Let's wait and see. It seems to me their big men are not as good at fronting as Portland bigmen. If they front, whether we can beat fronting depends on how our guards execute and how refs officiate.
no, not the F word!! honestly, i have a feeling that lakers will not front yao, unless they've tried everything and nothing else works
phil jackson will stick to the same strat as game 1. no fronting. no panic. lakers feel they lost because of poor shooting. hopefully they keep believing that.
If Dwight Howard does not have the strength to push Yao out of the paint, then nobody in the league will have the strength!
Gasol can't play both defense and offense well in the same game. I think Jackson is hoping Bynum can do a good job containing Yao so Gasol can be more productive at the other end.
Sheez Louise! Has everybody here been SUCKED IN to believing that Phil Jackson is not going to make adjustments on how he defends Yao, just because he said it to the media?!?!??! WAKE UP! He's talking to the press, guys! You can bet your bottom dollar they are going to make adjustments on Yao. I already know one of the adjustments. They are going to try to get Yao in foul trouble by driving the ball and simply running into him every chance they get on the other end. They are going to start the game by giving Kobe the ball, clearing out and letting him drive to the rim and create contact with Yao. Kobe will be looking for Yao to make contact with. Bank on it. That's why I say we would be best off to start Hayes with Yao and let Hayes work the paint area defensively and move Yao further out defensively and let him attack defensively and provide a defensive deterrent with blind side intimidation only. Now defensively, there is no doubt they are going to run another defender at Yao from somewhere. I suspect they are going to run Shane's defender at him (Odom?) and that defender play a zone in between Shane and Yao. I think they will want to funnel the ball to Shane in the corner and let Odom use his length to play halfway between Yao and Shane to make the entry to Yao difficult from the corner and force Shane to drive the baseline and finish. That is our weakest spot offensively. When Shane swings it back up to the top or the wing and the ball gets into Yao from the post, I think they Yao's defender is going to shade to the left and force Yao to turn back right into the other defender running at him. Anybody that believes that Phil Jackson isn't going to make adjustments to make it very tough for Yao to get the ball in the post and score is fooling themselves.
I heard it on 610 and I agree. Phil Jackson's ego might be so big that he may not front, even though Yao is killing them and that might be their best possible counter.
I don't think they need to... Bynum may be done as a starter, But that Gasol guy has freaking long arms, he harassed Yao a lot and stole many inside pass during the regular season. And he is athletic, jumping everywhere. He often made Yao labor, and his team beat Yao's team several times (in Olympics or NBA) He jumps to nowhere in Game 1 but still made couple of steal. I am pleased that Yao blocked him crisp after yielding a off board That's attitude. Hopefully more and more reject for him. And also, more penetration from AB will help Yao knock Gasol out
-------------------------------------------------------- yes Gasol did front Yao on several occasions in game 1, Mbenga off the bench might be a even better fronting option as he's the type that gives Yao the most trouble. go rox!!!
I don't think so. Both Gasol and Bynum don't want lose their faces by front Yao. They think they can guard Yao even without fronting him. Actually they can't and nobody can! So take advantage as much as you can, Yao!
You want him ejected or something? He got 3 ticky tack fouls already, him throwing an elbow would make him suspended for the series.
I dont think they can front effectively....because the only way that works consistently is that they have to stop our guards penetration. They cant do that. They front Yao, our guards penetrate...and they HAVE to double-team our guards...cause they cant defend AB or Lowry one on one.
