Let's Not Forget Mo Taylor

I completely agree. I remember there was a thread last year about MoT and most people wanted him gone ASAP. I think a few of us commented that he has great offensive skills especially in the paint area (still love his hook shot when he uses it) and got laughed at. I really do think he goes out there and tries really hard especially as a backup: hustles, grabs some boards and can generally be a monster offensively in the paint. If Yao and MoT are clicking at the same time, watch out.

Last night's game is really the kind of basketball I want to see from the Rockets. Killing them inside as often as possible.

 

For the minutes Mo has played, his rebounding is okay. His post defense is not as bad as many suggested here.

Mo's strength is his offense, both post play & shot jumps, but some on this board called him a "black hole" because he rarely passes, which I agreed. However, Mo has made some real progress in that department, where he sometimes looked to pass instead of putting his head down & going to the hole all the time.

Go Mo!


--daoshi

 

If Mo could learn how to catch and shoot from the top of the key, he would easily average 15-20 points a game. Its the same spot Yao is getting wide open looks from. Otherwise, we are fine at the PF spot.

 

Let me tell you something JVG is going to milk Motay if he keeps shooting like that...We are running iso's for mo and last night it reminded me of the old Charles Barkley days...Defenses will have to try to double him down low in the post if he is playing against weaker defenders. But what happens when he's hitting jumpers around the free throw line? Opens up the floor big time. And with Yao going to the basket and Cat and Jimmy Jam hitting jumpers oooh man we become a very tough opponent for anyone...

Go Rockets!

 

Actually, yesterday when he first came in the game, he got the ball and made NO effort to pass the ball at all. I was like, "Black hole, pass the ball!" But did you see the interview of MoT by Calvin & Bill after the game? Mo said when he first entered, SF walked up to him and said, "The next 3 shots are all yours." I felt a little better about it after that. They were just trying to warm him up a little bit, and that's acceptable. 'Cause he actually played within the offense after the first few possessions (yeah he was the focus but he wasn't exactly ballhogging). Still, sometimes MoT gets the ball and he has that look where you just KNOW he's gonna shoot it. His offense (shot) is definitely his strength, but he's almost ALWAYS in the right position on defense. He doesn't rack up steals and blocks, but he's a nuisance to whoever he's guarding.

 

I wonder if we add up Mo and Cato's stats at PF, how would they rank against other West team's PFs stats? (starters and backup combined)

 

It wouldn't be fair. Cato plays at the C sometimes as well.

 

The Cat must be foaming at the mouth from his perch in the Fantasy Sports forum. He was always a fanatical Mo fan.

I hope he keeps it up. Taylor makes us so much more dangerous and opens things up for Yao when he plays like he did against the Knicks. He looks like he's rebounding better. He's always had a sweet shot when he had his legs. He's been doing an excellent job rotating on defense as well. JVG and crew are doing a great job teaching him defense. And motivating him.

 

I knew he still "put his head down" a lot, but at least he looked to pass SOMETIMES now, something was almost never heard before. You don't expect him to change COMPLETELY overnight, right?


--daoshi

 

Mo has been playing well all year long and I think JVG still wants him to come off the bench because he needs that somone to contribute off the bench. Without Mo, there isn't anyone that can give the Rockets a lift off the bench. If we use him in the starting lineup then, we seem to waste it and use up too many talents AT ONCE and nothing left off the bench. So, i think it's good that he comes off the bench. He's been playing exeptionally well...he did it again last night by helping the Rockets making a huge comeback. He and Yao just dominated.

 

Yeah, he gets more minutes than Cato (at least recently), so it's all good.

And agreed. Cato off the bench wouldn't be the impact player MoT is off the bench.

 

I'd agree with your premise... if Cato wasn't so horrible to play along with Yao.

Have you noticed that defenses tend to play Yao differently when Cato's on the court? It's because he's so damned useless in making them pay. Sometimes he'll get the ball in a dangerous position because of collapsing defenses on Yao - and he might as well be any other player with the ball at the half-court line, for all he can take advantage of it.

If Cato were less inept offensively, I might agree. But he's so damned awful that Mo needs to start to relieve pressure.

 

Haven, u r right, but Cato is Yao's muscle. Yao has called him our defensive enforcer and he is right. I want people to know that once u blow by Stevie , its not over, and get ready to be either rejected or floored.....Yao is too nice. Cato a mean mother! I like!!

 

I can't believe it.

1) First the resurrection of Cato after seeminly thousands of negative posts.

2) the resurrection of Cat after " " ".


and now 3) the resurrection of Mo " " " .


Who's next?