http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6239702 Staying centered on Ming hype A basketball nation turns its lonely eyes to Shaquille O'Neal. Where have you and all of the other centers gone, Shaq? Well, Shaq's been on another tour of the injured list. And even when he returns to the Miami Heat, his aging physique could remain the prisoner of an inability to finish those commercials for Nestle and Burger King in anything near one take. Into O'Neal's considerable wake steps Yao Ming. Yao, now a spry 26-year-old, generally is considered the top center in basketball (at least until Ohio State's first game under the courtside analysis of Dick Vitale). Shaq forfeited the crown by providing a relatively pedestrian 20 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last year ... a championship year. While leading the Houston Rockets to 11 victories in 16 games, Yao has demonstrated across-the-board improvement that would suggest his worthiness. But before the coronation, some NBA watchdogs are wondering if he's reached center stage by default. Due to semantics, challengers to the throne may include Sacramento's post-avoiding Brad Miller and Utah's number-producing Mehmet Okur. Forward tags have eliminated San Antonio superstar Tim Duncan, who's really been playing the center position his entire career. Orlando Magic 20-year-old Dwight Howard also is referred to as a power forward, but generally lines up in the middle. Among card-carrying centers, the top rank has been bestowed upon Yao, whose rise is marked by swell numbers — 25.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on 52.8-percent shooting. "He really has taken his game to the next level," said a cliche-flipping assistant coach currently employed by another Western Conference team. "Yao's always been a solid scorer in the paint and facing up, but I think his strength, focus and understanding of the NBA game are reasons for the improvement." Yao, now listed at 7-foot-6 and a sturdy 310 pounds, has turned this added strength and stamina into increased productivity in the fourth quarter. "In the old days, you could count on him to fade down the stretch in big games," said our first coach. Our second coaching witness is here to offer critical balance. "Sure, he's really good, but Yao needs to show consistency over a period of time before I'll call him great," said assistant coach No. 2. OK, where are the consistency issues? "The Rockets live and die on his scoring. He gives 'em 27 in the wins and 22 in the losses. This shows he's their MVP, but also shows that he needs to raise his level in every game. "And he seems in better condition, but his scoring drops six points on the second night of a back-to-back situation. Now that's an average over a small sample of games, but great players get it done in those deals." A review of Tim Duncan's numbers, for example, shows the superSpur has averaged more points and a higher field-goal percentage in Game 2 of his team's first five back-to-back challenges. In addition to consistency of production in back-to-back situations, coach No. 2 has other Yao nits to pick. "He still needs to improve his passing out of the double team. Yao's improved his timing at shot blocks, but Houston's defensive improvement is more because they now have (Shane) Battier. "Yao also needs to rebound better than about 10. That numbers sounds good, but the guy is 7-6 with a really strong lower body. He's been really outstanding on the boards in some games and not so hot in others. He also may never be great on screen-roll defense, but he needs to be able to recover on the boards after showing hard on the pick." Let's see ... better passing, increased stamina, more defensive tenacity. Do these lessening liabilities add up to a player coach No. 2 would prefer not having on his side? "Of course not. What am I, an idiot? Hey, the guy has been a force, is a force and will be a force. If there's some anti-Yao thing out there, it may be because he's not flashy, not because he's Chinese. He doesn't have many highlight dunks. "Remember, the best low-post guy in the league for a while has been Duncan. And he doesn't get nearly enough props."
Critics are nuts. Now they are ranting about his production in games that are the second of back to backs?
And you wonder what they are going to pick on next...may be it's "Yao is still not great enough because his scoring usually drop in those games played on Black Friday."
Oh well, at least we don't have to hear endless rambling about his freethrow percentages along with all the other "weaknesses" he has. And he may be somewhat of a finesse player, but at least he has moves to go to when the refs decide to call every bump an offensive foul. I swear, if the refs called Shaq the way they called Yao, Shaq would have been an overgrown Kelvin Cato instead of the MDE.
After he said that Yao has been tremendous on the second of back to backs. This year not so much (sample size is way too small). Even last year's size was small, but excluding the Jazz game where he left with a broken foot 8 minutes into the game, Yao was dropping 23.7 and 10.5 in the second of back to back games.
On one hand, they have to talk about Yao now because he is great; On the other hand, they are trying every possible way to pick his nick. What do you call this ? Yes, Pathetic.
Production on the second game of back to backs is a legitimate area to critique. But 3 games is hardly a significant sample size. Yao has played well, in general, in past years in back to back situations (which JVG noted in the press conference). Does anyone know what Yao's stats are quarter by quarter? If I had to guess, I'd say that they are significantly worse in the second half than first half.
Yeah Yao needs to work on that. I don't have stats either, but they are worse. Just take last night for example. 23 first half points. Only 4 2nd half points. Yes he didn't play the 4th, but only 4 3rd qtr points was kind of bad. I would guess his 4th qtr stats are pretty bad for the most part as well.
no matter how good is yao, there are always some one out there who criticize Yao. From my point of views, what i see is yao's improvement each year, it' slike a stepladder, he is up one level each season. What else do you expect from YAO. Jordan won his first title in his 7th career year, give him a break. Yao is a quick learner. just look at how many fouls he got this year, he is basically out of foul trouble, isn't that a great improvement? Anyway, let's talk about how good is Yao this season after 82 games. ^_^ We do need to see yao in a long-term-rock-solid-form.
Yao usually score a bunch of points in the 1st half. More often than not, the players who kill the other teams in the first half would quiet down in the 2nd half (to different extent). Yao is no exception. It's mainly because of the adjustment of the other teams in half time.
Are you kidding me ? We already built a huge lead by half time. Things changed. Furthermore, if Yao kept doing the damage, what about TMAC ? It's not only about Yao, buddy. Open your mind.
It gets old hearing these people always say who isn't a center before they say that Yao's the best. If DHoward plays center then lump him in there too and you can still say Yao is better...maybe not TD but oh well....and I think it's a little early to say Oden is better than Yao as a freshman in college..
The whole "he's tall, so he should grab 15 boards" is a little tired. Look at the really talls guys and find me an unusually good rebounder. These are the giants that I can remember: Arvydas Sabonis, 7'3", 1995-2003, Career 7.3 RPG, Best Year 10.0 RPG Zydrunas Ilgauskas, 7'3", 1997-Present, Career 7.7 RPG, Best Year 8.8 RPG Rik Smits, 7'4", 1988-2000, Career 6.1 RPG, Best Year 8.7 RPG Shawn Bradley, 7'5", 1993-2005, Career 6.3 RPG, Best Year 8.8 RPG Ralph Sampson, 7'4", 1983-1992, Career 8.8 RPG, Best Year 11.1 RPG Mark Eaton, 7'3", 1982-1993, Career 7.9 RPG, Best Year 11.3 RPG Manute Bol, 7'6", 1985-1995, Career 4.2 RPG, Best Year 6.0 RPG Yao has the best average along with Ralph, and I dare say teams threw up a few more shots back in Ralph's day leading to a few more rebound opportunities. Yao Ming, 7.5", 2002-Present, Career 8.8 RPG, Best Year 10.2 RPG The least these guys could do is give the subject just a little thought. Naturally, if Barkley can grab 11.7 RPG for a career at 6'5", then surely every 6'6" guy can grab 11.8, right?
Is it possible that because he scored 23 in first half and the other team decided to adjust and double him in the second half?
To be fair to the author, he didn't say it. He is just poking fun at Dick Vitale who'd come up with a hyperbole like that.
Another insightful post from one of the most respected intelligent posters on this board. But if a Yao nut sucking monkey like me is allowed to throw some BS here, how about looking at the issue from a different angle: could it be also possible that Timmy the Big Fundamental aka mister-don't-count-on-my-FT-shooting-if-a-game-is-on-the-line often couldn't get off to a fast start in the 1st of two back-to-back games? Or how about we call Rafer the most clutch player on this Rockets team since he now possesses the knack for hitting big 3s at crunch times despite shooting pathetically during most of the early game time?
valid crtitisim on Yao. If Yao could improve on some of the things mentioned, we are sure a contender for years to come. History has proved that Yao will.
I've decided its not Yao who has a problem with American culture of basketball, its the American culture of basketball has a problem with Yao. IMO definite evidence that American basketball has no respect for fundamentals....I guess if Yao average 2 360 slam dunks a game instead of over 20 pts. he would get respect. Let all these people play their PS3 basketball night in and night out and Yao can keep dominating their sissy guard heavy league.
