Maybe you two should take this outside? LOL... Our backcourt isn't as big as we expected. Maybe it's because everyone else expected it too. Miggidy Markell is on to it. Cato can score 12 points, grab 8 rebounds, and block two shots a game. That's if he wasn't sulking. Tell me that THAT production is not worth doing what DaDakota said?
This thread is definately going nowhere now. I still think giving Cato more minutes gives us the best chance to win. IMO...
Our best chance for winning is not having Cato play at all. I don't see the logic in screwing up our offense so that we can get Cato to play almost as good as Kevin Willis. I mean, even the few times we do give him the ball is too much in my opinion.
Pued, Yes by all means lets screw up an offense that is shooting about 40% overall. By all means lets not try anything different as our offense has been stellar this year. Come on, at least be flexible enough to realize that it could not hurt to try. DaDakota
There IS a play that was run for Dream last year that I could see working with Cato. Basically, the small forward comes from the baseline,weakside and sets a pick for the 2, who would then set a pick for the idle Cato at the free throw line; Then, the small forward recieves the ball and hits the flashing Cato who should at least have good post position after recieving the pick from the shooting guard. However, I don't feel anybody, let alone a player of Cato's skills, DESERVES to get touches on the offensive end without showing some semblance of an offensive game in practice. As is, he should still see ample opportunities to score if he just moves better without the ball.
Even though I think he can make the 8-12ft jumper consistently, I don't care if he is an option in our offense. We need him out there so that he can learn to be an NBA center. Willis will not be able to play all 48 min. Willis or Cato should be in the game at all times IMO. He hasn't had the minutes necessary to learn. He got those minutes in the preseason and college with good results. In the regular season he has not played real well but he has played well at times. We can get good production out of Willis and Cato as a tandem. Our record indicates that when Cato gets the minutes we win.
If he gets more mpg, he simply gets hurt earlier in the season forcing him to IR for the remainder of the year. Mabey that is the goal here.
Tonight was a good example of what Cato can do with minutes. 36mins, 4 points, 13 boards, 3 blocks. Not to mention frustrating Divac enough to nearly get him thrown out. Cato did a great job tonight and I will take that any night. More playing time, more confidence you give Kelvin, the more he will produce.
MM, Tonight was a good example of what our frontline can do, rebounding-wise, without our starting backcourt. Kelvin and Kenny are much better rebounders than their stats show. If Steve and Cuttino would spend less time rebounding and more time running down court, then Cato, Kenny, etc. could rebound, outlet and start the fast break. Kenny is a nice passer. I get tired of watching the guards rebound, dribble, and pick-n-roll. I'd like to see more up-tempo. But that's just me.
I don't post much in the Rocket threads because there are people here that are much more eloquent than I. But after watching last night's game, alls I gotta say is... What game is Cato playing? Volleyball or basketball? Even though he had 13 rebounds, it just looked to me that all he did was tip the ball to someone else. Geezzzz... Wrap your hands around then dang ball for the rebound fooo. please, carry on...
Giving Cato more minutes is like giving a snow cone to an eskimo or shampoo to Dick Vitale....VERY UNNECESSARY!
I agree with you whole-heartedly. Our offense would speed up considerably, thus create many more transitional baskets, not allowing the defense to set up. Not to mention that with our young legs (mostly), we could run the opposing team into the ground. When this team runs, we are pretty much unstoppable (solely from a speed, not power, perspective). To those of you against giving Cato more PT, let me point this out. Cato did not get his 3rd foul until midway through the 3rd quarter against one of the most experienced (and flopping) centers in the league. I mean, c'mon, Vlade averages close to a double-double at 14.3 ppg and 9.9 rpg. I, for one, was very pleased with Cato's performance. I love our team and I don't really advocate any trades, unless it guarantees a 2nd round playoff appearance. Rudy should drill into #3 and #5 heads to not to worry about rebounding as much and get down the court. I mean what are SF and CM trying to prove? Cat has his contract for the next 3 or 4 years and SF is going to get the max, period. Let's win some games. One last thing I wish to put out there. THERE IS TOO MUCH ONE-ON-ONE DRIBBLING!!!!! If Moochie would pass the damn (I can say damn, right?) ball as fast as he drives (min. of 90+ mph down Hwy 6), our offense would click a whole lot more/better. Same is true for Francis and Cuttino. How can GR or KT (or MT later on this season) get into a rhythm and possibly get hot when they only touch the ball once out of every 3 to 4 possessions? Geez, change the offense a little. Get some movement. Anything but watching between the legs dribble for 12-13 seconds. Hell, I believe in Calvin Murphy(ism)...."you can have 2 possessions/shots in those 12-13 seconds of dribbling." Go Cato! Go Kenny! Go Rockets!!!!
Bump, Looks like Woodlandsboy had a good vision that was shared by the basketball people "in the know" DaDakota
Thanks for pointing out my vision DD. You are right about getting Cato involved in the offense. It sure seems like he gets into the game once he makes some baskets. HP and Pued are eating crow now. When KT comes back I still want to see Cato in the ball game. When Cato plays 40 min we are 3-1 this season. In all 4 games he has had a double double. Keep it up Cato....
I have to agree with Woodlandsboy, Sane, and DD. Cato will play better with more minutes, and he will get continuously better with time. This Rockets team needs much more passing, and with much more passing Cato will probably get the ball more, and he'll become motivated more. I'm sure Cato, who we've already established as a person who needs to be stroked, will want to show what he can do with the basketball. He gives up too quickly when he doesn't get to touch the ball or when he's benched. As he starts getting better and getting better minutes a snowball effect should develop and he'll get more and more motivated. And based on his last few games he can be a good center, and undoubtedly even better than the best of him we've seen so far. Cato's still young and we have him for a while, let's get some good chemistry going within this young team between ALL the players. With more minutes and thus usually better stats, his team and the fans will begin to trust him more and he'll enjoy the game more. Giving him more minutes and getting the Rockets players to pass more is a good idea, if not just a good experiment, especially with this season just about down the drain.
Note from the Charlotte game... Cato: 43mins Impressive when you have a big man who can hustle and play long minutes with your guards.
