Cato...

I dont know if the rockets should start cato, but i defintely think the beast and yao could turn out productive minutes on the court at the same time. Something rudy never expeirmented with last year, hopefuly van gundy will.

 

seems to me that it wouldn't work too well if being defending by the zone.

 

i've wondered several times about this, as well. one question (at least offensively) would be cato's ability to play the high post.

 

i agree, starting should not be the option, but instead for about 6-7 mins at a time, play big against teams, and even if they go to the zone, a high low set w/ yao at free throw line and cato sealing his man in the post, one of yao's brilliant touch passes would result in catos favorite move...throw down., only downside, eddie and mo tay, at 4 and 5 spot would be the wimpiest, and softest frontline in the league

 

Maybe for short periods of time but I still like Cato strictly as a backup for Yao. IMO Cato has embraced this role which is part of the reason for his improved season last year. His style is totally different from Yao's style (insert Cato joke here) and I like his energy off the bench.

Frankly, I think we have a damn good 1-2 punch at the center position. Why change it?

 

Well put. Cato has stated that he likes coming off the bench better. If keeping him there makes him continue to improve, then leave him there. But I think that stretches with Yao and Cato on the floor would be great.

 

I concur. Not too many teams have an active, big, physical body coming off the bench, and the Rockets have that w/ Cato. Starting him at the 4 would only get him in foul trouble, then we have no one to back up Yao. However, playing them both for certain stretches is a good idea, as long as it is limited minutes, and of course, it depends on who they are playing that night too.

 

Exactly.

Cato is a natural, bona-fide 7 ft. tall center with good athleticism ... for a center. He's a very solid backup. Nothing wrong with that.

And the most important thing is that he plays like a center. He can't do the things that most PFs these days can do, nor should we ever expect him to.

As a starting PF, he would get eaten alive by the versatile PFs in the west. KG, Dirk, Duncan, Sheed, Mailman, Gasol, et all would put up big numbers by going outside on him. Heck, even Troy Murphy can really shoot the ball.

 

Cato does all the things a power forward who plays with a great big man needs to do. He rebounds, he gets blocks, and he is a physical presence in the paint on defense.


If Yao plays 33-35 mpg this season, that won't leave many minutes for Cato at center, 15 or under. He is essential for the backup center role. However, no reason he can't play 8-15 at power forward.

Playing Cato at PF and sitting Mo would make the interior D tight for the whole game and improve our offensive glass.

Cato is no Otis Thorpe, but he is just the guy to take some of the weight off of Yao. Cato can lean on big men better than Yao. That time would give Yao rest so he can exert more energy on the offensive end, or come from the weak side on D to block or give help defense.

I would love to see Eddie and Cato get 30 mpg each, with Mo in the weight room until he looks like Karl Malone. Yao gets 34 mpg.

 

Please let Cato be what he is, a center.

For the Rockets, he is a great backup center. On almost any Eastern Conferrence team he would be the starting center.

Cato is the Rocket's best trade bait -- and I am not saying they should pull the trigger -- for a team like the Heat. However, the only rationale for doing this is to unload salary in return for an unprotected #1 in 2004 and a lesser quality backup center.

The Heat might consider this since Riley doesn't like rookies, and they have Stepania willing to do a sign and trade. I'm sure there are other deals, perhaps better, that we could do.

Our guard rotation is in good shape. The SF situation is in good shape with Boki and Rice, and we can always do a trade at mid-year if Boki fails to show he can play in the NBA. I like our power forwards (IMO they will be more than capable) and I certainly like our center situation. I have hope for the coming season.

 

I would like to see JVG at least try it. Maybe a few minutes at PF would help Cato's confidence as well as give Yao some relief down low. (of course, the result might do the opposite... but we wouldn't know unless we tried)

And welcome to the BBS, Friendly Fan.

 

Exactly. Cato playing the high post would be offensive.

Seriously, in no way shape or form does Cato fit any type of PF mold. If you were going to put them on the court at the same time, Yao would almost have to be high post exclusively, and that would obviously be a waste of his height and talent.

Besides, Cato out on the perimeter guarding other 4s is a scary though, much less, by pulling or putting him out there, you take aways his rebounding and low post defense, which are really all he has to offer.

 

Rudy tried playing both Yao and Cato at the same time briefly last season. I thought it was a decent idea but I guess Rudy and his staff didn't think too much of it. Well....... Rudy was a terrible coach anyway!!!

 

thanks!


I think wear and tear on Yao is a big consideration for us. If you remember Yao's January matchup with Shaq, you will recall how much his game fell off for a week after that. I believe it wore him out so badly it took a couple of weeks for him to return to form.

We have this great big body in Cato who plays hard, doesn't need the ball, doesn't need FGA, but can leak to the basket for the easy slam. Neither Eddie nor Mo move to the basket for a slam as well as Cato, and he can do it because his man will have to leave him at some point.

Yao in the low left post. Cato low right or at the elbow. Francis kicks to Yao, who has two players breaking for the basket in Steve and Kelvin. He can kick it to Steve, who can deliver it to Cato. Or, he can kick it to Cato for the slam. Pike and Cat on the perimeter, with Pike set for the easy three.

Cato will get offensive glass that Mo will never get close to. Same minutes, Cato will get us several more shots a game, and each shot is going to yield about 1 point. Three more shots means 3 more points a game. That would have been worth 53 wins last season (10 games lost by 3 or less).

It's the smart move for other reasons. By playing him more, we increase his future trade value.

 

You, my friend, are an idiot.

Rudy was a great coach with two rings to prove it.

 

So Rudy's terrible and JVG is a lesser coach.

What would you have done this off-season.

 

Alright, I think I understand the arguments as to why Cato at the four would be a bad idea.

But what about starting Yao at the four, and Cato at the five, ala Twin Towers? I haven't heard anybody recommend this.

There's gotta be a reason, but besides codell's statement that "If you were going to put them on the court at the same time, Yao would almost have to be high post exclusively, and that would obviously be a waste of his height and talent.", I haven't heard it.

 

Rudy actually tried the Yao/Cato 5/4 combo on at least 4 occasions. It didnt work too well.