Rockets cook up idea for togetherness Mobley's mom feeds hunger for Mavericks By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle The Rockets' stunning victory in Phoenix was barely minutes old when Cuttino Mobley called for yet another meeting for the team that by now surely leads the NBA in closed-door sessions. But this one was different. No analysis of the Rockets' troubles, no confessions, no hard truths. There would, however, be a warm kitchen. "I just said to everybody, `My mom is going to cook (Thursday night),' " Mobley said. " `She's going to cook; we're going to sitdown; we're going to relax. We're going to enjoy ourselves. We're going to enjoy being together.' I invited everybody over just tobond a little bit." Jackie Mobley had not yet been told how she would be spending her day, but her son said she would be happy to fire up the stove andput out a spread worthy of a celebration. But the evening's host said the idea was not to celebrate a big win. The invitation was so spontaneous, he really had no motive. Things just felt right with the Rockets on Wednesday in ways they had not in weeks. With the Dallas Mavericks in town tonight, the Rockets skipped the customary day off after a back-to-back. "The Mavericks have so many things they do," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "It's not a physical practice, but to hear it (the game plan) twice (at practice and today at shootaround) can help a young team with different problems they cause." But once the Rockets got through with a Compaq Center practice to go over all the things that have given the Mavericks three wins byan average of 19 points against them this season, Mobley wanted to reinforce the attitude the Rockets found in Phoenix. "It's a revenge thing with the Mavericks," he said. "We know what we're going to have to do. We're not going to talk about it. Wejust want to enjoy the food that she cooks, watch a couple of games, watch a couple of movies, whatever, and get ready for Friday.It just came to me." Besides, he was ready for something more appetizing than the crow the Mavericks have forced the Rockets to swallow this season. After the first two Dallas routs, the Rockets generally refused to acknowledge the Mavericks' contribution to the mismatches. Afterthe third, they were forced to admit the team with the best record in the NBA is pretty good. They have since looked forward to this final regular-season chance to get a win against Dallas, a team the Rocketsplayed well even as they were heading in opposite directions the past three seasons. But the Rockets may play without Steve Francis, who struggled through 29 minutes with a sore lower back Wednesday and was listed as questionableThursday. "We owe Dallas. But we owe everybody," Francis said. "They've beaten us three times already convincingly," Mobley said. "Two times were our fault. They're a really good team that we took for granted, which we shouldn't have, because they accomplished more than we had. We just have to go out and play hard." More specifically, to keep pace with the Mavericks, the league's most prolific offensive team, the Rockets might need to play as they did in Phoenix. The most obvious difference in the Rockets on Wednesday was their sharp ball movement. But as much as they have talked aboutpassing the ball more effectively throughout the season and celebrated the nights they won with balanced scoring, Wednesday's winseemed more about attitude than strategy. "When this team is driving, drawing (the defense) and dishing, it creates shots for other people, and it makes it an easy and fungame," guard Moochie Norris said. "It's fun to watch. Even sitting on the sidelines, it's fun to watch." The Rockets consistentlyfound wide-open shooters Wednesday by making the second, third and fourth passes, much as the Mavericks had done against the Rocketsin their second-half blitz in their previous Compaq Center appearance. "This is how we've got to play," Rockets forward Maurice Taylor said. "This is what it's going to take -- to move the ball and geteverybody involved. That's the type of team we have to be to be successful. Let's move it. Let's get everybody involved. That's howwe have to play." That might be especially true against the Mavs, who have used a zone and zone tendencies to vastly improve their defense and to give the Rockets fits. "You've got to give the guys credit," Tomjanovich said. "They've always been a good offensive team. They've become a good defensiveteam with their zone principles and all of that. That's what it's all about -- finding a way to make it work for your team. And we'rein the process of that." With that in mind, the Rockets went back to work Thursday. After landing at 2:30 a.m. a day after a 3 a.m. arrival in Phoenix, theymight have preferred a day off. But if they worked up an appetite, they knew what to do about it.
Seriously, they need something like this.... good for team building and stuff....... "thank you for being here .....with me " Mobes (after trading deadline expired)
Or maybe he thought he was traded and it was a going away party!! Darn!! Now everyone's gotta refund their going away presents for the Cat!! And if they beat Dallas, the Roxs hire Cat's mom as their cook for the rest of the season!
It's obvious that Cuttino is a happy man these days. The rumors of him getting traded obviously affected his game and bothered him for quite a bit because he really wants to stay as a rocket. Now that the trading deadline has passed, he can now put aside those distractions/rumors and focus on playing good basketball. I expect him to have a tremendous second half of the season.
Great story, Cuttino is one of the leaders of the team. By temperment I think he is more of a leader than Steve or Yao, which is perhaps unfortunate, but you have to have the personality for it. I don't think Rudy has ever given up on Cuttino like some of the people on this board have. Way to go Cuttino!! Seven assists last game from our shooting guard. Cuttino can do it all. Play defense, score, pass. I think the Rockets will make the playoffs. We will see a surge and Steve and Cuttino have gotten it. Just because they have gotten it, does not mean they will be able to execute it every game as some of it does depend on yao doing his part night in and night out, too.
I guess we need the obligatory Cat won't pass the potatoes joke here. But honestly I'm glad he wasn't traded, he brings a lot to the team. He has sacrificed his game some this season and is still trying to adjust to his new role. He plays with a lot of heart and he leaves it on the floor every night.
Since we didn't make any trades, we really need Mobley to heat up, especially on mid-range and long jumpers. Same goes for MoT. Hopefully, in this game, our frontcourt will take over. Pound it in to Yao and MoT, and when they're doubled, kick it out to Mobley or Rice. Francis needs to draw attention by stabbing at the Mavs defense, much like Nash does. If he doesn't play, I don't know how we'll keep up with both Nick the Quick and Steve Nash. It's a bit much for Moochie to handle if you ask me.
My guess is "some guys" = Mobley. "Some guys were thinking of it, which surprised me," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "I guess it's in the back of their minds. That's the business side of it. Sometimes a coach gets inside (a player's) head, and if you start walking around and you pass somebody and don't say hi, I think it can start things like that. I'm thinking about pick-and-rolls. It has an effect on everybody."
Yao: (smiling, talking in English) Hey, Steve, pass me the got-damn mac and cheese! Moochie: (smiling) Hey, Yao's gettin some soul brother in him. I taught him that! I taught him that! (to Yao) Say that other thing I taught you. (glances at Cat's family, then back at Yao) Don't worry about them, they cool. Go on, say it. Cat: Yeah, Yao, what you want to say? Yao: If someone don't pass me the mac and cheese, someone in this mug's gonna get cut. (to Cat's family) I'm very sorry, I would never harm anyone, you are all very kind to me... Steve: (smiling) I guess I'll pass the mac when I'm ready to pass the mac. Yao: Hunh? Mooch: That's OK, Yao. Now you gotta answer when he answer. What'd I teach you? Go on. Yao: (to Steve) Dog, why you trippin? I'm hongry. Steve: OK. Guess I'll pass the mac and cheese.
hahhaa.. Cat- here's 3 pieces of chicken for me. And one piece for Yao. 3 pieces of corn for me. 1/2 of piece of corn for Yao.
I wouldn't worry too much about Yao getting passed some food. He could always just take his share from that freeloader Colin Pine. ROXTXIA, Your story sheds knew light on that cheese quote by Moses Malone describing how he used to get Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney to pass him the ball. Maybe he first started making a stand at a dinner just like this, where he wasn't getting fed enough. "There's a big rat in the house. Feed him some mac and cheese."
