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Word on the street is that Rudy is looking for a rotation. I have one for him.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by DearRock, Dec 4, 2002.

  1. DearRock

    DearRock Member

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    After 17 games and probably as many starting lineups, a blind man can see what this rotation should be. It is always going to be a work in progress but right now it is time to set the rotation and give it time to get stable and consistent. While he may give Taylor another start opportunity we have seen enough and this is the way we should go.

    STARTERS
    C- Ming...amazing and it is only just started.

    PF- EG......not where we want him but ability and potential demand the investment

    SF- Rice...has stroke back which is critical, if defense becomes an issue there is lots of that playing behind him.

    PG- Francis...still not a pg but is improving and will maintain MVP play

    SG- Mobley...proven scorer and will have many easier opportunities to do that.

    BENCH
    C- Cato...improved player, starter in this league so he should do well against backups.

    PF- Thomas...he did try the SF thing and it is available as needed but the play of Taylor and Tmo means that Thomas may be better for the team playing PF, in a backup capacity.

    SF- Morris....although it is not as consistent yet, that jumpshot is probably the sweetest on the team. His defense, size, ball handling, including ability to feed the post, awareness and instincts, and finishing ability on the post make him the best suited for this spot. The other option is to play KT here so that Taylor can play backup PF. To choose that option at the expense of what Tmo brings would only be based on the fact that MoT is being paid big money.

    As far as I am concerned Taylor is as undersized for the PF spot as KT is but he does not have mitigating skills to reduce that risk like KT has. However he is bigger and can dribble well and has good range on his jumpshot although we have seen very little of it. The rust is not helping either. So for the next month he should be available to play both forward spots with playing time dictated by foul trouble for other players and blowouts, etc. The thinking here is that we cannot hold back the team and wait for MoT. He has alot of work to do on his game and that takes time. By the all-star break he will be in a better position to positively impact the team; however, there is only so much he will give because he does have limitations to his game.

    PG- Moochie.... for those who did not know him, you must be stunned by his recent play. He is possibly our best point guard and will get even more done when Rudy frees up the team to run, run. run.

    SG- Hawkins...great addition. Rudy should get away from all those fancy lineups. Yes he can play some SF but our need is right here and everyone would be well served if he brings everything to this position.

    So Rudy that is your rotation. It is ten and one (Taylor), take it and run with it.
     
  2. AroundTheWorld

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    Yes for now. But I hope that sooner or later, Boki will get more minutes. I think you have not seen enough of him yet to leave him out of that rotation. I would actually see his minutes coming at the expense of Kenny and Hawkins.
     
  3. RocksMillenium

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    Mo is 6-9, and Griffin is what 6-10, I don't think Mo is undersized at all for the PF spot. Besides that is pretty much Rudy's rotation, but Griffin has struggled so he has been pulling the reigns on him and Mobley is injured.
     
  4. solid

    solid Member

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    Rice has showcased his old shot recently, but he is simply too slow to play major minutes. On defense, opposing players blow past him like he is standing still, and he usually is.
     
  5. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Member

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    I agree, though I think KT may be the better start at PF at this point. He's more consistent offensively at this point, and he showed some of his nice inside moves yesterday. Eddie can come in for some nice defensive help.

    Mo Taylor isn't undersized, he just plays like he is.
     
  6. thumbs

    thumbs Member

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    The starting lineup, IMO, should be:

    Francis
    Mobley
    T-Mo
    Taylor
    Ming

    Cato, Griffin, Rice and Moochie should be the key relievers until Boki learns the NBA game. Then let T-Mo and Boki compete for the starter's role. Griffin needs to be a backup for one more year until he blossoms, a la McGrady or J. O'Neal.
     
  7. DearRock

    DearRock Member

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    Sir, the ability to consistently hit that jumpshot and handle the ball will always make Nachbar a player to watch. I believe his break will come only from an injury or two. They is really no need to pull him in this year at all, just to have him in. There are just too many people ahead of him.

    Rocks, EG, per minute played versus Duncan, may be in the top 3 in blocks on Duncan. Despite what the height numbers say, MoT is not in that class at all. It was very evident last night. In fact if EG had started we would of had a much more dominant game on the Spurs.
     
  8. Nova

    Nova Member

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    I don't like Rice in the starting lineup so much. I think he should be coming in in the middle of games and absent at the beginning and end, unless we're being blown out. I'm still putting my faith into TMo and Griffin, I really hope these two will be our starters. Probly won't happen this season, but maybe next season, or the season after? These two will provide great defense and some very nice offense. Other than that DearRock is right, except that Taylor isn't really undersized for the pf spot. Oh, and Nachbar and Maddox should be given some minutes, even crap minutes. But in the future I expect Nachbar to take Rice's place in the rotation.
     
  9. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet

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    :eek: :eek: :eek:

    I thought TMo must really be going off when I read this. Last year he was a horrible shooter, especially behind the arc. I thought I should go check his numbers right away because he could make our weakest starting position pretty good and our team championship caliber. Turns out he is shooting 43% and 0% from behind the arc. If that is the sweetest shooter on the team, then we are in big, big trouble.
     
    #9 StupidMoniker, Dec 4, 2002
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2002
  10. DearRock

    DearRock Member

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    The sweetest shooter is probably Mobley or Rice. What I meant is that his form looks real nice. His shot is not a line drive like Kenny Smith for instance. Tmo is working his way back in and his fg% will go up more; but while we are on percentages, you do realize that, with the exception of Nachbar, his fg% is the best among all of our forwards.
     
  11. DearRock

    DearRock Member

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    Well my thinking on Taylor seem spot on. Based on how he was handled by opposing PF's, he is definitely undersized. He did get one more start but I knew it would not help. As the Chron suggest, MoT is the odd man out.

    I still prefer EG as the starting PF with Ming but you cannot argue with the way KT has been playing.
     
  12. DavidS

    DavidS Member

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    Boki will take Rice's place...sooner or later.

    See signature.
     

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