment on a kink in Ming's game. FYI, I don't need to be convinced. I know what Ming can do, and I hold him in high regard. But, Ming is not like any other rookie. He's any other rookie + playing the World Championships + playing the Asian games + worrying about BEING a Rocket. He's going to be tired as hell, and may miss most, if not all, of training camp. If he pulls it off, great. But I'm not so sure he ahs the stamina to play through a whole year non-stop. It's been noted that his stamina is not that great already. I just think that Cato has experience, and knows the plays right now. We can play him, till Ming is rested, and has learned the plays. THEN he has to get used to NBA basketball. I choose to think that he won't be adjusted from game 1. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it. Everyone else: Torres did farely well with big minutes against starting SG's. Maybe now that we're a little closer to be a running team, and he's playing the backup role with pressure on the starters, not him, he'll be much more efficient. Plus, he was a rookie. We have to assume he needed the first year to adjust to NBA ball. We also have to assume that he has worked on his game in the offseason, knowing his working habits.
4chuckie, For all we know, Ming, Griffin OR Francis may become the best player in the league in a few years or more. I think that if Ming becomes a top 5 C, and Griffin becomes a top 5 PF, then Francis will automatically become one of the best and most dominating players in the league. Reverse the example. If Francis and Griff become top 5, Ming might become best, and so on and so forth. Point being: we have 3 players who have a great chance of lighting up the league, so it's safe to assume that a deep bench isn't so necessary, but it definately can't hurt.
very good bench for the rox.... at long as they can score when the starters resting.... everything will fly
If we started Cato T MO Rice OT Tito and we had Francis Mobley Rice MoT Ming we would have the best bench of all time
We have a strong bench, people. If we get any stronger, they will want to be starters, and we become like Portland. Chemistry develops only if all 12 players and three IRs know their roles.
Cato, KT, Griffin, SG, Moochie KT is the best player in the group and he's a tweener--Griffin is still young and unproven, especially at the 3. I put in SG because this position is still unknown. Cato is unreliable, and Moochie didn't prove that he could lead the team last year. Granted, there's much potential and KT and Griffin give Rudy some options. But I don't see alot of 'pop', instant offense, defensive stoppers, etc. in this group to give them consideration at this point in the season as 'good'. I like KT, and I think Griffin will be great--someday. Moochie's status as a successful point guard in this league is still a question mark, IMO.
