Add another vote to: Only situationally. Cato just doesn't have the skill required of a 4, these days. We need someone who can remove the pressure from Yao on offense. Cato could not do this. Cato is one of the least skilled players in the NBA. On defense, I see it more as a mixed blessing. It would mean a truly fantastic presence in the middle, with great shot blocking. Unfortunately, we'd have trouble guarding the quicker 4's... and we'd have all sorts of trouble w/the perimeter.
I hope you are joking! I don't know if you just started watching Rockets games or what, but Cato has been able to show that he cant even guard Shaq's jock strap. When Cato is defending Shaq, Shaq pretty much dominates the whole game. End of story.
I, as well, think that Cato will be on the move. With Yao Ming's 29 mpg to surely rise, you have to expect Cato will not see as much of the floor as last year. Cato's 17 mpg may fall by as much as 5 minutes. And unless JVG plays Cato at the 4 or otherwise if Yao is fatigued, I honestly don't believe that the Rockets will keep his large contract around for so few minutes. And I know CD is not the best GM, but keeping Cato is just not good organizational management. You've got to sell your stock when it's high. Bring Artest to Houston!!!!
OK ther seems to be a consensus that in some situations we could use the two big guys together. If we do, who are the three other players with them? And for extra credit, in what situations would you use the tall boy line up?
Anyone would be dominated by Shaq but I'd rather have Cato being worn down and picking up fouls moreso than Yao. Cato did as well as anyone else did against shaq which isn't really good but you have to take the lesser of 2 evils. Yao in foul trouble? or Cato in foul trouble? I'll take Cato with a shaq-bow upside the head any day of the week.
I think if Yao and Cato are playing at the same time, then we'd have to have Stevie, Pike, and Mobley. To make up for Cato's liability on offense, we need Pike's deadeye shooting. I might replace Mobley with AG if JVG wants to play a 3-2 zone. A gross (tall) lineup would be Yao, Cato, EG, Rice, Mobley. Not that it'd ever happen, but that's a pretty tall lineup.
Cato and Yao both pick up fouls very quickly, and neither have much stamina. I don't think it would work.
I'd like to see this in a game. I've heard they did it in practice and it didn't work. Still, I'd really like to see this attempted.
If all you are talking about is fouling Shaq, you don't have to pay someone 7 million dollars a year to accomplish that.
1. You have to make sure your 3 could shoot. It doesn't work with a 3 who doesn't have an excellent shot. 2. When they: A. had a "true" C and B. a "rebounding and defense" 4. If either player is good at stepping out, we'd lack mobility with that line-up to cover them. If the 4 is fast and has a shot, Cato doesn't match-up well. On the other hand, of the 4 is someone Cato could cheat off of, that'd provide an excellent 2nd shotblocking threat.
Nice points all. I hear ya concerning some of the elite PF's who could pull him out. Although I'm not sure who we have that could shut down a Rasheed or Dirk. I defintely don't think Cato is a complete enough player to consider it a Twin Towers concept. On the offensive end Cato is definitely limited in the low post moves dept but when left open near the basket he does take it to the rim very strong. Yao being an adept passer and likely to demand the double Cato would probably be the first option to double off of. My big lineup would be Francis PG Mobley SG Ming C Cato PF Griffin SF Obviously this would work out better against a team with a post-up slash and cut to the basket offense. I acknowledge your points of view if he has to guard the perimeter. But it would make an awesome low post defensive presence and provide great rebounding.
I would like too be able, but Cato has a hard enough time guarding people that are much larger than he is. I thinK Cato would get his ass handed to him by the quickness and tuffness of most of the power fowards in the league. Our best hope is for Eddie Griffin to come clean with his skills.
we should play Cato at 4 on offense and 5 on defense. allow Yao to play the 4 man on D. The only power forwards Yao will have a hard time guarding are the ones that shoot a lot of outside shots. How many of those are out there other than dirk. KG shoots 3s occasionally and Rasheed is just a knuckle head. Other than those 3, Yao would be able to do a good job at 4 Defensively. When we do play those teams that have an ourside shooting 4, just insert EG into the game early.
Did anyone in this thread WATCH any games last year??????? Do you NOT remember when Rudy put Cato at the four!!!! This was tried several games and it was very unsuccessful. The fact of the matter is Cato plays like a center! It does not matter whether you put him at the PF or not, it's still like two centers at the same time. You can't put Cato in the PF position and say "hey, be a power forward." Or vice versus with Yao. This whole notion of Cato or Yao of all people playing the 4 is just plain stupid. IMO, Cato is very expendable!! I'm having visions of Cato in a Pacers jersey.
That line-up doesn't work at all. Out of all those players, who all can hit the perimeter shot? Francis. Mobley. You don't have a single pure shooter, which you probably have to have to keep defenses remotely honest when fielding a Yao-Cato combination. And to make up for the O you lose w/Cato at the 4. Moreover, there's already a problem of defensive quickness. Guess what? Eddie doesn't have that much lateral quickness, either. Perimeter players would have a field day against us.
I wouldn't move cato because .......griffen should be alright after VG slap the sissy out of him....... Then maybe he will play in the paint with the big boys............. instead of jacking"a crap load of bricks like hes use too.
It sounds like a good idea to have a 6'11" and 7'6" on the court at the same time, but not only is offense at the 4 a problem and him gaurding quicker 4's, but then DEPTH becomes the problem. If Yao comes out, you could say move Cato to the C, but we don't want Cato playing 48 minutes or even 30. We want him on the floor when Yao isn't. Cato is more useful as an enforcer/sparkplug when Yao isn't playing. I like the idea of EG's and Mo-T's offense combined with Yao in the starting lineup better.
Sorry to inform you, but this might not be the best thing in the world to do. I agree that in some situations last year Yao and Cato most definitely should have been in the game together to more of a defensive wall. But playing both of them at the same time creates some serious depth problems that can only spell "loses" out in the Western Confrence. So get another good back up center and go for it man.
What about that center they signed... im not assuming that he will make the team... but what if he does.. maybe Yao and Cato can go 5 and 4 for about 5 minutes every game...
