HOUSTON ROCKETS PF: Mo Taylor vs. Kenny Thomas vs. Eddie Griffin The Rockets, for once, have plenty of frontcourt options this season. After last year's injury marred season, coach Rudy Tomjanovich is just happy to have a completely healthy team this fall. Taylor was the incumbent starter before tearing his ACL last summer. While he claims that he's completely healed, the Rockets are taking it slow with him. Taylor gained an enormous amount of weight over the last year and has been working hard over the last few months to get himself back into shape. "I'm definitely ready to play," Taylor told the Houston Chronicle. "I just want to go through training camp with no setbacks, no soreness, no taking any time off. I want to do as much as I possibly can to get myself into NBA shape." If Taylor proves ready to go, last year's starter, Thomas, may end up making up his lost minutes at small forward. Thomas has excelled at the three in camp, and with Glen Rice's health always an issue, he may find his opportunity to get meaningful minutes there. But as talented as Taylor and Thomas are, both of them are looking over their shoulder at Griffin. Griffin started last season slowly, but by January he was averaging 13.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 2.9 bpg in just over 35 minutes per game. While he seemed to hit the wall later in the season, the Rockets know that Griffin's diverse abilities make him their power forward of the future. He's already making a good impression in camp. "I see more aggressiveness, especially fighting for position to get the ball," Rudy T said. "His talent level ... when he goes after rebounds, it's his." Taylor and Thomas may be more accomplished scorers at the moment, but Griffin's rebounding and shot-blocking talents are already light years ahead of both players. If he keeps up the learning curve, it will be only a matter of time before Taylor and Thomas are cheering for Eddie from the side of the bench. C: Yao Ming vs. Kelvin Cato Here's a surprise, Kelvin "Jack Squat" Cato wasn't thrilled when the Rockets drafted center Yao Ming. "I was a little against it [Yao's selection] the first day," he told the Chronicle. "But after thinking about it, I just want to win. I've been on this team for three years. We haven't been in the playoffs since I've been here." Cato then went on to compare his game to Yao's. "We both block shots, but I don't think I can block as many as he can being that he's 7-6. His scoring ability is different than mine. He's a natural-born scorer. He's so big that not too many people can contest his shot besides Shaq [O'Neal] and probably [Dikembe] Mutombo. Getting up and down the floor, I'll probably be faster than him." You can understand why Cato is a little bit defensive. Not only has he done nothing over the last few years to justify the huge paycheck he collects, many feel Yao is poised to revolutionize the game. But before Cato, or anyone else for that matter, gets ahead of himself, Yao needs to get over here and play in a game or two first. The Rockets are still dodging obstacles from the Chinese Basketball Association. While a source on the Rockets told Insider this weekend that the team is still very confident that Yao will join it shortly after the completion of the Asian Games (Oct. 16th), it's going to take awhile to get Yao ready for the upcoming season. Not only does he face a new league, new offensive system, new teammates and a new culture -- he's also battling fatigue. Yao has literally been playing all summer for Team China and will likely suffer an inordinate amount of fatigue. That all translates into plenty of minutes for Cato this season. Whether they're productive or not remains to be seen. Projected Starting 5: PG: Steve Francis SG: Cuttino Mobley SF: Glen Rice PF: Mo Taylor C: Yao Ming
One mistake. Other than that, that was a very good report. He also said the Rox expect Yao to be here by Oct 16th!!!
Yeah the reporter made a mistake calling the achilles tendon and ACL but he is the first reporter that seems to have been paying attention to what is happening on the floor. Finally a reporter that knows Eddie is a 4 and not a 3. He is also one of the few that did not show Eddie starting at the 3. I do beleive that Rice will be given every oppertunity to win the starting job even though I am rooting for Boki, KT and TMo in that order. I think the first 5 games will determine if MoT starts when he comes off his supension or not. If Eddie is playing good D, blocking shots, rebounding good and scoring when he gets the chance I think he will continue to start when Mo comes back. If he still looks sluggish then I think Mo will probably get a chance to start.
I agree with you. The closing ceremony of Asian Games is at October 15th and I think Chinese players will go back to China at 16th.
I hope that all the competition in the front court manifests itself as "healthy" competition. I would love to see all the guys pushing each other, not complaining in the press over minutes played/or not played. I do think that with the characters of these guys (moT, KT, griff, and hopefully cato after his recent quotes in the chron) that the competition will be positive, but time will tell.
It must b a great luxury 4 the ROXS 2 have Yao Ming coming off the bench 2 spell Cato!!! Even though this will b temporary!
The only thing that this reporter has been doing is reporting what Clutch has been telling us all along. I swear all that this guy reported is Clutch's work. He should give credit or at least mention Clutch. He could be Clutch, for all I know.
it's possible that eddie is the opening day starter at 4 with rice at the 3 and kenny coming first off the bench for either of them. if yao impresses in his 2 or 3 preseason games he could definitely be the starter as well. i wonder if rudy gives mo his starting job back once he returns from the suspension?
