I could have sworn I heard Rudy say on his radio show last night that the starters for tonight would be: Francis Mobley Rice Griffin Thomas He wants to put a lineup out there that can battle the zone that Dallas is going to put up. Did anyone else hear this?
Yeah I can confirm that you heard right. I really don't like that starting lineup offensively, but considering that the Mavs are so explosive, I can see that Rudy wants KT and EG for good defense. Rice maybe for veteran leadership. But think about what players that leaves coming off the bench. Hawkins/Cato/Ming/MoT, that's a great 9 man rotation lineup.
Isn't Bradley starting for the Mavs? Uhhh.....Griffin can probably cover Bradley or Nowitzki....but not both! That puts Thomas on Nowitzki ('cuz he can't get up to Bradley's altitude). I'm not so sure about this.
If that's true, here are the matchups: Francis guards Nash Mobley guards Finley KT guards Nowitski Rice guards Adrian Griffin Griffin guards Bradley IMO, this will last as long as Adrian Griffin is in the game. Glen Rice can't D Najera or Walt Williams.
With a lineup like that it appears that Rudy is going to try and run Bradley into the ground and bring the heavy guns to mop( Ming, MoT, Hawk, & Collier) up. KT needs to really body up Dirk so he cannot get comfortable. All EG has to do is front Bradley and deny him the ball.
I agree. I like KT, but he'd hardly fit in a "zone busting" team. Don't you beat a zone with ball movement and outside shooting? That explains Rice at SF, Griff at C, and surely MoT at PF? KT's essentially a one-on-one, take your man off the dribble guy. Isn't that exactly the type of game a zone is designed to nullify?
I miss T-Mo, he is a big guy that has really nice D almost like Griffin, just with less blocks and more meat.
Looks like Rudy likes that MT - Yao Ming combo. If Rice isn't hot Rudy can just pull him for Cato in that lineup.
With LaFrentz out it will be interesting to see how long Bradley can hang in... Will Yao posterize Bradley..or vice versa..nah!! Not in this lifetime...You would need a micrometer to measure how high off the floor. "Air Bradley" or "Air Yao"...YOU DECIDE
Pull Rice and put in Cato!!!!! Really, just put anyone in who can play defense. Hawk might be a good start against Dallas. The Rockets have to concentrate on Defense the entire game.
but thats just the thing...Dallas isnt used to playin good D..if we throw this lineup at em..they will have to really hustle to guard them effectively..maybe it'll throw em off their offense for a while at least..I hope... zzhiggins...Yao can actually jump, I have a pic of him with his feet at least 4 or 5 inches off the floor....I know its not real impressive...but I dont know of a micrometer that will measure *that* far..
The "zone-busting" aspect of this (if true) is Griffin pulling out Bradley...but then again, I'd but you a dollar Dallas will blow that off and put Bradley on Kenny. Until I see it, I don't believe Dallas's zone is anything special without Bradley on the court. I have to see Nitwitz play D with my own eyes, before I believe that he can anchor a zone without Bradley. That said, I expect a LOT of Mo, EG and KT on the court together.
