Any open look is a good shot in the NBA. If you have an open look you take it. Unless it's outside Mobley's range, which it wasn't, I think it's a good shot. The shot by Mobley was well within his range. It was open. He has to take it. Sometimes they go in. Sometimes they don't, but an open look in the NBA has a good chance of falling. Especially from a shooter like Mobley. Reggie Miller would kill for that look. ------------------ humble, but hungry. [This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited January 08, 2001).]
Mobley certainly is not a smart player. But let me say this, only a stupid coach would yell at Mobley for the Utah and LA shots. That's right, it isn't too brilliant to make your star second-guess himself in the last second. Don't be a stupid coach and yell at one of your stars for missing the LA and Utah games shots. Be a rabid fan,,,a reliant energy fanatic. But the next day, route for Mobley again and again, otherwise you are going to The Darkside. Mobley needs repetition. And he has a coaching staff with patience. He is all about reflex actions. But, reflex is often more valuable in the 4th q than smarts. Every smart player should try to improve the reflex responses to game situations. Reflex play is all about relaxing your mind and seeing the court and no second-guessing yourself!!! Smarts or not, Mobley is learning to see the court, and he is very coachable. He will only improve, and he will learn to do more than just the dreaded 2 Shakes. 24 High is becoming a big weapon, too. I think Francis needs more reps, too. He is not what I call a smart player either. I think Kenny Thomas is our smartest player along with Bullard, and Collier looks to know exactly what he should do at all times. Francis is very similar to Mobley....very eager, and very coachable, but a wild free-lancer who doesn't know when to shoot or not. This board appear to just hate Rudy's use of the 2 guard position. If Francis was a 2 guard, we'd most likely use the same plays for him that we give Mobley. I want Franics to take last seconds shots too. Actually, I'm usually yelling and losing my mind, I route for any play. I'd give the ball to Francis in the 4th quarter, most definitely. But I want it in Mobley's hands, too, and Mo's! I think the difference in impression is: A Mobley play succeeds so simply, and fails so obviously. A Francis play looks so amazing because he jukes and jives all over the floor giving him a high difficulty value, and his failures look like there was nothing else available because everyone stares at his juking. Francis's failures are pretty ugly when you look at the tape. It looks like he has no plan, and worse, it looks like the team doesn't know what he's trying to accomplish. At least 2 Shakes is easy for everyone to learn their role. I'd like us to quit polarizing Mobley and Francis. 2 Shakes and 24 High are weapons and they are easy for the team to learn. We should use them. Yes, I'd call a Mo/Francis pnr to a Mobley 2 Shakes. Let's do it. Let's route for that too!!! I'd love to see us get reps at that. Difference between me and others, is I am not going to say a Francis 1 Shake is better or a Mo/Francis pnr is better until we see it! And the other big difference is I'm not going to blame the players running the play, if I think the Defense beat us, or if our players got their feet under them on the shot. I won't blame Francis for missing a shot when his feet is under him. Nor would I blame Mo for a nice turnaround J that doesn't fall. But, geeze, there is nothing wrong with calling a Mobley 24 High (the Utah game and the Indiana crushing blow), and i'd rather have a Mobley 2 Shakes to a Francis 1 Shake. Let's route for Mobley, too. Our plays are clocking 60% when he runs them!!! 60%! Rejoice! Don't Polarize me, because you cringe at Mobley. To me, bashing Mobley is like bashing Barkley. Most of it appears to be a personality thing or a style of play thing that people dislike. Enjoy your Rockets. Mobley will be here a long time. He will improve with repetition. Only a stupid coach would yell at him for this failure. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited January 08, 2001).]
HeyPee, nothing to disagree with in your last post. I don't think I disagreed with anything in your other posts either. I know how you feel when you defend Cat. I defended Collier and Langhi before the naysayers started to see what they could do. My real gripe is seeing Bullard so much in the 4th quarter. Teams step up their defense in the 4th. It is nigh impossible for the Rockets to do that with Bullard in the lineup. It puts the Rockets at a real disadvantage of having to outscore the opposition rather than being able to shut them down in the 4th. I don't care if Bullard is the smartest player in the world, he is our worst defender. He is very streaky and I think a complete gamble to have on the floor in the 4th. ------------------
Moe, I didn't mean you in particular. I guess I got on a roll and forgot it will read like I'm talking about your comments. Rocketibility...I'm sick for Shandon, too. That must have hurt to miss that big shot. Did we use all our luck on that Moochie Fro Three shot, or what? Can we get one to fall!
Who dribbled the ball till there were only couple seconds on the clock before passing it to Moo? Yes, maybe our luck has been used up. ------------------
I don't think the argument should be about who should get the shot, but rather the shot itself. I remember watching Cuttino single handedly win a game against Kentucky (might have been Kansas) for Rhode Island in the NCAA Tournament a few years back. He's as good a pick as anyone else on the Rockets to take a last second shot. But at least call a time out and run a play to get him a shot, and this way if he doesn't, you at least have a second option to take the shot. Taking that shot only left one option. The Jazz are a well enough disciplined team to get into a reasonable set as evidenced by the fact that Cuttino's shot wasn't uncontested. The Rockets were also executing relatively well in the half court. I've seen a lot of basketball, and I can only remember a few times a timeout hasn't been called in a similar situation. Yes, if Cuttino had made the shot, I'd be happy, and probably wouldn't criticize anything, but not calling a time out is just bad basketball to me. ------------------
You guys have blown my comments way out of proportion. All I was trying to say is that Mobley should have passed the ball to a WIDE OPEN Francis, especially since he was demanding the ball. That would have been a much better option. Instead, he selfishly took it upon himself to be the hero, and blew it badly. Francis was WIDE OPEN and he was yelling at Mobley to pass him the ball, yet he refused. That probably cost them the game. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
ZRB keeps coming back for more. I'm beginnning to think he's Dreamshake, also. First, Francis must make it too, and it is still just a tie game. Secondly, we are not blowing your comments out of proportion, we don't need to since you are the one that said there were 3 guys on Mobley. You are the only exaggerater here, as always! Mobley was as open as he needed to be. Give it up ZRB. Rudy refutes you, and nearly everyone in this thread refutes you. You need to speak in a Mobley bashing thread where people will agree with you out of sheer post-game angst...which is fine. But, when the dust settles, Rudy tells it like it is, and we shouldn't ever want Mobley to second guess himself on a open shot from 3 to tie (ie, open for him). [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited January 08, 2001).]
Maybe you should give it up. Any person with a brain would have passed the ball. Rudy is more of a moron than I thought if he is so in love with that shot. Francis may have missed that shot, but it would have been a much better option. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
HP- It does bring back memories of the Barkley critics at the begiing of last year doesn't it! I love Mobley's heart and I may be parroting myself but only certain players have the guts to take a last second shot. Hopefully if our team defense gets batter we may not need those shots to win at the end. And I do have faith our D can get better. Who would have though a team with Iverson & Kukoc could now be regarded as one of the NBA's best. I saw them play vs the Cavs and I see in the Sixers the desire to actually win and play defense. Never though I would ever say that about the Answer!
No HeyP I'm not pissed off because Mobley has a higher percentage in the 4th quarter or whatever that stat was. Stats actually mean very little in the grand scheme of things. I do not agree with your assessment that Francis is not as fast as Mobley. That is crazy. I agree that at present, Mobley is a better one on one player because he makes moves toward the basket and not lateral moves like Steve does. Steve shakes himself a lot of times after beating a defender with the dribble, he appears too quick for himself. Mobley also has a couple of "crib" shots as we like to call them around the hole. Francis has not developed that yet. He still wants to go baseline for the dunk or up the middle for a dunk which everyone in the league knows he wants to do. I said all of this to say that I want to see Mobley get everyone more shots. More often than not he sets himself up more than he does a team member. Once he starts to look for the open man like Jordan finaly decided to do after drawing the double team he will truly be the player Rudy and you envision him to be. I'll even like him more. Hell I like him alot now. I just hate it when he plays with the ball on the wing instead of making his move. He looks like he's showboating which isn't necessary. If he makes the move the defense must react and then he has options. I believe that's what everyone wants to see. Sorry for the rant. I always do that. ------------------
I agree that stats don't matter...box score stats that is. Jim Boylen's stat matters. In fact, coaches hardly ever use box score stats to do success measures. They usually make up their own, and have legions of grunts to chart them for them. Boylen is telling us that when Rudy calls Mobleys number as playmaker, the plays generate 60% scores for him or others. You would have to consider that as a coach when playing the percentages. wow...Very Nice Assessment Since75 Since75, I think your assessment of Francis is great. I really agree. I think Mobley is faster taking it to the hole for the sole reason that Francis doesn't do it as often...like you say, he goes lateral. I don't understand all the attempts at the baseline move. And Francis often ignores the picker. Often it is because the D is overplaying the middle. But he gives up on going middle too often, imo. We need Francis in the center, otherwise he may as well let someone else play point guard, imo. He just needs to try more things, but he falls back on his SG tendencies. Maybe you're right about the first step, but I would think he'd get by his man more effectively like Mobley if he had Mobes speed. Let's not argue about it. My point these last two days is to test the sensitivity and biasness of Mobley bashers. I think you're being completely objective in your assessments. I hate it when Mobley backs away from the double team. I hate it when he sometimes only softly passes out of the double. But you know, he does not attack the double like people say. Both Mobley and Francis need more reps at what they do. They both have a lot of room for improvement. I will continue challenging others who are biased Mobley bashers on this board, though. on we go! lol ZRB, Mobley was open! You made your exaggerated and clearly biased case, but he is still open. I want Francis to win some games for us too, but I am not yelling at Mobley there, and Rudy isn't either. And when Francis fails; I'm not yelling at him either. Don't call Rudy stupid for not yelling at his players. Mobley was open. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited January 09, 2001).]
