Now I'm not a basher. I believe in patience and a team growing together and that chemistry is developed not forced. But in the last three games, I have yet to see Cuttino ever even attempt to make an early entry pass to Yao. The only time I ever saw him even give Yao the ball was in the third quarter when the shot clock was running down and Yao was blanketed by three defenders. I can't think of the numerous times that the high screen and roll is used but is NEVER passed to a rolling Ming!! As many times as Steve pentrates and looks like he has no idea where the hell he is going and sends Ming a horrible pass, he also sets up the offense by dumping it inside and truly attempts to get Yao involved. I Just never see that on the part of Cuttino and its quite frustrating. I don't know if its personal, or if Rudy just doesn't write up the plays that way, but he is contantly shooting over his man and Ming's man while Ming is rolling to the bucket. I think overall Cuttino had a decent game, but I don't think he understands how much easier his game would be if he would learn to dish. Even on 3 on 1 fast breaks, he doesn't pass the ball off. But then again I watched Cribs during the game and saw Cuttino's place and that guys spends a hell of a lot of money so he better pad his stats to get another contract!! He had a smooth house with an indoor theatre. AND A Range Rover, a S600 Benz AND a SL55 AMG !!
Cutino just dont want to be the 3rd scoring option period. He rates too highly of himself. I wouldnt mind trading him for Hedo Turkulo.
I'd make that trade for Turkoglu also, but the Kings would be destroying their chemistry to do that. Mobley would go over there and hog the ball just as bad as he does here. I'll bet his trade value is declining by the minute because everyone who has ESPN saw that horrrrrible performance last night. Maybe we could trade him for some basketball fundamental classes for Stevie.
I think Cuttino and Steve both have problems letting the game come to them. They try to force their game way to much, to the detriment of the offense and the team. In regards to the thread about the offense being terrible, I agree. However, the fault lies with our guards, not Rudy. He gives them the plays, its their choice whether to actually run them or not. And most of the time, its not. For example, last night in the Dallas game: Stevie gets double-teamed in the high post, manages to dribble through them, then runs smack into two more defenders, and yet still tries to take up a shot. With four guys on him, you'd think he'd attempt a pass. But I guess to our fabulous backcourt, even if they are being quadruple-teamed, no one else is open. I know this is getting long, but I have a proposal. <b>I say package Mobley, Taylor, and a first round pick for Sam Cassell, a pg that actually knows how to pass and run an offence.</b> Then you move "Franchise" to off-guard, which is his natural position anyway. I know Steve would hate that, but hey, if The Answer can move to SG, so can he.
It's kinda say that Hedo is off the Kings rotation when the bench is too deep. Hedo is a complete player who can play 3 positions. A great complementry player on any team.
Although Steve didn't pass well, he still tried to pass and got people involved. He can learn passing and defense in off-season(maybe we can sign a veteran PG to teach him). Just give him time to improve himself and we will have an excellent PG next year. However, Cat does have some attitude problem. Rockets will have two superstars in Francis and Yao, and the rest can only be role players, including Cat. His attitude will finally ruin the team chemistry, and if he refuses to change, Rockets will have to trade him and let him shine in other teams.
I saw Cuttino try a dropoff pass to Yao and others several times in the game. The result: they bobbled it and turned it over. Every game I have seen this year, there has been at least one Mobley pass that hits a guy right on the hands and results in a turnover. Yao has the same problem when he does his dump off pass to a cutter, no one can catch it. The Rockets need to spend their next ten practices learning how to catch a pass.
I've seen Posey cut to the hoop Ming hit him with a pass and Posey miss it. A few times down the court and the exact same play and Ming still dropped the pass off. Give the ball to the open man. What if Ming stopped passing the ball to open cutters because they miss one.
Cuttino refuses to play defense as well!! How was Finley open every time to hit a three??? Its not like Cuttino was out double teaming anyone. Why can't the Rockets guards just STAY WITH THEIR MAN??????
In order for the rockets to reach the next step they need 1. Players who are not ballhogs 2. Players who can make an open jumpshot 3. players who are willing to give up their shot for a open one cuttino is a cancer to this team
Are you kidding me. Cuttino Mobley is an absolute horrible passer. He bounces it off people's feet, he throws it over their heads or tries to cram it into a millimeter of space when the guy has 4 defenders around him. It's also usually after he dribbled for 10 seconds with 2 men on him and then dumps it off to the closest teammate who has no clue what Mobley is trying to do. One of the biggest problems with the Rockets is they hesitate before they pass (allowing help to arrive in 2 seconds) and when they do pass, their spacing is absolutely hoorible. If the goal is to throw it inside to Yao, Terrence Morris should not be within 20 feet of that play. As far as Yao, he's actually a pretty good passer but he too forces the action sometimes, especially to cutters who can't finish.
The problem isn't that they missed one. Yao tried to hit the cutter over and over and they missed it about every time. I think it worked once with Posey on the baseline. Cat also did it more than once and people couldn't handle the passes. I am not saying that he should stop passing, I am saying that he didn't stop passing. One play he passed to Ming, Yao bobbled it, it bounced off of Griffin(?) and Yao got it back and dunked it. Cat won't get an assist for that, but it isn't because he didn't pass, it is because Yao bobbled it. The problem as I see it, is not that passes are not being thrown, it is that some of our players through some not so great passes (Mobley's alley-oop pas that was about 3 feet to high comes to mind) and most of our players have stone hands when it comes to catching.
I don't think that he refuses to pass, I think he's just poor at passing... he's always throwing it at his feet or just making a bad passes... i think a whole day of practice needs to be about passing to ming. how to do it and when to do it.. signed, coach rockHEAD WHY CAN'T YOU LEARN TO PASS TO ME?
After watching the Mavs schooled our boys last night, I have to admit that they have a far superior passing game. It's something that teams rarely practice doing. We all saw the open looks Mavs got with their quick ball movement. Unfortunately, our boys still don't grasp the basic concept that ball moves faster than defenders. Get a coach who knows how to teach passing.
Did I Cat go to univ of RI with Odom. Man I am telling you it gotta be tthe RI system they learned there, coz Odom plays exactly same as Cat, he too never pass the ball.
In my opinion, passing or good ball movement is 30% practice and 70% willingness or selflessness. In addition, I believe part of the reason (maybe the major part of it) we lost last night was that we were badly out coached by the Dallas bench. Their coaching kept forcing us to adjust our game every other minute but unfortunately our our adjustment time was waaaay off. It was indeed an embarrasing lose (though Dallas is a better team) because of the manner and margin of victory. Please permit me to say that we were "raped" in broad day light.
Maybe Cat still has grudge that the Rockets drafted Ming. As I recall didn't Cat want Odom instead. Let the Rockets grant Cats wishes and team him up with Odom by trading him to the Clippers for Brand and Miller. The Rockets can throw in Griffin or Taylor.
I agree with the fact that both Cuttino and Francis are notorious for hesitating to pass to the open man in situation where we got the defense flustered and confused... This hesitation not only gives a chance for the Defense to set up again, but discourages teammates to cut and move around the floor.
