This part wasn't included from OP's transcript; translation taken from reddit: "BTW, Yao said da Heat will beat the Pacers in 6. That said, he thinks Roy Hibbert will show up again. Yao said mid-range game is the only flaw in LeBron's offensive game. He said it's very tough for anyone to score either inside or beyond the three-point line in clutch-time. So you just need to make those mid-range shots off the dribble. He said LBJ still got some room to improve on that part. He said it's really really hard for SB to change Westbrook/Durant's style of the game right now cuz Scott stepped in too late. He thinks the OKC will be eliminated. He said he is a big fan of this Spurs. He likes their game style. He hopes they can win it all. He also said ShaQ is way better than him. Even in his prime time... he would get beat by ShaQ" Doesn't sound arrogant, nor ignorant to me
Rockets were playing mediocre ball relative to their talent. Spurs are a basketball machine. Rockets would get slaughtered.
"Beverley and Jeremy Lin is one way or the other. One is more of a defensive player and the other is more of a facilitator. Among the starters, you just can't find anybody who can get everybody involved." Yao is trying to say something. Am I the only one who sees this? Discuss.
Before the playoffs started I thought would had a chance to beat the Spurs. But with how they're playing now, there's no way we could. They are just on another level. Much respect given to their players and coach.
Hakeem speaking from the heart. Yao speaking from his mind. No way we beat the Spurs. We are not a championship caliber team. Championship caliber teams know how defend for .9 seconds.
yao is completely right. hakeem is saying we just faced the wrong team? you mean the team that we were 3-1 against in the regular season, a team that isn't good defensively, and a team that was arguably not even better than teams like memphis or gs...maybe on par with dallas? cmon. too much homerism.
Yao is one of the wisest and most unbiased people in this world. To not take his opinion is blasphemy.
Yao is wrong about Harden. Harden has some major flaws, but being able to get his teammates involved and being a facilitator is not one of them. Harden lead all SGs in assists, and has been known since College as a great facilitator. There were a lot of games this season when he would lead the team in assists when his shot wasn't falling.
Arrogant? Are you an idiot? Being realistic and not having blinders on is not a sign of arrogance. His take was pretty on the ball.
He also dominates the ball at times and plays on a fast paced team so those assists can be misleading. He does not facilitate within the offense nor does he make the players around him better by creating easier shots.
That is not true at all. Harden creates a lot of shots for his teammates and sets up scores. He has been known for his facilitating since he played at Arizona. Were his good playmaking abilities at Arizona and OKC a result of a fast paced offense too?
Coming out of college, his playmaking and passing were some of his best strengths -NBA draft.net He's been a great passer and playmaker at Arizona and in the pros in OKC and Houston..
I like how all the 2013 joiners side with Yao. I wonder why that is? Not impressed by the Spurs taking 7 games to knock off the 8 seed, easily beating Portland who they match up well against, and so far dominating OKC without Ibaka. I'd have given the Rockets at least a 50/50 shot of knocking off SA.
Can't even beat Portland. Rockets don't deserve to be predicted to win against the spurs. Maybe Houston should actually do something before people start crowning them.
