Whatever we do...

Hamilton is more fortunate than Mobley against the lakers because he has a guy like Tay Prince playing D on Kobe for most of the game.. Mobley was stuck on Kobe the entire game, and then he was providing offense for us as well.. I dont care what anyone says, my hats go off to the entire Rockets starting lineup for the amount of minutes they are each required to play the past few years.. i truly hope we get some scoring relief this summer, and nachbar really comes into his own.

 

Not entirely true.

J-Jackson played Kobe a great deal of time too. Oh btw, Mobley only succeeded in keeping Kobe in check only in the first game.

 

I have argued plenty of times, along with JV, that even if we do trade for TMac, <b>dont </b> included Cat in the deal. People take him for granted around here sometimes. It is nice to see some people here giving him props though. He is a very decent SG w/ a salary of only round 5 mil. And he plays solid D. I truely believe if the TWolves had Cat instead of Wally, they could've beaten the Lakers last year and this year. One good role player can make the difference in a 7 game series.

Also, Cat has become a JVG type player, which is another reason to keep him

 

mobley was on kobe for atleast 80% of the time. whenever jjax was on kobe, like clockwork, kobe would just blow past him causing jjax to foul.

 

The comparison of R. Hamilton and Cat is a good one. Cat plays better D, no doubt about that, but Rip has represented in the playoffs. However, Rip has the entire offense based on him in Detroit, with him getting plenty of picks set for him to get open. I am not sure how good he would be in another system. Cat, however, plays behind Yao and Steve. Also, Cat guarded Kobe the entire time in the series, letting his offensive game slip quite a bit. Look at what happened to Kobe when he tried to guard Rip in the first game of the Finals. No gas on the fourth.....but again, Rip has carried the Pistons at times in the playoffs, so must give him props for that.

Again, its hard to tell if Rip is better, and if he is, then by how much. Remember, when Steve was injured a couple of seasons ago, I think Clutch posted Cat's stats, he averaged something like 26 ppg on 48% shooting for like 2 months

 

It must be all of those tatoos that turn him off. Seriously though, I watched Hamilton & Billups help dismantle the Lakers last night and there is no way Cat compares to Hamilton - Hamilton is taller and is a MUCH better shooter.

Here are the problems I have with Mobley. While he's easily the Rockets' best one-on-one defender, his offensive game, like SF's, has been adversely affected by the zone. Mobley's primary offensive strength is driving/slashing to the basket. The zone put an end to that by clogging up the area with defenders forcing Cat to rely on his shooting ability. Mobley is an extremely streaky shooter who runs hot-and-cold. He tends to shoot well about every 5th or 6th game - the rest of the time he struggles to score in double digits while jacking up brick after brick after brick.

Next, he is simply not a good passer at all. In fact, once he gets the ball, he rarely gives it up and almost never passes it into the post (Yao). I have given up counting how many times Yao has fought for position in the post only to have Mobley look dead at him and dribble on by. Instead, he forces up bad shots or attacks the zone one-on-one only to wind up turning over the ball. Then once this has occurred, he'll commit an unnecessary foul out of anger & frustration thereby compounding his mistake.

Given where Mobley was taken in the 2nd round, he's been somewhat of a steal. The question that now must be answered is whether or not there exists room for improvement in his game so that he can step it up to the next level. He plays a key position that requires far more consistency than he has shown to date. On that question, the jury is still out.

 

How do you even compare the talent of Flip Murray to Cuttino Mobley? Murray only shot 29.3% from 3 and 42.5% overall. Mobley shot 39% from 3. Murray averaged 2.5 assists vs. Mobley 3.2 assists. Murray had a great first month that was it. Nobody knew who he was or how to defend him. And he was so inconsisstent posting 20 points one night then 0 the next. Murray also couldn't play defense. I had both players on my fantasy basketball league and i can tell you mobley was far more valuable. I ended up cutting murray half way through the year and nobody picked him back up. Flip isn't good. He is an average player on an awful team. Don't ever mention Flip being on mobley's level.

 

Doug Christie= No offense
Richard Hamilton= relies on picks to get open
Corey Maggete= good
Brent Barry= overrated
Harpring= a foward not a guard. jump shooter
Posey= not great scorer
b. jackson= energy
j. richardson=great athlete, poor shooter
j. johnson= alright
q. rich= one good season. underated. injuries past 2 seasons
pietrus= who? bench for the clippers.
flip= sucks can't say much more

 

This is what I have observed as well, and it's extremely frustrating to watch. I don't really recall how well Cat meshed with Hakeem that one year he played PG, so I'm not sure if this problem can be cured once Steve is gone (even though I am inclined to say no since that last play where he took it to Shaq and got blocked is forever etched to my retina). Maybe someone can comment on that to add to the current discussion of Cat, which seems to be focused his individual virtues.

 

All, I have to say, as other posters have covered important areas between the Hamilton and Cat comparison. The facts that Hamilton relies on pick and rolls to get open, and Cat doesn't. The facts that Hamilton has no d whatsoever. And Hamilton hasn't outplayed Kobe, Hamilton played well in game 3 thanks to all the pick n rolls and thanks to linsey hunter, Prince and Billups picking up his lack of D against Kobe.
Cat has NOT suffered from the zone like Steve has, to say that is to really reach for an argument. And Cat is not streaky, for all the talk of his streaky shooting. AI is freaking streaky and O is the only aspect of the game he relies on. No one mentions that the times he does brick shots is the FEW times ,which he is learning, and did well in minimizing this year, is when he feels the impulse to get points on the board no matter what and starts to "jack up" shots and play out of the flow of the game.

And that is the ONLY cause of his so-called "streaky shooting", because what makes him such a great intelligent slasher is due to him having a great finish. Again, people fail to notice the importance of what I say when I repeat "he can jump through a key hole" and go on about his smooth quick drives to the basket, that leave little to no physical contact, and can do it on and off the dribble. People, he does this, on his own, with no picks n rolls. And when he stays within the flow of the game, as he improved this season more than his entire career, his game, his slashing and offensive intelligence and defense overall balanced game is as automatic and as well suited for this team than any other two in the league. NO freaking way do I give up Cat's overall balanced game, and his talents that fit this team incredibly well, for Allen Iverson's all O game. What do you want, to gain more offense only to give Yao fits at the defensive end, tire him out even further when those gaurds AI is gaurding zip right through him with "ease"? I haven't ONCE questioned or said Cat's offensive game is better than AI's or that Cat>AI in the league. But, that Cat is better than AI OVERALL, and for this team at this stage in their careers.
And you telling me AI is only 3 months older than Cat, proves how more capable of learning and flexibile is Cat than in AI. Afterall, only 3 months older and AI still does nothing more than score heaps at a 400% clip. No thanks, I'd rather keep Cat and grab someone with a better more efficient, and YOUNGER overall game "T-mac", who will with a doubt, and i can't predict the future but, but im pretty confident, will with a doubt regain his want to play defense with JVG as his coach.

I have never been impressed with AI, as I have not been impressed with Steve. Steve could go to the east, run around and jack up and jack up shots as soon as his hands touch the ball, and get you all those fabulous 30pts that you love from AI at a .400 percentage. And he'll be voted all nba 3rd, 2nd and be voted in the All Star game his entire career, and I still wouldn't want him on the Rockets. I'd much rather have a well balanced talented team, like Cat, T-mac and yao. Than AI and Yao. Hell, man that wouldn't get us out of the first round. Never said AI is done, but he's old and has never learned any new tricks, same old same old overrated 30pts .400% one dimensional game.
I can't believe you seriously would want AI on this Rockets' team. A one trick pony, streaky as hell, but of course.. has a lot of heart

 

without a doubt*

 

When you trade a player, of course you want to get better in return. If you get better, you trade the player, if you can't, you don't. Doesn't matter the said player is Jordan or Moochie. Defense, salaries etc are all considered.

That's just common sense so what's the point of this thread ??? It's one thing to appreciate cat, it's another to say "whatever we do don't trade him" .

Of course we won't trade cat for Rip or AI, nobody has EVER made such proposals, so what are people bitterly arguing about ???

 

The point is that you'd haveto be crazy to think that Mobley is on Iverson or Hamilton's level.

Believe me, I hate Iverson. I have never considered him among the top 5 players in the league, and rarely among the top 10.

It's still better than Mobley though.


Rip Hamilton is 2 games from leading his team to an NBA title. Make no mistake about it, he is the guy that LED them here, because he has played consistently great throughout the entire playoffs - whether it's Kobe, Artest, or Desmond Mason guarding him.

 

And I point out, never did I say Mobley was on their level. But, that they weren't better than Mobley overall, meaning in an overall balanced game, which of coures fits this Rocket's team perfectly. I mean really, Hamilton is a good 2 gaurd, has really helped his team, but I wouldn't put him that FAR up the list above Cat when it comes to two's in the league. You must give credit to the team Hamilton is in, he has the perfect guys to set him those pick n rolls, the perfect perimeter help to aid his lack of defense so he doesn't face the pressure of playing a two like Kobe on both ends of the court. I mean you hear the praise comming from media to players, that Detroit plays excellent team defense and team offense. They truely play for eachother, and help eachother.
As for Mobley, he's never been involved in such a team with that good chemistry. I seriously doubt Hamilton would've been as successful this season had he been playing alongside Steve and Yao, not to mention the lack of chemistry of our roster that has been painfully obvious for years and never gotten better. So, to see Mobley learn and mature under such conditions, in ways that do elevate his game in one season under a new coach. Really makes me believe that Mobley would be pretty darn essential towards building a team that has players that can play off eachother, and help eachother in very beneficial ways. That's why I dream of that Cat, T-mac and Yao possible line up. No way those three conflict eachother in anyway, and their styles and form of play, really meshes well. I believe with those three, and another year of JVG. Cat could really benefit and you'd see him improve further, and show true solid consistency on both ends of the floor like you've never seen from him. And of course T-mac would benefit and Yao would benefit.

That's all the point I've tried to make, don't sell Mobley short. He has the right coachn finally to help him come along. You put him as a third option on a team with good chemistry, and I believe you'll really see him climb the charts when it comes to two's and their overall rating.

 

How old is Mobley? Do you think that he might be set in his ways or do you think with Francis gone that Cat might now become a full team player rather than a subordinate of the Franchise?

 

Although your entire response displayed that you somewhat missed the premise of my post you replied to, I amazed that you do not know who Pietrus is.

Pietrus is a dream player for the system we run here. I am not sure if you were trying to be sarcastic but he plays for the warriors. Since you do not know him I'd suggest that you go brush up your knowlegde of him first before attempting to respond (and please to go to NBA.com and provide me with his stats).

 

What did Cat do this year that makes you think he will get anybetter? I think he has peaked. I like him but lets get serious how much better can he get? He settles way too much for that outside shot. I am not saying the rockets should trade him but you talk like he is a basketball god! Get over the Yao only stuff man! Let it go!