I'm sure Heypartner got a kick out of this: "The Hornets joined the legion of teams that scouted the Rockets' quick guards and penchant for isolation and immediately doubled. Don't do it. It's a trap. It doesn't work. Unless teams come with the late doubles the Knicks used, double teams turn the Rockets into a wily passing team loaded with shooters. Cuttino Mobley had five assists Saturday before his first shot. As much as the Rockets exaggerate over their prowess when they pass the ball, they do have a point. When they move the ball around, they can outscore teams in the offense-challenged NBA. All they ask of opponents is that they rev the engines with quick double teams." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/808084 ------------------ Behad Sergeant at Arms of the Clutch BBS Asking the question: What is more dangerous, an AK-47 or a scooter?
I like Feigen. He actually writes good things about the rockets. It seems like the chronicle picks out a new guy every week to write a RETIRE HAKEEM article. I'm just getting sick of reading the same crap about Hakeem. ------------------
Feigan is great, but a little behind sometimes on describing the offense. I don't know why he is still calling that isolation. We ran no guard isolations in the 1st quarter like he says. We ran the pnr. The Hornets attempted to trap Steve and Mobley, but they have a way (especially Mobley) of remaining patient with their dribble and the rollers are doing a fine job of sticking with the pick and timing their rolls to give the guards time to desolve the trap. I'm really impressed with Mobley's ability to run the pnr. With that said, I only saw 2 assists off the pnr by Mobley. The rest were "opportunistic assists". (Did I just coin a phrase.) You know how some players you say must find their own scoring opportunities. That's the way assists are for Mobley. He doesn't get too many assist opportunities in ISO (cause the shooter is at least 2 passes away). Last night, we had great ball movement and Mobley had some assist opportunities and took them. I know he got a bad rep from last minute failures to pass and Rudy ran a lot of ISO for him, but the guy doesn't strike me as unwilling to pass, or incapable of it. He just needs more "assist opportunities". lol!
HeyP, I have noticed and others have as well that you tend to defend Mobley a great deal. I for one feel he is a good player. He would be even better if he looked to get other team members involved more EARLY. Early in my opinion is the key. I know he's no Jordan, but Jordan in his last three years would get everyone else involved in the first three quarters and occasionally score during that time, but in the 4th quarter it was his time. Based on the way that Rudy calls plays regarding Cuttino in the 4th, I feel this should be the approach Cuttino takes to each game. He should know by now that the ball is basically his and Steve's in the 4th quarter. What do you think? ------------------
Is it asking too much for Cat to have the same wisdom in his third year as Jordan had after 10 seasons? Mango ------------------ Spring cleaning
Mango, Yes without a doubt asking Cat to have the same vision as Jordan after 3 years is too much. But at what point does a player look at himself and the way the game is played before he decides to make an adjustment to make everyone around him better. I knew someone was going to see Jordan referenced and make a comment like you did. It never fails. I could name other players like Dumars, Drexler etc. who had the ability to score at will but got others involved and then took over the game when called upon. That was the point, period, end of story. ------------------
One other thing, Mango. What's wrong with Rudy instructing Cat to get his team mates involved early? Mobley knows that down the stretch he will get as many shots as he can take and Lord knows he is more than willing to take them. ------------------
You are talking about the internal "something" that separates champions from the rest of the players. When Cat was a rookie, Charles and Pippen both mentioned that Cat had the talent, but lacked in the judgement area. The entire issue of the team being young and not being championship material for a while is illustrated by this learning process that you mention for Cat. Jordan didn't win rings in his early years, but was a scoring machine. Once Cat gets over this infatuation with looking for his shot first, then everything should be fine. When will this happen? Hopefully by next season. Expecting it to happen this season is just wishful thinking since the older players; Dream, Bullard, Walt and Rogers are not currently the main focus of the team and Cat sees little reason to defer to them. Charles had no problem geting on him about things, even in public. Example: Cat was a rookie and Charles got on him for his wardrobe being too casual. Cat protested that it was OK with Rudy, yet Charles told him to change anyway. Now, Cat dresses in a spiffy manner. If the team had an older vet that held some sway with Cat, then this learning curve could probably be accelerated. Mango ------------------ Spring cleaning
Dream never cared enough for these kids to act as their older brother and mentor as you are suggesting. Barkley played that role to perfection last season up to the point he went down, and his comments went WAY beyond personal wardrobes. Dream only speaks out about the team when it is convenient for him, like when he complains that he is not getting the ball enough and how you can´t go away completly from the post. Meaning that his coments are SELFISH in nature. It saddens me a lot that things are this way, but that´s how it is. Don´t act as if Cuttino should listen to Dream´s sage advice, because that unfortunately is nowhere to be found. ------------------ "Dream another dream, this dream is over... Dream another dream, this dream is over... Dream another dream..." - from the Van Halen song, "The Dream is Over" (Thank you, Freak). Fitting, isn´t it?
I hope so much for Cuttino to do what you say. But he has to be given plays that allow it. The 24 High pnr is that play. I've seen him start to adjust. His assists are going to go up now that he has "assist opportunties". Watch it happen! I still want him shooting any midrange jumper he sees, though. btw: Why do you say I defend Mobley. I bask in his glory. I don't defend him. There is a difference. How is saying he is running a better pnr that Francis, defending him. It is not. I try to tell it like it is: and to me, Mobley is an outstanding player because of how he uses his blazing first step. He can get to the rim more consistently than Francis, and with that comes different play calls for him. That is not defending him. That is touting his awesome skills. This kid can flat-out play. And now he is showing awesome rebounding and the ability to run a high-quality pnr. He's unstoppable, and limitless in his potential. He will be an all-star soon. Rudy is right! There....now that is not defending Mobley. Saying I defend Mobley is further lack of respect for Cuttino. He doesn't need to be defended. Most of my defense-sounding talk is defending Rudy and his play calling, and explaining why we used ISOs. I happen to believe that most of the criticism of Mobley is the unwillingness of people to have patience for him like they do Francis, their utter blindness to anything wrong Francis does, their obvious dislike of any Iverson-type player, and their complete lack of understanding of what an Iverson-type shooter like Mobley's role is in a 4 out 1 Flex offense. So I ask you, why do people wrongly criticize Mobley by yelling at singular plays like dim-witted, backseat coaches.
You know, Thanos, a year ago I would have jumped all over this remark, and flamed you terribly for insulting Hakeem.... a lot can change in a year. This makes me sad. ------------------ "Of course, everything looks bad if you remember it!" Homer Simpson
What's changed in the past year? Certainly not Dream. The change is in you. The change is in you. {{star wars music starts}} ------------------ I've been reading movies since 3 o'clock..
Heypartner, I'm going to assume that you are not referring to me as a dim-witted backseat coach. I agree with you regarding Francis and his lessened ability to get to the cup like Cuttino. Francis' moves are lateral. He often shakes his man with one move and then goes right back to the man with another move. Cuttino's moves are more directed to the basket. Maybe defending is a improper word to describe your affinity for Cuttino. We do agree that he should look to get his team mates involved more and I hope you're right in your thought about the pnr allowing this. Thanos: I did not imply (I don't think) that Dream ever wanted to be or attempted to be a big brother figure for the younger guys. I know that he has never been that way. My point was in reference to another post where a comment was made that Mobley listened to Barkley about numerous things on and off the court. I know Dream has been selfish in the past is undoubtedly is now as well. He does make a good point in that you cannot win by abandoning the post. You see that the Rockets lose every time they don't shoot for a high percentage. That is difficult to do if you only take low percentage shots a majority of the time. Dream's shots are generally close to the basket, thus a higher percentage shot. If you don't understand this and recognize this point then you will be a very frustrated Rocket fan for many years to come. I am right now. There is absolutely nothing wrong with balance in an offense. Inside and outside games win games. Look at the freaking Spurs who I hate to give any credit to, but they are winning and I predict they will win it all because of their inside and outside game. ------------------
no Since, I have never seen you make a backseat coaching reactionary response to a game ending like dim-witted backseat coaches. I have also never seen you try to outcoach Rudy. I never try to....only the dimwits do. excuse me...sometimes I start a long response directed at someone and then get on a roll about tangential topics and forget the person I was responding to probably still thinks I'm directing my tangents at them. peace
