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Chron: Mobley's return charges up Rockets' practice

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by garthomps, Oct 20, 2003.

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garthomps Member

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Mobley's return charges up Rockets' practice
By MICHAEL MURPHY
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES

Everything about the Rockets this season was supposed to be new.

A new coach in Jeff Van Gundy. A plush, new playpen in Toyota Center. And perhaps most welcome of all to the fans, new uniforms to replace the horrendous duds of the past.

But after a few weeks of preseason camp, the Rockets have had to deal with one of their same old problems -- injuries.

Indeed, while the new marketing slogan this year is "Be Big," the motto for Van Gundy's camp is "Be Seated," since the Rockets have been making do lately with three potential starters -- Cuttino Mobley, Eric Piatkowski and Maurice Taylor -- and a key substitute, Adrian Griffin, all sitting out with injuries.

Mobley has been out with a strained left hip, Piatkowski with a sprained left ankle, and Taylor with a dislocated left shoulder. Griffin is still recovering from right knee surgery.

Another player who once was projected as a candidate for the starting lineup -- Eddie Griffin -- is missing, sitting out an indefinite suspension after skipping a game and a subsequent practice last week.

All that absenteeism makes it rather difficult for Van Gundy to get an idea of how his team is going to play once the regular season begins. On Sunday, though, things started to look a little better when Mobley made it back to the practice floor after missing a week with his injury.

Mobley wasn't going to go through live drills until today, but he was all over the practice floor Sunday, engaging Steve Francis in shooting exhibitions, challenging assistant coach Patrick Ewing to a series of duels in the low post, and wrapping up Van Gundy in a bearhug and lifting the coach off the floor.

"I'm going to try and come back (today)," said Mobley, a grin creasing his face. "I worked out (Sunday), doing some dummy offense and running up and down a couple of times, so I'm feeling a little better.

"I'm just excited to get back to practice. Basketball is me. I love basketball; you know what I'm saying? I love basketball, so I'm just happy to be back."

Unlike Mobley, Van Gundy was able to contain his enthusiasm. After all, Mobley's practice session didn't include any hard knocks that will certainly be a part of a typical NBA game.

"He hasn't done anything, really," Van Gundy said. "He's shot a little bit, be he hasn't had any contact. Hopefully (today). That'll be good."

Mobley's game may not yet have fully returned and probably won't for another week or so, but his personality certainly was back, adding a 6-4 jolt of adrenaline to the practice session.

The problem now is attempting to somehow contain Mobley's bubbling enthusiasm so he doesn't push himself too much in his quest to get back and wind up reinjuring himself.

"I'm going to try and work my way in," Mobley said. "I'm not going to try and push myself too much. This is my first day back. I'm going to do a little more live (work) and see how it goes. I want to see how it is when I get bumped around a little bit and go from there.

"It is hard, especially since Jeff's philosophy is that you have to go hard. I was talking to Pike (Piatkowski), though, and he was saying that this is preseason and you don't want to push yourself to the point where you miss regular-season games.

"What I'm going to do is go day-by-day. We have 12 days left until the season opener, so I'm going to keep working on stretching, icing and shooting."

Before his injury, which occurred during the shootaround before the Oct. 12 exhibition game against New Orleans, Mobley had enjoyed his best game of the preseason. Mobley scored 15 points, making seven of eight shots from the field, in a 96-86 loss to Seattle.

The problem now is catching up with the players who have been practicing every day and learning Van Gundy's system.

"It's a little hard, but I'm trying to adjust," Mobley said. "I'm coming in early (today) and do what I have to do to keep up with the guys who have been practicing. It's going to take me a couple of days to get back (to being comfortable), but I'll be all right.

"This week is the best chance (to catch up). Even in training camp, you had two-a-days, and then you were right on the road playing games. So these four or five days (of practice) that we have are very crucial.

"It's going to work for me. (The timing of the injury) was both bad and good for me. It was bad that I got a little tight and hurt but good that I had time to rest without really missing too much."

Mobley has missed enough time already. But the Rockets finally are starting to get some of those injured players back.

"It is important," Van Gundy said. "We need to have our guys back so we can figure out our rotation and how we're going to play. So that's important."

#1 garthomps, Oct 20, 2003

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hope he fits into the jvg system. hit those js cat!

#2 DnD, Oct 20, 2003
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"It is important," Van Gundy said. "We need to have our guys back so we can figure out our rotation and how we're going to play. So that's important."
Click to expand...

Most notable quote --- Mobely is not a guaranteed starter. He needs to come in a prove where he belongs in the rotation.

"It is hard, especially since Jeff's philosophy is that you have to go hard. I was talking to Pike (Piatkowski), though, and he was saying that this is preseason and you don't want to push yourself to the point where you miss regular-season games.
Click to expand...

and what's this about? Saying you won't listen to the coach because one of the role players off the bench says not to?

#3 rothdaniel, Oct 20, 2003
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"It is hard, especially since Jeff's philosophy is that you have to go hard. I was talking to Pike (Piatkowski), though, and he was saying that this is preseason and you don't want to push yourself to the point where you miss regular-season games.
Click to expand...

Pike is trying to win the starting role

#4 wizkid83, Oct 20, 2003
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Experience!

#5 Yetti, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by garthomps
and wrapping up Van Gundy in a bearhug and lifting the coach off the floor.
Click to expand...

Cuttino Sprewell?

#6 ima_drummer2k, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by rothdaniel
Quote:
"It is important," Van Gundy said. "We need to have our guys back so we can figure out our rotation and how we're going to play. So that's important."

Most notable quote --- Mobely is not a guaranteed starter. He needs to come in a prove where he belongs in the rotation.
.
Click to expand...

There is no quote here that says Mobley is not a guaranteed starter, this is a statment about rotation. All our players that are not injured will be affected when JVG determines what our "rotation" will be. It is certainly a stretch to quote that Mobley is not a guaranteed starter.

Quote:
"It is hard, especially since Jeff's philosophy is that you have to go hard. I was talking to Pike (Piatkowski), though, and he was saying that this is preseason and you don't want to push yourself to the point where you miss regular-season games.

and what's this about? Saying you won't listen to the coach because one of the role players off the bench says not to?
Click to expand...

This is taken way out of context and is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts. All Cat is saying here is that he wants to work really hard to make sure JVG knows what he is about. Pike then tells him that its not worth reinjuring himself over.

You should get yourself a job at the inquirer.

#7 okierock, Oct 20, 2003

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I personaly think it would b much better for cuttino to com out as the 6th man it would give us a big boost when the starters come out and give him a heads up for 6th man of the year.

#8 shawn786, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by okierock
There is no quote here that says Mobley is not a guaranteed starter, this is a statment about rotation.
Click to expand...

Actually, if you look in some of the other threads dealing with JVG you will see quotes from him that the only sure starters are Steve and Yao. And the players which compliment them will get minutes.

#9 GATER, Oct 20, 2003
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rothdaniel, chill with the misquotes man. It looks like Cuttino is excited and the team needs a little boosts right about now.

#10 Stylez, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by GATER
Actually, if you look in some of the other threads dealing with JVG you will see quotes from him that the only sure starters are Steve and Yao. And the players which compliment them will get minutes.
Click to expand...

There are also quotes from JVG that state Mobley is part of the core of the Rockets. This is not an argument I have here anyway, it is that the poster makes it sound as if JVG said "Mobley is not a guaranteed starter" which is simply not the case. In fact if you pull the quote he is getting this from out of context totally like he did you can just as easily surmise that none of the Rockets are guaranteed starters. We are all aware that Cat will have to play for his position but has been unable to do this because of injury. JJ, Pike and Boki are not as talented as Cat, especially at the 2, and PT will prove this. If JVG really watched all the Rockets tapes from last season, he already knows Cat is his starting 2.

#11 okierock, Oct 20, 2003
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Cat will be the 6th man this year, If he's coming out of the bench.

#12 KALIKULI, Oct 20, 2003
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i think mobley will start, he has started both games he's played. however, unlike yao and steve, i doubt his spot is guaranteed and he might be used as offense off the bench.

#13 BigM, Oct 20, 2003

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Cat will be more a jump shooter this year. kinda like an A. Houston but also with a lil slip and slide... not too much ball handling

#14 AMS, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by adeelsiddiqui
Cat will be more a jump shooter this year. kinda like an A. Houston but also with a lil slip and slide... not too much ball handling
Click to expand...

that is music to my ears! is that your assumption or has JVG said that?

#15 hikanoo49, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by okierock
guaranteed starter
Click to expand...

Being a "core of the Rockets" is not the same thing as "guaranteed started."

It really worries me that Cat comes in all "giddy" expecting to just take his spot back, without remember what changes have happened since he's been "away."

Open your eyes Cat!

If Cat starts jacking up shots and missing, that's a guaranteed way to get his minutes cut. JVG has made it clear that this is Francis/Yao's team. Cat must play within the system and complement Francis/Yao. "Guaranteed starting" has nothing to do with it.

And even if Cat does play well, JVG might still want Cat to come off the bench if he feels it's would be better for the team.

#16 DavidS, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by adeelsiddiqui
Cat will be more a jump shooter this year. kinda like an A. Houston but also with a lil slip and slide... not too much ball handling
Click to expand...

Lets hope. Or Cat will loose some lives.

#17 DavidS, Oct 20, 2003
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Originally posted by okierock
There are also quotes from JVG that state Mobley is part of the core of the Rockets. This is not an argument I have here anyway, it is that the poster makes it sound as if JVG said "Mobley is not a guaranteed starter" which is simply not the case...
Click to expand...

The problem with your "core" quote is that is nearly 4 months old:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/1948667

Unfortunately, it appears that I must disagree with you. If someone stated a thread/poll asking whether or not Cuttino was 100% the starter on opening day or something less than 100%, my vote would go to less than.

IOW, "guaranteed starter" = 100%....and I don't see it that way. My opinion hasn't been formed from any one article, just a composite of every media item I have seen posted here since pre-season began. With Mobley's skill level, it should be very "doable" but I just don't see it as a given considering how JVG coaches.

#18 GATER, Oct 20, 2003

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Originally posted by hikanoo49
that is music to my ears! is that your assumption or has JVG said that?
Click to expand...

its definately my assumption. if it was something JVG said, it would be the topic of public bashing on the BBS right now

#19 AMS, Oct 20, 2003
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If Mobley starts, the Rockets will lose.

Other than his stats, does the guy have other goals in his mind? I don't really blame him, though. For a marginally talented, how do you get attention if you don't jack up shots(at the expenses of the team)?

Well, the happy days of hiding behind Steve, jacking up shots and letting the Franchise take all the blames are over. I think JVG will trade him very soon.

#20 almostReady, Oct 20, 2003

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