People here just dont get it. The same way we set a standard for steve francis to blossom into a leader, a complete player, a superstar, we were all disappointed. the same way with yao. We had high expectations for him after his rookie season, then the progress that he had the past two years was good but not great. Its just so hard to compare him with the likes of lebron and amare becoz it would be unfair for the big guy. Lets just accept the fact that hes just not good enough. He cant carry this team all by himself. he is no hakeem or shaq anyways. There are so many factors why he just cant be the dominant player he should be. JVG, foul trouble, lack of of stamina and mean streak, timid, soft, every worse nightmare of a coach and team manager yao seems to have it.
I wish there were a committee to decide who are worthy fans and who are not. Not saying you shouldn't criticize, but geeez...If you expecting Yao the be the next Wilt Chamberlin, then your post makes sense. I expected him to be a ~20/10 guy. He's doing that. Sure, Yao frustrates, but I also remember, well I'm not 300+ lbs and 7'6'' with less coordination than my opponents. Yet...he still holds his own. Yet...is there some special power he's supposed to have to make sure his teammates shoot better? If there is, man, let us in on the secret. Last night (Dallas) guys shot better. We were playing with the Mavs. The Mavs are a very good team. We truly need a healthy squad to beat them. If you can pull out a win without a T-Mac, you should consider yourself lucky.
there is a lot of truth in your post, but like you said, there are so many factors. A "star" player (or whatever you want to call Yao in this case) simply can't do it on his own. He does need help. Last time I checked, there are 5 players on the court during the entire game. A great player can take over...for a quarter lets say...really great, a half or even an entire game (rare). You still need you team to back you up.
I think Yao has the mental toughness. He just doesn't have the stamina. He tried hard, but doesn't help much. Another weakness of his is turnovers, which is also caused by his natural limitations, i.e. slow speed and slow reaction time.
Yao is what he is. A very good, skilled basketball player. Probably not a superstar, but... Yao, unfortunately for him, just happened to come to the franchise where Hakeem Olajuwon was a very good, skilled, physically gifted, superstar level center. We saw possibly the best center ever, and now we expect Yao to duplicate that. Won't happen.
Roxgirl makes an excellent point. Yao is a very good player and for those here who want to constantly b**** him out, imagine what it would have been like for the Rockets if last night it was the Mavericks with Yao while the Rockets started Eric Dampier. Yao is playing night in and night out with virtually NO help from the PF spot. That allows opposing teams to focus all of their front line defensive efforts on Yao because they know (and this is demonstrated night after night) that Howard, Bowen & Swift don't bring enough to the table to seriously threaten anybody. The guy is consistently double and triple teamed with guys running at him from all angles and I just don't know what more he can do especially if Ewing & JVG continue to insist that he plant himself down on the low post when he can get buried in the opponent's zone defense. Last night's game was respectable for the Rockets because for once, they actually got some real production out of the guard position with Head's breakout performance. They lost the game because they had no answer for Jason Terry & Dirk Nowitzski. The numbers don't lie: For the guards, Head finished with 28 points. After that you have Anderson with 19, Wesley with 5, Norris with 4 and Barry with 0. Compare that to the Mavericks where you had Terry with 29, Daniels with 10 and Harris with 7. Without Head's points this would have been much worse. The game was lost on the frontline. Yao put up 20 points to Dampier's 2 but the Rocket frontline was completely outclassed by the Mavericks. After Yao's 20 points, you have Howard with 3 points, Bowen with 3 points, Swift with 9 points, and Deke with 4. Compare that to the Mavericks where Dirk had 31 points, Howard had 15 and Diop had 6. Yao is not Shaq nor is he Hakeem. Nor will he ever be. What he is a big man with skills who is not being utilized to his full advantage in JVG's system because JVG wants him to rigidly fit into his system rather that take advantage of his basketball skills but this is a discussion for another time.
Are you talking about the Lebron who led his team to the lottory and the Amare who played with the league MVP?
Now we are being harsh on Yao. we all have to realize that this is how he is going to play. this is his style... dont expect an Olajuwon out of him. i was waiting on that expectation as well but have accepted the fact that this is the best we will get. Yao cannot lead a team by himself. he does need to work on his determination, especially down the stretch when we need a playmaker. if anyone is to blame, its the staff for rockets. stop making Yao run those screens and run back to get his position every time. he is 7-6!!! the gameplay is getting him tired towards the end of the game and if you notice, by the fourth quarter, there is no Yao. what we need is not to suggest on Yao but to get better POWER FORWARDS to help him out. as slow as yao is, we need SERIOUS HELP in the PF position. what the heck does howard and swift do? so far.. NOTHING, no help. accept that this is YAO for us. and he WILL get better.... very slowly!!!
He's actually talking about Lebron who is scoring 30PPG and whose team is 9-2 and Amare whose team we have a chance to beat because he's not playing
Some Rockets fans have been spoiled because Yao plays just about every game in a season. If Yao gets injured for any long period of time, most of you haters would be crying for him to get back.
On the flipside, you have Lebron who led his team to lottery twice and Amare who led Suns to 0-5 last season with Nash out.
Tim Breaux has some knowledge to dispense...sit at attention ya'll.. That young fella Luther really stepped up last night...got to give him props...that's just like I used to do back in the day when called upon...HEE HEE..getting in the game...nobody expectin nothin...and then BAM! Steal em! While I 'm rootin for the young fella too and I think he will be choice in this league in a few years...he ain't gonna lead the team in scorin a whole lot this year... Pressure is a Bee-otch and Luther is feelin none...on the other hand...let's see him produce EVERY night like ya'll EXPECT Yao and Tracey to do. Talk all in the papers about a losing streak...what wrong? What's right? Alot of the Rockets have wilted over the last few games...it ain't easy. Pressure make you try too hard...think too much...do things you normally wouldn't do... Not to defend Yao...because if you get that max money you better go out and do max stuff...but he sure runs around that court alot for a REALLY big guy...Shaq don't do it...Eaton didn't do it...my boy the Dream didn't do it...heck...only play Dream knew was "post up". Maybe coach will adjust a little...that will probably happen. But in addition...Yao needs to imagine somebody kidnapped his mama and holdin her for ransom...get that fire...get that hunger. It ain't got nothin to do with stamina...he's running that floor with the pack...he just ain't payin attention...he ain't thinkin. He's lettin it come to him. It's just like in that movie where those killas kidnap that white boy's kid...and at first he's all sad and cryin and goin along with em...but then...he snaps and says, "Hell naw! Kill em if you want to (cause you probably already gonna do it anyhow) but I ain't gonna be yo bee-otch. I'm the problem now!"...remember that? Can't remember the name...but I got the dvd.. That's what the big fella gotta do...that's the attitude he gotta embrace. "We will probably lose...we don't have our main guy...but...if you was expectin me to lay down and take it like one of your girl's on the road...then you got another thing comin! I'm the problem...and if you want it, come and get it...but you may lose yo teeth!" Tha's what he gotta do...damn...that's beautiful...Tim Breaux gotta tear in his eye typin dat. Tim Breaux has spoken...and as usual it was something people want to hear...now it's back to the bench to talk to CJ...I'll be back when needed. All is well in Rocketland
LeBron had a great season last year, and the year before that. His team failed to make the playoffs both times (in the East at that). His team is 9-2 this year because his GM did a good job of surrounding him with help, and that help is IN THE LINEUP. Last time I checked, T-Mac was hurt. So is Raef, and Sura.... I'm not saying I am 100% satisfied with Yao's play, but even Kobe, KG and T-Mac have shown they can't carry teams alone in todays league.
Tim Breaux, got damn...the truth has been spoken. "Some Rockets fans have been spoiled because Yao plays just about every game in a season. If Yao gets injured for any long period of time, most of you haters would be crying for him to get back." Truth spoken again.
If this guy isn't the real Tim Breaux, then that wasn't a bad impersonation. I always enjoy reading a post from someone who talks in 3rd person.
Yes, Yao is frustrating... He is TO-prone. He is foul-prone. He is not finishing up well. ... But please, don't question his heart! Does he want to win as much as anyone in the team? Does he want to contribute as much as he can? Does he play to his physical/mental limits? Is he willing to make extra efforts to improve himself? But, Yao, it's your team now as T-Mac is out. it's time to show your leadership! When you shoots well, demand the ball more. When you are energetic. Attack, attack and attack. When you are tired, get your teammates involved. Take yourself out of the game if necessary. When you are shooting horriblily, you need to stay focused and calm. Make good decisions on the ball. Encourage your team mates to shoot. When your team is leading, keep the team alearted. When you are losing, step up your game and give the team hope. ... As a true fan, believe in a championship's heart!
Najera is licking his chops thinking about exposing Yao. Jeff Foster called dibs. And Buckner is demanding that he get to cover him. I've adjusted my expectations of the Big Tease from minimal to absolutely nothing in the 2nd half. If he is not going to contribute, at least don't take away anything from the table. Might as well stay in the locker room if he is going to take a dump after halftime.
Thank you! Yao's limitations are mostly physical. Many people think that's just an "excuse" for Yao's poor play, and that he should play up to his contract. This has nothing to do with excuses. It's just the way things are. Yao's size severely limits his ability to do many things. As a result, he's just not the workhorse, team-carrying player that everyone expects him to be. Do you expect Moochie to be able to carry this team? No, because there are physical/mental/talent limitations to what he's capable of doing. It's the same damn thing with Yao. Does that mean Yao doesn't deserve his contract? Perhaps...but every GM in the league would've offered him the same contract. Moreover, half the players with max contracts aren't team-carrying franchise players either. You can't change the type of player Yao is. Do I wish he had ended up being a dominant force night-in and night-out? Of course I do, and it's unfortunate things didn't turn out that way. However, regardless of what his ceiling is, I'm damn glad we have an all-star caliber, solid big man on our team.
