[Washington Times] Looking Up (positive one on Yao)

Ewing... JVG finally got what he wished for... Turning Yao into Ewing...

 

Ok, here's something that continues to bug me. Everyone talks about Yao needing an enforcer to play next to him. Can someone name one that isn't a star? Can you name two?

It isn't like the league of today is filled with Maurice Lucases or Charles Oakleyes or Otis Thorpes. Everyone says we need a guy like Charles Oakley, but who exactly would that be in today's NBA?

In Oakley's best season, he averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds. Thorpe averaged 14 points and 8 boards for his career putting up a Yao-like 21 and 10 in his best season. Like Thorpe, Lucas averaged 14 and 8 for his career and put up at least one 20/10 season.

With those kinds of numbers, the only players you can honestly look to for filling those shoes are star-calliber players like Ben Wallace (who, by the way, has never even averaged double-digits in scoring in a season) or Elton Brand. Our chances of getting them? Zero.

I'm just tired of hearing how we need this enforcer. Well, sure, in a perfect world. But those guys, in today's NBA, just don't drop off of trees. It used to be that every team had one big, bad mutha to patrol the paint and give up hard fouls. Those guys have left the league and given way to the athletic high flyers who provide very little enforcing but quite a few highlight worthy dunks and blocked shots.

I'm all for helping Yao out, but when even journalists, who are supposed to know the facts, can't figure out some simple realities of the game, we're in trouble.

 

Good point Jeff.

Problem is, guys like that would not now be entirely content to just be the 'role player' kind of guys that we would need them to be.

You need big bruisers with talent, but no ego.

Heh yeah, not exactly falling off trees.

Stro is not going to be that guy, that is pretty clear. Athletic as heck, but he just does not seem to have any instinct, or 'nose for the ball'.

Maybe Badiane? Maybe Lampe? Maybe Hayes? Howard has TRIED to be that guy sometimes this season, but nobody really takes hims seriously, he's just too darn 'nice'.

We need the big Udonis Haslem, Boozer, Kevin Willis type.. just someone who will try to grab every single rebound when he is on the floor, and someone who is not allergic to playing rough defense.

Do they even still MAKE kids like that any more?

 

I agree Jeff, the league today is full of players who're way too nice to one another and that 'attitude' that Oakley exhibited is completely gone from the league; the closest thing to that is Ben Wallace.

The only player in the league I can honestly say most players find 'intimidating' is Ron Artest, I think he would have fit in perfectly during the late 1980's-early 1990's when physical, tenacious play was the norm, not the exception, and the rules encouraged that type of playing. Artest is a throwback player playing in the wrong era. It's telling that people are trying to turn him into a 'nice guy' instead of accepting him for who he is, but that pretty much sums up the NBA in a nutshell.

Man, I was watching Game 5 of the 1986 Rockets-Lakers game, go back and watch that game to see how real men are supposed to be going at it; the physical play, the tension, the fans, gladiators going at it...that's how basketball is supposed to be played.

Oh well, different eras I guess...that's why I laugh and roll my eyes whenever people compare players from those eras to this one; there ain't no comparison, the best player in today's league would be chewed to pieces had he played in the era of Larry-Magic and Jordan/Dream/Barkley. Today's players might have as much or more talent, but they just don't have the overall package, the intangibles many great players in those eras had.

 

Honestly
I think we have to .. . *put on my flame r****dent suit* . .go with Kelvin Cato

I think we should look into reacquiring him
Mo Taylor could be one. . but he is a sorry &@#%&&3

Kenny Thomas . . but he undersized . . but he a fighter

Rocket River

 

One of only four to average 20 and 10? And people are still picking on him?

This just further points out the obvious - that the media will pick on you when you are down and label you "the best ever" once you start winning.

Look at Elton Brand - suddeny he's proclaimed "allstar" by the everyone in the media when his numbers are basically the same. Before this season, Brand was, like Ming, an overpaid superstar who could not carry his team.

You can't win with these clowns - best to just ignore it all and enjoy the game.

 

Anyone know the contract situation for Nazr Mohammed and Kenny Thomas?

I really like Nazr Mohammed to play 4 for us if he is available. Kenny would be nice too, even he is undersized. Both those guys are touch rebounder, especially on the offensive glass, and can hit the 12 ft J as well. Cato is not a good option since he almost has no offensive game, other then ally-opps dunks, which will make the defense crowed the paint.

 

We have a defensive minded PF who could compliment Yao very well. His name is Chuck Hayes, and JVG doesn't want to play him.

 

I'll settle for Ron Artest.

 

you can always gamble in the draft...http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/paulmillsap.asp , if you want someone who has a "nose for the ball" or will try to grab every rebound, Paul Millsap will do it for ya....i'm not saying we should use our first rounder on him though, maybe if he's available in the second round

 

so if you get dunked on, and by the way neither of those guys dunked on yao, than you're not a defensive force?

yao's not ben wallace but he's 7'6" and certainly has shown to be an intimidating presence.

 

Aren't the bruisers of today guys like Reggie Evans or Danny Fortson? What about Cato even? I mean, they aren't going to put up huge numbers, (except perhaps rebounds), but they definitely fit the Oakley-Thorpe mold.

 

I agree that there are not many but there are still a few that we could have gotten. Even a Reggie Evans would have fit the role...

 

This is such a cliche among sportswriters these days, but how many of them bother to point out that the opposition always changese their game plan because of Yao? That although he gets dunked on occassionally, his very presence in the middle alters the way in which guys play?

 

I think they are talking in a different respect. Nobody goes in on Yao and thinks they will get themselves hurt.
Yao changes a lot of shots, but people aren't afraid that Yao will knock them on their a$$.

I wish Finley would have crashed square into Yao, face planted into his chest, and knocked flat on his back. Get into a little arguement and/or tussle afterwards, let SportsCenter show that for a while, and MAYBE the rest of the league would think twice about going in like that on Yao. Until then....