or even be able to get a lot of minutes? Check out the following quote: "There's a lot of assumptions that go on here that maybe don't go on in my mind," Van Gundy said. "I came in with a clean slate. I told them, I have an idea about a couple starters, but no more than a couple. The rotation is up in the air, there's a lot of minutes to be had on this team. A lot of minutes. The people that are the most reliable, dependable and professional and also provide what we need to complement Steve and Yao, those are the guys that are going to get the lion's share of the minutes." Anyway, the full article: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.hts/sports/2162602 Rockets find two players to help out Yao, Francis Nachbar, Norris lead way to 88-72 victory over Kings By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy kept saying he was searching for a few players, and he wasn't talking about Eddie Griffin. The Rockets just needed a few players around Steve Francis and Yao Ming who could fill a few requirements, including making some shots. Then, there in the second half Thursday night, he found two players suddenly making plays and hitting shots right in the middle of the Rockets' offense. Wouldn't you know it. It's always the last place you look. Bostjan Nachbar, well into a 16-of-53 preseason in which he has received more playing time than all but three NBA players, suddenly hit an open trey. Then another. Then another. He finished his sudden run with a drive and a slam that almost reminded of the Gerald Wallace dunk in his face Tuesday. Moochie Norris broke down the lane with a drive. And then another. Then hit a long trey. With that, the Rockets more than beat the Kings 88-72 at Toyota Center. They demonstrated that if someone could just make a few shots besides Yao and Francis, their struggling offense might just work. "We need to surround our best two players, Yao and Steve, with dependable, reliable, tough-minded, good-shooting, smart players," Van Gundy said. "If we do that ... we'll have a heck of a year. "Those guys are always going to attract attention and a lot of it. If we space correctly and pass on time and on target, we'll get good shots. For a lot of the game, we didn't make any shots. Then Boki (Nachbar) got on a bit of a roll, and Moochie made a couple." Nachbar felt so much better about his game, he even stopped to talk some trash. In the first half, Nachbar had finished a fast break with a dunk in which he had to go up to reach over and around Yao. "That's happens in practice all the time," Nachbar said. "He knows it, too. You can ask him." Asked about Nachbar's dunking prowess, Yao did not deny it, but said it was over. "I will make him shut up," Yao said. But Nachbar was more relieved to make a few jumpers than a dunk to talk about. Until the Rockets' shooting made its second-half arrival, the shooters around Francis and Yao had been inept. Jim Jackson has been unable to hit from the perimeter. Nachbar had not hit from anywhere. Griffin has gone from unable to find his shooting touch to not being able to find the arena. Jackson continued to struggle with his shot, making just two of 11 attempts, though Van Gundy said he had no doubt a 10-year career offered ample evidence that Jackson's shot would come around. "If you look right now, Jimmy Jackson's shooting 29 percent, but I have no doubt he's going to be a huge part of what we do because he is all those things I talked about," Van Gundy said. But other than Francis and Yao, the rest of the Rockets came into Thursday's game having made 99 of 271 shots (36.5 percent). "If you're a perimeter player," Van Gundy said, "If you can't shoot, you can't play, especially on a team that has a player like Steve and a player like Yao." Francis and Yao combined to make 18 of 30 shots Thursday. Francis had 23 points and Yao had 20 and 14 rebounds. But Thursday, Nachbar made six of 13 attempts for 15 points. Norris made seven of 11 for another 15 with four assists. The Rockets' 46.6 percent shooting and 42.9 percent 3-point shooting was by far their best of the preseason. The Rockets still fell a dozen points shy of giving away free fast food, but they seemed to show the 9,539 at Toyota Center far more than they had in their horrid first night in their new home. "We were disorganized, uninspired, lacked passion, and the last two games ... we've been more professional, more intense and more organized, so that's a positive step," Van Gundy said. There is still a long way to go. Other than Francis and Yao, Van Gundy said every spot in the rotation is open. Jackson would seem likely to continue to get minutes. Kelvin Cato has earned Van Gundy's praise and had 12 rebounds in his second consecutive start with Griffin unavailable at power forward. But Van Gundy said with just two preseason games remaining, little is certain. "There's a lot of assumptions that go on here that maybe don't go on in my mind," Van Gundy said. "I came in with a clean slate. I told them, I have an idea about a couple starters, but no more than a couple. The rotation is up in the air, there's a lot of minutes to be had on this team. A lot of minutes. The people that are the most reliable, dependable and professional and also provide what we need to complement Steve and Yao, those are the guys that are going to get the lion's share of the minutes. "We're continuing to search. Guys have been set back with injuries, so it's really hard to know because I haven't had as much chance to work with them. There's no guarantees where that goes. You can only control what you can control. The only thing I'm concerned about is not who's playing but how we're playing. I think we did a good job moving the group forward. Everybody has to realize the train's moving. You have to hop on board." The Rockets' preseason has shown it's difficult to catch a moving train. But Thursday a few players began to run faster. "It's hard to win, too," Van Gundy said. "Hop on anyway."
For me, the surprise is the qualification of how they will get the minutes by "complement Steve and Yao". I think that will put Mobley in a disadvantage. By that qualification, it is entirely possible that Mobley can be beaten out by another player who is less talented or a worse baseketball player but more complementary to Steve and Yao.
Our bench had a hard time scoring last season without SF, Cat, Mobley. Having Cat coming off the bench could provide 15 pts off the bench easily. Francis-Mooch-Wilks Pike-Cat-JJ JJ-Nachbar-A. Griffin MoT-Griffin Yao-Cato I wouldn't mind seeing Cato starting at PF for some boards and defense. MoT and Cat could make our bench a real offensive threat. I think we will have to see where Eddie is at with our team before any decisions can be made.
A good question to ask would be, "is Mobley the type of player you want to sorround Steve and Yao with?" Right now, I would have to say no. He demands the ball, as well he should, because he is a great perimiter player, but we don't need players that need the ball to sorround Steve and Yao. If he came off the bench, the offense would be run through him. He would be allowed to take over a game with his scoring and slashing without disrupting the flow of the game, since Steve and Yao would be out. You have to assume that Van Gundy is already thinking about it. He may make an excuse to try it out once or twice, probably while Cat is coming back from his injury. Of course this would only work if JJ startted hitting his shot and Bokie continued his form from last nights 4th quarter.
You also have to throw Moochie in there too. If he keeps his good playing up (from last night's 4th qtr), put him at the point and Stevie at the 2. Did you not notice him last night? Oh, thats right... no fro no mo.
I doubt that JVG will take both Francis and Yao out at the same time for very long. 2-star teams usually rest their stars one at a time, not both at the same time. But I agree with your general drift. Mobley can be go to guy when one of the two stars is sitting, kinda like Mo Taylor last year.
I think JVG is making it clear that Cat's starter spot is not gauranteed. Nevertheless, I expect him to start. Cat's defense has generally been decent, at times very good. As we all know, his biggest strength is working hard and he has adapted his game practically each year of his career, and I think he has a lot to gain with Van Gundy's system. He is an excellent scorer, and I believe that once he becomes part of the offensive flow, he'll be very effective. Defenders will hesitate to rotate off Cat for the double team, and like Pike I'm sure he'll be getting his share of open looks near the perimeter. Mobes will also be able to slash in to receive dishes from the post, which is clearly going to be a cornerstone offensive play this season. Mainly, though, I think that JVG is primarily interested in putting the best five players on the floor for the longest minutes, and I think Cat can bring more to the table as a guard than Pike or Jackson. If it turns out he's better suited to be a 6th man for some reason, however, I'm sure he'll excell there, too. Bottom line, I don't think JVG is saying Cat *won't* start, but merely that he expects him to earn his position. I think Mobes will do that.
When Van Gundy refers to a couple of positions, i think he means the SF and PF position. I seriously dont think, anyone else on the bench could beat out Mobley out of the SG position. Ever since he came on cribs, his value has gone up. haha just kiddin...
Oooooooop, u want to bench Yao? last nite's 4th qtr, Yao almost sit out all the qtr! I guess u mean 3rd qtr, right?
unless pike just got a whole lot better and his ankle healed up or JJ stopped being a sf and a guy who signs minimum type contracts late in the offseason or a guy who stops chunking up bricks, explain to me how they are better or complement better than mobley. good outside shooter who plays D is what we need and that's what mobley is. even if you argue they complement better, that's for when there's a relative tie in skills, right now no one is close in the sg/sf department to tying mobley in skills. sf and pf should be the only positions up for grabs if jvg knows anything. and i'm pretty sure he does.
FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO FRANCIS *AND* YAO Come one True Rocket Fans. . .repeat after JVG "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" not FRANCIS OR YAO Rocket River
he can say what he wants...but hands down the best perimeter shooter for this team is cat and he'll be in the starting lineup.
"FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO" "FRANCIS *AND* YAO"
Mobes is exactly what you want on the court. A confident deep shooter. Who else fills that role on our team. Let's face it, he's the best we've got. And when you look around the league, he's pretty good.
An angry man is never difficult to decode. Let it go man - take a deep breath and ........... YAO OR Francis
