The offense should not run through Yao Ming next year

That's an excellent question. One approach might be to play Yao for very short bursts. So maybe he plays for around 6 minutes, and then rests at the 6 minute mark, and then he comes back with a few minutes left at the end of quarters to take advantage of the bonus situation. But Adelman many not like that because he prefers to have players on the floor longer to develop a rhythm.

Another possibility would be to play Yao for about 8 minutes in the first quarter, and the take him out until midway through the second quarter. By that point, hopefully with Martin and Lowry the Rockets will be near the bonus. And then with Yao back in the game, the Rockets can make a surge to end the half. And then repeat that pattern in the second half. So, we would be using Yao to exploit the bonus situation in the second and fourth quarters, rather than the first and third.

 

Yao is not a dumb player, he's a slow thinker. Most players who are limited athletically like him make up for it by thinking 1 step ahead and being decisive. Yao is a good passer when its clear he needs to pass the ball,but when there are multiple options, he struggles just like on his mid range jumper. When its a pick and pop and he shoots without hesistation its money,but when he looks around and starts thinking about it he misses. He needs to get used to the angles associated in the offense. He also needs to be ready to shoot almost every 15ft er he gets off the pick and roll. He will still get his post ups, but coach will invert him high to open the baseline.

 

Managing Yao's minutes will be a big deal for Adelman next year, how to best utilize him and keep him healthy and engaged all year.

DD

 

The offense should run through Ariza next year

/Thread

 

That is one thing Vlade Divac was really good at, just going with the flow of the offense. Taking what was given to him and finding teammates when nothing was. Yao should watch tapes of Divac play.

The Kings were a team that lacked a true playmaking PG but they had playmakers like Divac/Webber. Yao is a solid passer as you said, when he is not over thinking it. While Scola is no Chris Webber, the success of the offense hinges on Yao's, Scola's and Martin's ability to make plays.

 

Your assumption is an error!!!
The game has never been run through Yao Ming!!
It has been run through Yao Ming in WORD only!
The reason I say this is because we haven't had a Point Guard who would pass the ball into Yao on a regular basis. Not Francis, Not Rafer.
Brooks can break this situarion- I do not feel confident at this point that he will !!

 

Yup because unless you have a PG like CP3 Yao is incapable of catching the ball.

Brilliant logic.

 

On the contrary to the OP.

The offense should ALWAYS run through Yao when he is on the floor.

When we get Yao back, 3 out of our starting 5 mirrors the Magic very well.

Brooks = Nelson, a shoot first PG
Martin = Carter, a perimeter player who can drive and bang around inside
Yao = Howard, the two best C's in the game

If it works for the Magic, I don't see why we can't implement something like this into our system.

I'm not saying throw Adelman's system out, but maybe we could have other variations.

 

Yao will always have problems with the entry pass, his center of gravity is too high....makes posting up and holding position very hard for him when he is being undercut by shorter stockier players.

It is one of his biggest limitations and why he will never dominate the league.

DD

 

Yao dominates already. With the new rules, a big man can't dominate more than the way he does.

In my opinion, of course he must keep being our 1st option, because he's the best player of the team and the most reliable. But this does not mean you have to play always with him, you can even reduce his minutes/responsability depending on how he is physically. Fortunately we count with a good team and a good coach that allows us to play a balanced game.

 

TOTALLY UNTRUE !!!
It was the PGs inability to pass into Yao!
We needed a Robert Hory while we had Francis & Alston

 

Absolutely. A little piece of me dies every time a play like this happens. Luckily we now have the personnel to score with someone else when Yao is fronted - no excuses.

 

It's more simple than everyones making it out to be..When Yao's in the game you run the offense through him because he can score at will and pass. When he's not (which should be about half the game), you run the true motion offense and you push the ball on the break. We have the luxury of having a team that has had playoff success playing halfcourt slow ball with Yao AND an entire year of experience relying completely on motion and fast break offense. Teams that play us will have to basically prepare for two different teams. I think it's beautiful.

 

I don't know what games you've been watching. Yao is a deliberate/mechanical player and not very instinctive at all. Thats why in pick and roll he gets caught in between a rock and a hard place. When its clear what he should do, he performs better. Like i said, look at him when he's decisive about shooting the mid range jumper.

Anyway, I think he can perform effeciently in the flow to maximize the totality of the offense. The way brooks,martin,scola,and chase has performed, it will take a load off of him and kept him fresh. Late in games, he can get some postups and he will always be a great free throw shooter which is a bonus. Alot of posters will not like the way he's used early in games because they think he's being wasted, but when the big picture is front and center, it will make everything look easier.

 

Instead of deliberate/mechanical I would use methodical/predictable. None the less, I do agree with you that Yao's game doesn't have that certain improv element to it. Whether this is due to his lack of explosiveness, I don't know.

 

With his height, if they throw the pass high enough he'd always get it.

The key is to get the ball to him quickly before the stockier player can push him out or wear him down. The timing has to be right.

It takes a team effort, but if done correctly, he can get the right position. JVG proved this.

 

I would limit running offense through Yao by limiting his minutes. As frustrating as it is to get him the ball, thats maybe the only way to use Yao effectively on offense. Or maybe make Yao an effective 6th man

If he's so good in the bonus, have to the bulk of his minutes at the end of quarters instead of the beginning.

Havent heard Drexler be that demonstrative before

Worrell: Yao from the top...SCOLAAAA-
Drexler: YEEES!

Then Drexler tried to be all non-chalant afterward.

The first pass was typical Drexler. 2nd pass he couldnt help it

 

lets ignore all the weapons yao have in the low post that averaged him 20+ pts per game with relatively low shot attempts:

attract double(sometimes triple) team
high % jump shot
near unblock-able fade away
hookshot
quick-spin dunk
passes

and focus on him becoming a high post player at this stage of his career.

makes perfect sense to me

/endsarcasm