Have the Rockets considered trying something innovative which will maximize the talents they have? I think the following lineup would wreak havoc on the league if used properly: PG-- Norris (Only true PG on the roster?!?) SG-- Francis (Here's where we can have him score 30+ and not criticize him for only getting 6 apg) SF-- Mobley (Yeah a little undersized here but in this lineup would be very effective) PF-- Cato (Yes, he seems to me to be more of a shot blocking PF than natural center) C-- Yao (With 3 legitimate targets to kick out for outside shots this would lessen the double teams and with Cato down low, this lineup would be fantastic defensively) This would bring back flashes of the Dream/Sampson Twin Towers era and I believe more success..... In addition it would keep Cato happy and we would not have to deal with the forwards who have been underachieving!
Ouch! That lineup is very poor defensively. Norris ...well ....its Moochie. Not a great defensive player to begin with. Francis cant even really guard players his size, much less the bigger 2 guards in this league. Same for Mobley. He is just too small to consistently guard 3s (Garnett would have 7 inch height advantage). You cant put Cato out in the high post and not expect him to get into foul trouble. Hes not a PF at all. He doesnt have the lateral quickness nor does he have on the ball defensive skills that are necessary when PFs play a face up offensive game. So in essence, you are putting 4 average to below average defenders at those positions around Yao, which in the end means, Yao will consistently end up in foul trouble because of all the weakside help hell have to provide.
And you think Glen Rice can put the clamps on KG any better than Cat? I think we could get away with it in the zone with the twin towers in there.... But yeah, that lineup was definitely designed to maximize the talents of our 3 best offensive players...
It might be innovative but it's also a really terrible idea. Mooch can't guard anyone and can't shoot. Playing Mooch 30 minutes a game is a sure wa to screw up our season. Steve at the two is okay by me if you have a big point guard who can defend which we don't. Cat at the three is going to struggle defensively. Cato cannot guard power forwards and would just weaken our center depth while putting all of our real power forwards on the bench. Yao Ming at center... well that's a great idea.
The sad thing is that if you sub in Kenny Thomas for Cato, we run that defensively pathetic line-up a lot of the time already.
so, Launch Pad, you like Griffin's defense better than Kenny Thomas's? Just curious, as I like to measure the defensive scouting abilities of old-timers here at cc.net. I keep a book of who likes/watches defense and who doesn't.