How can you debunk something without any evidence? He isnt playing. Hasnt survived his minutes cap. Isnt coming back for a while. Might be reinjured right again. So how can you debunk it?
The whole point of this year is for fans, the Rockets management and players to realize that stats don't tell the whole story on athletes. We have to realize that Yao's impact to the game has been very weak. If your a big man for the Rockets right now and you can't play D and protect the paint and get rebounds when the team really needs it then that player is better of not playing because sooner later he is just going to get hurt. Bottom line is we need toughness and defensive/athletic clutch bully minded players on this team especially in the paint and Yao is not it. I'm saying he is done but i'll say his impact to the game as a center is very overrated and this year a lot fans like the one that started this thread will be forced the hard way to face that reality.
Remember the old days when we didn't agree on anything? Great analogy with the Jag. But I have a hunch there is a larger fear we both share. The Rockets had a #8 Lottery pick in a deep draft driven solely by injury. (Grady's back). They without question made their roster decisions based upon assumed health. If you don't learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.
I guess if Ish Smith's minutes are extended he would average 20 something ? Yao is a 7 ft 6 guy, a gamble, it worked for Rockets but not in a long run. This is I guess a season for rebuilding, season to forget.
Yao can't play heavy minutes or back to backs without a high risk of re-injuring himself, so the Rockets have to baby him, and it disrupts team chemistry. It's time to move on.
This thread has convinced me that Yao Ming is still a franchise caliber player. I look forward to the next 5 years of Rocket ball with him as a centerpiece. Can't wait!!!
And who are you? The chosen one to represent the rocket fans? Give me a break. Yao is certainly not worth 17mil to keep. But 8mil is worth it.
If you're going to factor that in, then you have to factor that his block %tage will go down when he plays 36 theoretical minutes again. In fact, I'd argue that his defensive effectiveness (and offense to a much lesser extent) would also be negatively effected. Not to mention the fact that it's going to be a challenge for him to reduce his foul rate once he can play those minutes...he's always been rather prone to fouls. Doesn't really matter though. I have little hope that he'll get up to playing 36 minutes a night again. Personally, I don't want to trade him, I just want him to retire.
By using the boxscore, which apparently many of us "fixate on". My reasons for thinking Yao has lost a step are purely visual and anecdotal. It's hard to make my case when he's not playing. That or maybe my theory about him dipping his hands in tubs of butter before the game is more correct. I want him to come back, but I'll be watching closely. I want to know things like how many available rebounds Yao grabs, how aggressive he is close to the rim, how many times our backcourt turns it over while attempting to get him the ball, etc. Maybe Yao can still get his points, but if it comes at the expense of our already erratic offense, we might not be much better off. And then what if Yao gets another bone bruise / shin splint / broken toe in a few weeks and our team suddenly has a new identity yet again?
No one doubts Yao can be effective when he is on the floor, it is the "When he is on the floor" part that people doubt, and for good reason. DD
Yao's skills have never been in question. Yes, his skills are as good as ever, but he will always have questions about his left foot from now on. Even if he makes it through this season healthy, what about the next season? and the next? Yao's time has come and gone unfortunately because of his left foot fracture 18 months ago. Blame Adelman for mismanaging his minutes(40 minutes, playing 12 minutes straight). Adelman has been a terrible coach in many aspects. Blame the Houston Rockets for hiring Adelman in the first place.
100% incorrect. There is no blame, it is just nature, Yao is just too big to play basketball, all that pressure on his feet will cause them to break over and over. It is no one's fault, at all. It is just sad. DD
Effective? Maybe. The difference maker? Very often, no. There is no use hoping that Yao's return will bring us back into the top tier of the NBA. He's just not that good. Period. Compound that with the fact that Yao can't play much (if at all) and you have a salary sink with very little to show for it.
This point is made over and over again, but Yao IS done! Why? Because we live in the real world where being on the court is just as important as the numbers you put up when you are there. JC Denton is a fruitcake, but he makes a good point... Hurt at 90 minutes? Lowest FG% and fouling a TON. I'm sure the last 2 facts are because of timing which he'll probably get back with more time on the court... He'll get better with more time on the court which unfortunately increases his chances of getting hurt again, you know, another one of those 'freak accidents'. How many more times do we have to hear...'oh he's hurt, but it was a freak accident..' He's had freak accidents for 5 years now...when do they stop becoming 'freak' and start becoming 'expected'? 10 years? 15 years? Wake the eff up people...
