Who has a better chance of starting Ming or Nachbar.

I don't expect either one to start over Cato or Rice. Even Griffin didn't start last year over KT until he was injured. But I do expect them to be getting decent playing time and even more later in the season. I don't know where TMo will get playing time, ahead, behind or along side Nachbar. Maybe he will ride the pine. I guess it will all depend on how they play in practice.

 

I agree, neither. BUT, since you're asking who has the BETTER chance, I'd have to say Nachbar. Rice has a chance to get injured at any time, but Cato will avoid any dangerous activities like working out..... working on his game..... watching film....... going over the new offense......well, you get my point.

 

I think Nachbar will be the starter fron the get go. Remember he has already played professionaly.

 

I don't see why Ming can't start! All that we have ahead of him is the 'established' Kelvin Cato.

I thought Cato's play over the second half of last season was great - don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased with Kelvin right now, BUT...

Ming has also been playing professionally (they do pay the players in China you know) and has carried his team to the national championship (sure, not the same level of competition as Nachbar). And I would think that at the least, Ming could provide the Rockets with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block in his first game (which is about the most we could expect from Cato). Plus the fact that he would provide options offensively that Cato just doesn't.

The only thing that would hold Ming back is missing summer camp and pre-season play.

Regardless, I think Ming is almost certain to start come the first game of the new season.


On the other hand, Nachbar stands behind a few players in the rotation right now - it's doubtful that he starts over Glen Rice (seniority) and it's possible that MoT and Griffin could play together as the forwards in stretches. Nachbar will probably come off the bench and play significant minutes.

 

What's better for Cato's confidence,

1) letting him know from the get go that he is the back-up center

or

2) benching him during the middle of the season

I think starting Ming from the get go may give Cato time to adjust psychologically. I think Cato could come in play the role of the energizer bunny..block some shots and dunk a few alley-hoops. If Rudy benched him during the season for his poor play or Ming's emergence, I think Cato would just quit.

 

What's the preseason, like 8 - 10 games?

They'll pretty much know after those "controlled scrimages" who the man will be at center. Natch's time will probably come mid-season, or as soon as Rice is injured again.

Rice is like a saltine cracker.... tastes ok with something on it, but always broken after removed from the wrapper.

 

I think the chances are about even. Both would have to come in and play exceptionally well as rookies to start at the beginning of the season. Nachbar will have more time to learn the offense and work with the team since he will play in the summer league and have a full training camp. He would have to unseat Glenn Rice which will be difficult to do if Rice is healthy. (Morris could be a suprise this year as well since he has a year in the league under his belt.) Yao may not have as stiff of competition in Cato (unless Cato gets realy motivated) but he will have less time to learn the system. I don't think either will start soon but Nachbar will probably get more minutes off the bench at first.

 

hey rudy let francis,mobley,and dickerson start their rookie years. why not ming and nachbar?

 

I think Rice would be better off of the bench. Nachbar should start if Rudy thinks he is ready.

 

Francis wasn't really ready, but all he had is Mobley who was really a 2 to beat out. Ming should start and Cato should go to the bench and told he could be the energy off te bench. I'm probably one of the few that think youth is better served. Francis,Mobley,Nachbar,Griffin and Ming all starting with Rice,Taylor, Cato and Norris coming in off the bench. If nothing else they have these veterans to back them up and help out if they are not playing well in the early part of the games.

 

They'll both start by Thanksgiving. Check out my starting five.....

 

If the question is: who has a better chance to start, then the most likely answer is Nachbar. This is only based on the greater probability that Rice will be injured this season than Cato.

Now, if you mean who will earn a starting spot first, then I'll have to go with Yao, if only because we have more swing men that can man the 3 spot before Nachbar, than we have to cover the 5 after Cato. Also, assuming our players can stay healthy [crosses fingers], Rice is a more talented player than Cato, so will be harder to beat out of his starting job.

 

I think you HAVE to start Cato, even though it goes against all of my principles. Granted, I wasn't able to watch a GAME last year--perhaps the man has improved, perhaps even drastically. All I know about Cato is that he is, or at least was, a lazy semi-headcase.
With the current situation, it's obvious that Ming is our center of the future. Regardless what we do with Cato, he's leaving a long time before Ming, I'm almost sure of that (unless Ming turns out to be the flop that many think).
If we start Ming from the get-go, why does Cato have ANY reason to give us some emotion, give us some fire, off the bench? We're saying, "Hey, you're almost as good as a lanky 7'5" player who's never played an NBA game--why don't you go out there and play some garbage minutes? That'll fire you up." There is a possibility (EXTREMELY SLIGHT, IMHO) that Cato will try to actually PLAY for his job if we let him try in the beginning. What if he starts using what he has? It's obvious that the guy doesn't really care a WHOLE ton from a "Let's go team" standpoint, but maybe the pride and selfishness in him will make him want to show up the new "star."
As I said, I didn't see him last year, so perhaps I'm a bit out of line with this one. That's just how I see it.
However, if we can trade him before, that'd be even better...

 

Under no circumstances will either of them start. If Rice isn't available, he'll start Oscar or TMo before Boki. That's Rudy.

Cato will start as well, esp. since Yao is joining the team late.

All bets are off about a month into the season. If they establish themselves, Yao and Boki can earn their PT and starting roles.

 

Nachbar will be first, possibly from the start. He is already in town getting ready for summer leagues. If he dominates this summer, who is going to stop him? Rice? I would not be shocked if he was playing alot at SG next year, with SF.

Ming is not ready to start. He could easily start at SF/PF, but he is not strong enough to handle the middle in the NBA. Dont get me wrong, I have total confidence that he will build up the strength in the next few years, but we need somebody like Cato/Willis to put on bodies. Ming's biggest weakness is defense.

I do hope that Rudy sends a trainer (asian) to China to work with Ming on upper body strength. Ming has to learn that working out with CBA talent, 2 times a day is not going to prepare him for the NBA. He needs to be in the gym 3-4 times a week building muscle.

 

How do you 'know' this? I love how everybody has such a strong opinion about this guy yet virtually nobody has seen him play. If he has a strong finese (oxymoron) game, then he won't need to battle all that much since his footwork will be more important.

 

I'm 90% sure that Ming will start. The team will need to grow quickly. That's the only way. I think Nachbar may be a 6th man most of his career to be honest. Not because he's bad, but that's just how it's going to work out.

 

Ming won't start right away. He needs to learn the Rockets' system. It sounds like they'll begin to work with him in China, but it won't be with the team.

I also think that Nachbar won't start right away unless Rice shows that he has not recovered from his injury. Rice is proven and he could be a great steadying influence. Nachbar could be a great instant-offense off the bench, giving him the sense of contribution while he adjusts to the NBA. This could factor into him becoming a permanent 6th man this year. I could see him starting come playoff time, though, as there's a good chance Rice will have some significant off time due to an injury through the season, and Nachbar seems smart enough to adjust.

That said, Cato has a lot to prove, but if he's upset as it is rumored, there's probably more dead periods for him to ride the pine and give Ming the starting nod. This is the biggest weakness for the Rockets this year if Yao has trouble learning the system, staying out of foul trouble or physically withstanding the NBA-style punishment he'll recieve. I'd rather have Mr. Mean don the pinstripes and play in his 40's than an unstable Cato, even though Cato showed much improvement last year. Here's to Cato proving me wrong.

 

How can Eddie start this year? Seriously, he had trouble last year learning the system according to many analysts (tell me if I'm wrong, I only saw a few games the whole season). Mo Taylor still has many potent weapons and he's strong. KT showed last year he can be very effective, too.

How does Eddie beat out both of these guys to start this year?