"Why was Padget let go from Utah? I like his game. He's the Bullard for the 90's, er....what do we call now? the 00's" We like to call these... (drumroll, please)... the Noughties! Get it? Of course one does... (Wish I had thought of it, but I heard it elsewhere...) Now we take you back to your regularly scheduled thread...
What the duck is DaDakota smokin'? Scott Padgett started one game against a sub .500 team without a real PF and you give him the world. He was a small foward playing aginst another small foward in Walter McCarthy. There was no one posting him up all night ala Tim Duncan And KG. I don't think the people dedicated to the playoffs....really think we can do this without Cato's great post defense and rebounding. He is a crusial piece to the Van Gundy Defense...similar to what Marcus Camby used to give the Knicks. Padget is deep on the bench for a reason and remove the "trade Cato" thoughts from your head immediately. But I mean no disrespect to your post. Someone has to be the dreamer.
Cato is also a crucial element of the opposition's defense. Cato is so terrible on offense, that teams can collapse on Yao with impunity. If he could even hit a 10 foot jumper, we could punish them for doing it. JVG seems to honestly believe that it's ok to only have 4 players on offense. Cato is a terrific back-up C. He does not compliment Yao. That said, I don't think the answer is Scott Padget.
Exactly!!!! But I'd add that Padget will be our temporary PF until we can pick one up via trade. I don't want to give Cato up. But for a solid PF, that could hit a 10ft jumper, I'd do it. If Yao develops into a 24/14 guy someday, then Cato inability to shoot will be less evident.
I think we need to keep Cato out when Yao is in. The reason Yao is able to be double teamed as hard and as frequently as he is is because of Cato's inability to consistenly hit the 12-15 foot jumper. Just leave Cato open and put his man on Yao and the Rockets have themselves an offensive dilemma. Keep it simple... Yao and Mo start (a good in/out combo) and have Cato and Padgett come in together for 15-20 minutes per game (Cato stays inside to get on the offensive glass, Padgett stays in the 15-23 foot range). This way, there's always a big man that can't be left alone.
