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The offense should not run through Yao Ming next year

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by wizkid83, Apr 11, 2010.

  1. wizkid83

    wizkid83 Contributing Member

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    Before any body says I'm a hater, these were my first two post on this board.

    http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=436565&postcount=30
    http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=33882

    That said, I think the time for Yao to be the focal point has passed. I cringe every time some one thinks the only reason for Yao's shortcoming is that there isn't a guard that can pass to him because it's the same argument for the last 8 years. We've gone through enough changes at the two guard spots to make us believe it's just the guards.

    We have a squad with a lot of capable balanced scorers that are buying into the motion offense. I don't think the predictable let's just throw in to Yao when he's fronted and pray things don't go bad is something we should go back to when we have guys like Brooks, Martin, Ariza and Scola all capable sharing the load on offense. I don't think our problem this year, especially our swan dive out of playoffs were due to offense but rather a lack of defensive presence in the middle. Yao Ming will provide the defensive presence lacked this season.

    What I'm looking from Yao next year is a rich man's Divac or a 7'6" Chris Webber. People knock Yao Ming's passing but I think it's due more to the pressure of being focal point and having to be deal with fronting/double team/ to outlet. I think Yao, growing up in a system focused on the team, might actually be more comfortable in a role where he's not the sole focal point of the offense (different from not being the leader or the most important offensive player). I want to see more of this from him next year.

    <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PZ4KLsY84AE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PZ4KLsY84AE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
     
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  2. iconoclastic

    iconoclastic Member

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    Morey thinks throwing it into Yao in the post and pray things don't go bad draws more fouls than having him stand at the top of the key and passing.
     
  3. choujie

    choujie Member

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    Whether the offense should run through Yao is still up for debate. It will depend on Yao's play on the court and I'm sure some plays will be run through Yao regardless.

    But getting Yao the ball wasn't always the problem, it wasn't the problem when Yao averaged 27 points before he went down with leg injury against Clippers, with or without the best passer Tmac.

    It is a team effort and offensive strategy by the coach. Whatever works the best for the team should be applied. I believe RA would change base on match-up and how the game is going. He would be a fool not going through Yao if he's killing opponent like he did in game 1 of Portland series.
     
  4. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    I still think Yao in the post is first option, but trying to get him the ball for 20 seconds while he is being fronted should be out the window.
     
  5. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
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    Great post, bring a couple of first aid kits though, this isn't going to settle well for a selective mob though.


    And I do think that we nneed the half court set which is what Yao will be good for. We can't be running up and down the court all game long.
     
  6. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    If the transition opportunity on any given possession is gone, and Yao is in the game, then he should be the first option. He just need to NOT be the 1st + 2nd + 3rd option -> prayer 3 with shot clock winding down.

    I personally think of Yao as that bruising Running Back. No, he's not flashy. Yes, the defense can load 8 in the box to stop him. But in the end, you got to give him the carries, because the rest of your offense feed off of that. And defense's attention allows for other players to get better opportunies.
     
  7. YaoMac09

    YaoMac09 Member

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    I disagree, you have to limit Yao's minutes, so IMO you keep feeding Yao while he is out there.
     
  8. YaoMac09

    YaoMac09 Member

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    Just to add a bit more, i don't think there is a point in bring Yao back if you are going to have him play the Chuck Hayes passing role for 25 minutes a game.
     
  9. BleedRocketsRed

    BleedRocketsRed Contributing Member

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    Regardless of whether or not it is run through him, when Yao is on the floor, he will command attention. Which is something that could help all the other scorers on our team.

    Yeah if you could get Yao the ball within 2-3 feet of the bucket, you have to (he is near automatic from there). When the game is close, you probably give Yao the ball (due to the ability to hit FTs, the post game and the # of offensive threats he can pass it out to).

    But overall, it would be best to run the most balanced offense.
     
  10. Pest_Ctrl

    Pest_Ctrl Member

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    You bring him back for defense. After this year's layup drills for almost any team we play against, adding a 7'6 mammoth to clog the lane would be a nice change.

    On offense, I don't think it would be a wise decision to let yao just stand in the high post. Yao is still the best low post scorer in the league, so it makes much more sense to use him so. We just need to make Yao ONE of the weapons, not THE weapon. Pass the ball around, and if an opportunity arises, feed the ball to Yao. Just get Yao touches within the flow of the motion offense, and don't force feeding him the ball.
     
  11. shortfuse3

    shortfuse3 Member

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    i don't see why we can't use Yao like the lakers use Pau Gasol, a very good role player who isn't the focal point on every possession. granted, gasol is more versatile than Yao and can play the high post and is a better passer, but Yao could do the same.
     
  12. RyanB

    RyanB Member

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    we have now a lotta options:
    Brooks
    Martin
    Scola

    adding Yao would space the floor for AB, Martin,Ariza
    so it is an additional threat to opponents
    Yao would be a major weapon in the post and we can play him in the high post to pass the ball to cutters
    with Hill working this summer we'd be a tough team next year
     
  13. El Hitman

    El Hitman Member

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    I think the OP has a good point...but I hope that the Rockets don't rely too much on Yao, because we have a couple of players that can drop 20 points or more on any given night. We don't need him to put up big numbers, now don't get me wrong it would be stupid NOT :rolleyes: to use him, but we're not forced to...we can also use him in the high post or as a decoy to get easy buckets. It will be impossible to double team him now, cause we have a lot of good shooters to surround him. Imagine how many easy buckets Martin, Brooks, Scola, and even Budinger are gonna get because of the attention Yao attracts? I bet Budinger is gonna start hitting big scoring numbers because of Yao's return...book it, the man is a damm good shooter. :cool:
     
  14. SuperVon

    SuperVon Contributing Member

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    It would be the complete opposite. They have to work around Yao when he's on the floor, he clogs the lane. An athletic center that comes up for picks and shoots the three ball would space the floor better for the trio.
     
  15. leebigez

    leebigez Contributing Member

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    Don't misunderstand my thoughts of yao in this offense. He can fit because he's a skilled guy, but the old days of bogging down the offense are dead. He can be more play finisher than play starter. My hope is he's watching alot of film to understand the proper angles and trust what he sees. Much like football and the qb, you have to pass players open. You dont have time for the guys to get butt naked. Yao is a very good shooter when he decides.
     
  16. Kindger

    Kindger Contributing Member

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    I'm confused, doesn't that exactly mean that "The offense should run through Yao next year"?
     
  17. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    This is a great thread, Yao can not be the focus, he is not durable enough.

    Yao becomes one of the guys, a replacement for Hayes and an anchor on defense.

    He still gets his touches, but not all on the low block, put him in the high post some too.

    This team is way more versatile than the one he left.

    DD
     
  18. TXRoxBBall

    TXRoxBBall Member

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    My thought is they have to continue to push the ball and then when a quick bucket isn't there slow it down to a half court set and let Yao take over. In limited minutes he should be fine to be a focal of the half court set, but in no way should he play over 25 minutes this year and possibly ever again (that said he shouldn't get max money, he will but shouldn't.)
     
  19. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    Yao's role can't be pre-determined. How much of a focal point he is relative to other guys is a matter of how effective he is. He was very effective before relative to the guys around him. He certainly won't be at that level when he returns.

    But it's not a simple matter of pre-determining how much you go to Yao or not. Yao is going to have a massive impact on this team offensively. The fact that you have a 7'6" guy who can score effectively against any post player one-on-one changes the dynamics of any offense.

    Before, when it was just T-mac, teams would double team yao or t-mac and force the weaker guys to beat them. Now, with Brooks, Martin, Scola and perhaps even Chase in that group - it's a different story. That's four guys who can score versus before when you only had T-mac, who wasn't exactly the best perimeter shooter either.

    So here's the question - how will teams now defend Yao? Will they continue to front him and risk getting burned on the weak side? Will they double him against perimeter threats like Martin, Brooks, and Chase out there?

    Yao may actually become more the focal point because he has a better supporting cast - because it forces defenses to play him more honestly and therefore allows him to play a game he's more comfortable at.

    Either way - it bodes well for the Rockets. Focal point or not.
     
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  20. MandM's

    MandM's Member

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    agree with you. and i think yao as a PIECE of the puzzle would be successful. nothing against him because he is very talented but the days of a one man center show are over. throughout the league not just here. even dwight howard has contributors and he is the best in the game right now. the whole show can't go through one guy in the middle. the league has moved past that
     

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