Xiki, was it you that said MoT's really been working out this summer? If that's true, I really like his chances of beating out Howard for starter's minutes. I think he doesn't have a quick jump, that's why he doesn't get rebounds. Staying in shape, dropping some weight should help a little... If he's willing to listen to the coaches more, that would help too.. Basically, if he wants to be a starter, he has all the tools.. It's the desire. He needs to have a great offseason coupled with a dedicated training camp, learning the system perfectly and doing exactly what the coaches teach him.
He's a post player with actual post moves, unless he's doubled, or some one's open, why would he pass? And yes, if he gets doubled (rarely) he does pass. I like Mo, I think he will get better as the achilles injury gets better. The good part is that he isn't constantly reinjuring it like Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway. I still hope that he can becomet he PF we wanted him to be when we signed him.
If Mo got the minutes and doubled his rbs, he'd be a top 10 NBA PF. But given that his rbs have never been there, I don't see any improvement. And his minutes will go down with JH on board. So even though he's getting better from the injury, I see his numbers going down because beating JH out of minutes will be tougher than beating Cato out of his. And if he loses too many minutes, he have a tough time getting into the flow. He's still brings some instant low post O in from the bench and with his contract, we are going the distance with him, so let's get to like his good qualities.
All I can say is MoT can create his own offense and demands a double team. Only a couple of people in the league can cover him man up and they are the MVP candidates. How many other bench players in the league can say that.
motay is a bad mutha.......when have we ever had that kind of offense out of the low post coming off the bench?
another ignorant post. Van Gundy DESIGNS plays that call for him to go iso when he comes in the game. When your teammates clear out onto the other side and you are going one on one, you don't freaking pass it to them. He can take most players one on one. YOu never seen him pass? have you ever seen a game?
Yes . . . in Chicago. You know what's really funny? If Mo Taylor had been on the market this year, he might have gotten damn close to the salary we're paying him.
People forget that in Yao's first year Mo Taylor was the only one able -- or willing -- to pass inside to Ming. (Dark Warrior just explained the reason for MoT's lack of interior passing last year far more ably than I.) That said, I too believe Mo Taylor will be the starting PF this year. Reportedly he is working his buns off to get in shape for JVG, and he has more experience under JVG's system than Howard. I expect Howard to fill Mo'T's sixth man role with success and panache. No one can teach the art of backboard triangulation (knowing where the ball is going to carom even while the ball is on it's way to the backboard) -- it is a gift that few rebounders have. It's very similar to having the gift of shooting touch -- you either have or you don't. You can improve it but you can't just go to the local Walmart and acquire it. However, I believe Mo Taylor is spending his summer vacation trying to learn. Good luck, MoT. Count me in the "Start Mo" camp.
Lets trade him to the team that would pay that much for him All jokes aside, I think this thread is pretty silly. Given the new talent we have on this team and Howard (identical to Mo T), I would think that it is MUCH MORE likely for Mo to have his WORST year ever this year than his best.
MoTaylor has been one of the worst passing power forwards in his career. In L.A., in Houston before and after Yao. Look up his assists per 48 minutes and compare them to other fours. I have seen him pass and bounce the ball off someone knees or throw it out of bounds plenty of times.
I'm glad to see there are some folks on here that are pulling for Mo and have his back. If he is indeed working out hard just as he was the year of his injury than we have to wait to see what happens when him and Howard start to go at it in training camp. Who knows? Maybe MO's game will better fit T Mac and Yao's. I do recall some nice entry passes from MO at the top of the key area to Yao last year because Mo's man had to come out to guard him. I also remember games where Taylor would be talking much mess to the oponents and I have never seen him back down from anyone.
Yeah um his assists per 48 minutes are about the same as Yao's 1.9/33 minutes or so. So are you saying that that means yao is as bad of a passer as Taylor? Plus you are really kidding yourself if you think Taylor is brought into the team to create for others. He's in there to score, and nothing else. You could argue that that's the only thing he can do, but that's a different story. Any assists he racks up are because of double teams from the other team's Center and like that would happen every time down the court. Read the post after you by jiggadi. It's not like i'm the only person who sees his passing as nothing less than adequate.
