ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Cavaliers @ Rockets 11/19/2002

We needed Cat tonight badly, good to see him play well. Eddie Griffin also played well. Yao's still making mistakes defensively, but I don't have a problem with his D tonight. It was a sloppy game, but I'm happy.

 

Agreed. The attack was oh so balanced. Mobley put up the most shot with 17, only cause he was hitting shot after shot in the fourth. Apart from that Griff put up 12, Francis 10, Collier and Kenny 9, Mo 8 and Ming 5.

Cat lead the scoring with 19, Francis 18, Griffin 17, Collier 11 and 9, 9 and 8 to MoT, Ming and Kenny.

As a team we hit over 50% of our shots and limited the Cavs to just under 42% shooting. To me that appears to be decent defence and very balanced offence. How can a team stop us with so many weapons? Really looking forward to the Dallas game now. Hopefully everyone will realise this is a big game and everyone steps up and contributes just like they did tonight.

 

something is definitely happening time-wise with Moochie and Rice.

Rudy looks like he might make them shoot their way back on limited touches and minutes. Fair enough!

bring on Terence!!!

 

Is it just me or does Mo Taylor look like he has completely changed his style of play from outside in to inside out. FANTASTIC!!!!!! This is one deep team when everyone touches the ball.

 

Yep!

I can't believe he's actually playing inside!

 

I agree. I'm also noticing a more concerted effort from Francis in passing the ball around. Even Mobley has shown his willingness to pass more - the post game interview with Cat was like music to my ears. Cat said something along the lines of letting the game come to him, trying to get others involved, and even something about him and Steve recognizing the fact that others NEED to get involved. He basically said the team plays much better when the ball is passed around; I think Calvin is doing a fantastic job of reinforcing this into Steve and Cuttino as well b/c he is ALWAYS preaching ball movement.

This team is headed in the right direction...

 

Yeah, Codell and I were talking about how
Moochie got himself in the doghouse by
showing up out of shape.

It's like Rudy has a way of motivating good
players (over achievers) to play better.

This probably happned to Mooch. He got a big
head (just show up, and I'll get minutes).

Sorry Mooch! You gots to prove it again!

 

Gotta love Mo! he had many awesome passes. Mo and Ming are a great tandem.

 

GRIFF only had 1 3pt attempt! I wasn't watching, but does this mean he was posting and being more agressive again??? (No, really, I'm asking)

 

exactly, Mo is demanding a double team which me it only takes two passes to get it to an open or single covered Ming. No other post player we have can do that.

on a side note: Yao is playing great now but we must remember that he is getting single coverage. As he progresses and teams begin the double teaming it will look as though he takes a step back. Be patient he will get through this. No yao hatin' just Ming love.

 

alaskansnowman,

Did you notice in the 1st quarter Francis
had a few passes to cutters?

Two were turn-overs? But, I was actually APPLAUDING those efforts because
I know that they have to try those passes in *real games,* not just in
practice, to get *good* at it.

They will get better. They are! You can
already see it.

We're NOT seeing that: ISO, ISO, ISO, shoot,
clank.

 

He was attacking the boards!

 

Just looked at the box, doesn't look too bad in the end. We shot over 50%(.507), outrebounded them by 21(48-27), and only had 11 turnovers(6 for Stevie).We held Ricky Davis to only 7-21 from the field. It seemed like he was killing us. Also, held Z.I. under 50%(9-19). Oh well, I guess sometimes you only see the bad for your team and the good for the other.

Although I didn't think we played well at all there were a couple of nice things I noticed. Even though Mo wasn't on(shooting) tonight I was impressed with his team play. Passing, team d, and even his one on one d. He seems to mesh well with Yao.

Also, I was impressed with the way Steve deferred to his teamates in the face of the stout d that Davis played on him tonight(RD definately has game). Although he had 6 turnovers, most were in the first half. He's not going to put up monster assist numbers with the makeup of this team. A lot of his passes tonight either went for fouls or untaken shot opportunities.

Anyway, as the saying goes, I'll take the W.

 

removed

 

ESPN box said 3-8.

 

You must have hit the reply button just
as I removed my post...

At first I thought you were talking about Yao... DOH!

 

You're right, and one of the things that Mo has added is passing out of the post. He was always a good passer, but he is camping in the post and passing to big men already in the post and getting them good shots. He is also doing a great job of hitting cutters, he is looking a lot like Charles Barkley with those passes out of the post. See, this is why people have to be patient with the offense, the more the guys learn the offense the more wrinkles Rudy throws in to throw opposing teams off balance.

 

Ho hum. Where are the Dallas Malcovics?

 

He was playing semi-aggressively...but he only had one post up that I saw. Most of his points came on rebound putbacks or on open jumpers off of passes from the guards.