"In a couple of years, he's going to be the best player in the game." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/assistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/1845914 wow, thats a hell of a compliment right there. i'd say thats right up there with that 'he's a gift from God" Iverson quote. maybe we should start keeping a record of these. someone print the article if you can because what eddie had to say was pretty interesting.
By the way, did you guys read the rest of the Chonicle story? Sounds like there's a lot of dissention in the locker room. Although otherwise understandable, the strange thing was that EG was complaining about selfish ball when the guy took 9 shots! Only 2 fewer than Yao. I hope they don't let this game affect them for the rest of the trip b/c they have a strong chance of winning the next two games.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1845914 Rockets collapse quickly vs. Nets By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The rest of the Rockets had already collapsed. They were crawling around bloody and groggy, showing only passing interest in the whole affair. With the season and last chances to earn a playoff spot slipping away, the Rockets ran headlong and full speed Monday into the veteran wall. They did not get up. The rookie, however, was fine. But to make sure Yao Ming left feeling just as defeated as his quick-to-surrender teammates, Nets center Dikembe Mutombo delivered a hard elbow to Yao's throat to make sure the pain of a 110-86 loss Monday was shared. There was plenty of pain to go around. Steve Francis blamed the Rockets' disinterested defense on disinterested teammates. Eddie Griffin blamed it on a carry-over from a selfish offense. James Posey said the defensive breakdown began with frustration with a misfiring offense. But whatever the cause, even the sight of Mutombo popping Yao in the throat failed to rev the Rockets' engines. "It was a lackluster performance on our part," Rockets acting head coach Larry Smith said. "I thought we were ready for these guys. Tonight ... everything was pretty much easy for them." The Nets' only problem was stopping Yao. He had thoroughly reversed his recent shooting struggles and was 14 points into his 18-point first half, when Mutombo laid him out 70 seconds before halftime. But with that one swing, Mutombo showed more interest in defense than the Rockets would the entire night. "The center I went up against today, gave me a very deep impression," Yao said, intentionally speaking in puns in two languages. "I think his face is a little bit cuter than his elbow. Even if it was intentional, it happened. He was penalized for it. I got my two shots." Yao finished with 24 points, making eight of 11 shots. He spun swiftly away from double teams and even flashed one rim-swinging slam. "In a couple of years," Nets forward Richard Jefferson said, "he's going to be the best player in the game." But the bulk of Rockets veterans, theoretically gearing up for a finishing kick through the end of the season, were, as the 20,049 locals in Continental Airlines Arena might say, "a dud, all stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey." "It seemed like guys were running in quicksand tonight," Francis, who had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists, said. "The only thing I was a little upset about was the way they did it celebrating. We thumped them at our home. We didn't do all that celebrating, or running plays with a minute left. That's something right there that will stick in the back of my head the next time we play the New Jersey Nets." But Francis' frustration was not focused solely on the Nets' happiness, Mutombo's elbow, the flagrant-1 foul called on Kelvin Cato or falling a half-game behind the Suns for the last Western Conference playoff spot. "Every game is very important," Francis said. "I don't think 11 out of the 11 guys that suited up (Cuttino Mobley was out with a sprained left index finger) was prepared to play tonight. "It's not on our coach at all. If a player wants to make a scapegoat out of the coach, they're just trying to look out for themselves. It's not the coach one bit. Players know who they are who weren't putting everything into it. If we don't get that solved, we'll sing the same sad song in three weeks." The Rockets, however, didn't have to wait for the end of the regular season to return to a familiar refrain. "We didn't play team basketball," Griffin, who made two of nine shots for seven points, said. "That's why we lost by so much. We weren't playing team basketball and trusting each other. Guys got frustrated and didn't play good defense. "I don't think it was anything they did. I think we shot ourselves out of the game by trying to do too much one-on-one basketball and not trusting each other." Whatever the cause of the problem, it was most obvious on the defensive end, where the Rockets were repeatedly outrun by the Nets (Rockets coaches had the Nets with 34 fast-break points), and the Nets could easily curl around screens for the most open of shots. With Kenyon Martin out with a sprained right knee, Jefferson toyed with the Rockets' frontcourt. Acquired with one of the first-round picks the Rockets sent New Jersey for Griffin, Jefferson had 30 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Jason Kidd -- left so open he uncharacteristically took 23 shots, making 12 -- added 30 points and 12 rebounds as the Nets pushed their lead to 30. Mutombo, in his second game since coming off the injured list, had four points, eight rebounds and one knockdown in 16 minutes. Asked if it is possible to hit a 7-foot-5 center in the throat by accident, Cato said, "Hell no," and then walked away. "The guy is 7-6," Mutombo said. "He's almost three inches taller than me. I can't believe my elbow reached his neck. I thought maybe I would just get it between his chest and stomach and I would box him out. The next thing I know, he's on the floor. "I told him, `Get up.' " Yao did. The bulk of the Rockets, however, meekly took whatever the Nets delivered.
For one quarter against the Nets, Yao was the best player in the game. But the Rockets did not milk the situation. That was his best quarter as a pro.
i notice that rocket guards almost never pass eddie the ball when hes posting up. i think thats where eddie's frustration comes from. if i was steve francis or moochie, i'd rather pass eddie the ball when hes posting up and take my chances with him making those shots instead of watching him take those ugly, flat, almost allways off-the-mark 3 pointers
Jefferson said a lot of dumb things so pls don't care what he says. Still nice compliment though. As for the blame thing, every player needs to look at themselves and take the responsibility, not placing the blame around. Where is the leadership? Rudy said the same thing a couple of weeks ago.
Exactly. Why do we tend to STOP going to the guy who's hot? Just one of the many many things I do not understand about this team. It's like, 'hey you had your points, I want some points now.' Selfish, immature basketball - we are headed no where.
Richard Jefferson on Eddie Griffin "He is officially my biotch now" Actually that is Htown if he was Richard Jefferson on Eddie Griffin.
Agreed, when Yao's shot is falling there is no one that can stop him. Yao has to get the ball and he has to be our no. 1 option in the half court unless he is double teamed without the ball. But not only does his teamates need to recognize this but so does Yao too, he needs to stop being passive on offense and play selfish at times when he's on. It will come in time with his adjustments. Oh well at least it's getting better and Yao has been adjusting through the season from 3rd option center to 3rd scoring option to focus of offense, and International to NBA, and layup to dunk, and RT to LS, and China to US, and chinese to english, and bicycle to car, and labelled bust rookie to factual all-star starter, and man that's alot of adjusting in half a year. He's one heck of a learner and he's going to learn to be the best in time. RJ is right on IMO on Yao.
not until Shaq retires. as long as Shaq still plays, he's going to destroy Yao every time like he did the other night!
Don't be so pessimistic. Menkge Bateer used to destroy Yao back in China. Yao worked hard and eclipsed him. Menkge is no Shaq, but he's in the top in terms of brute strength in the NBA.
So someone with 24pts, 2 reb and 2 ast is going going to be the best player in the game? Then how about the one with 30pts, 10 reb and 11 ast? Please dont take it so seriously. It's easier to make compliment when you WON the game and had a good (or even career) game himself. Guess what would he say if he lost the game???!!!!
I agree with Jefferson's statement. Once Yao has had some rest(Clavin said yesterday that he has been playing basketball for 44 straight months) in the offseason, I expect him to improve greatly next year. You know, we really aren't seeing a full, healthy, rested Yao Ming. He has made the transition from one country to another. With that transition, he has had to take up a new culture, laanguage, and lifestyle. You put Shaq in the same situation as Yao, and I dont know what Shaq would get, but it would be a whole lot less than he gets now. I almost got this seaon's stats right, here's a shot at next season's : 18.8 ppg 10.3rpg 2.7bpg 2.6apg
Yeah, Steve. I'm sure the nets are shaking in their shoes now. Why do the Rockets talk trash only after getting blown out? See dallas mavs.
