Please delete if this is a duplicate post http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/teams/rockets/20021025.html HOUSTON ROCKETS The team installed a motion offense in the preseason, but its effectiveness remains uncertain. PG Steve Francis and SG Cuttino Mobley still seem too willing to break off plays and go one-on-one. . . . PF Maurice Taylor ballooned to 312 pounds while rehabbing a torn Achilles' but is working himself back into shape. . . . PF Eddie Griffin averaged 1.8 blocks as a rookie. What is new, however, is his ability to stuff opponents from the weak side. The Rockets ranked among the league's worst defensive teams last season in part because they rarely provided weakside help. Griffin seems to have taken it upon himself to correct that.
Cool to hear that we will have weakside help available. The question is will Eddie get enough PT? and will we tuly leverage all the players on offense.
There is no question that Eddie will open the season as the starter. With MoT suspended and KT injured Eddie will get an oppertunity to prove that the job is his. If he avg's 3 to 4 blocks a game then Rudy will have a very tough time taking him out of the starting line up. Eddie avg almost 4 blocks a game in about 29 minutes a game in the pre-season so lets see how he does with 30+ minutes a game.
I'm even more excited to hear that EG will start in replacement of the injured MOT. I think we are in Better position of having Ediie on 4 with Kenny and Ming and with Stevie and Cuttino on the floor.
C Ming PF Griffin SF Rice SG Mobley PG Francis Damn...I like that. By the end of the year I'd like to see Boki improve to where he can start. But either way I think this'll be a damn good team come season's end.
I would like to see Griffin as are starting PF all season, and have Thomas when we get him back be are ataring SF. Two big bodies like Thomas and Griffin starting at are forward positions will make it easier on Yao Ming. If Rice playes like he did in the pre-season then we have a good 6th man.
If for nothing else, we need Griffin's defensive presence out there. We already have scorers in Francis, Mobes, Rice, etc....
The big question is: Will the Eddie Griffin-Yao Ming defensive setup be called the Y-MEG defense or the E-GYM defense? Twin Towers is overused even though it should belong to the Rockets. What name for the defense can the board come up with -- perhaps using the players' initials?
Is Maurice Taylor fast enough to play Small Forward. I thouhgt he was too slow. I think one day this team needs one more sg pg back up, beside Moochie Norris. I guess if Tito Maddox doesnt work out. But i think he has potential to be pretty good one day.
