Out of curiosity: Yao or Howard, now that we have Howard

With this team running this style?

Howard.

If we ran any kind of a slower game, Yao. Yao would die in this system.

 

Remember when Yao was rendered useless by the front defense, I do.

Howard.

 

How far would this team go in the East?

Yao / Gortart / Battie
Lewis / Gortart / Hedo
Hedo / Pietrus / Reddick
Richardson / Lee / Reddick
Nelson / Rafer / AJ

and this in the West?

Dwight / Deke
Hayes / Juwan *shivers*/ Padgett
Battier / Bonzi / Padgett
Tmac / Snyder
Rafer / Head

 

You can't compare teams from different years, you compared 09 Magic against the 06 Rockets, LOL.

in 09, I like my chances with a healthy

Brooks/Lowry
McGrady/Wafer
Artest/Battier
Scola/Landry
Howard/Deke

over that same team with Yao. Not by much, though.

 

If we had Howard in 07-10, instead I bet this team wouldn't have reached the Finals, especially playing the Lakers, Grizzlies, or Spurs. :grin:

 

It's like many others are saying...putting a 'healthy Yao' is as make believe as putting a 'Howard with a good Jumpshot'. Typical Yao fans trying to make him look better than he was. He was dominant "occasionally"...that's it guys. Lets quit trying to forget how easily he is taken out of a game by an athletic 6'9" guy that fronts him. Or his low stamina, or inability to guard boozer or Okur in the playoffs, or having to take 15 seconds to setup in the post and needing the entry pass to be just perfect b/c of his lack of lateral mobility.

Also, we're watching Howard out of his prime and comparing him to a Yao in his prime...Yao was injured so much and had to retire we never got a chance to see how quickly his game would fall off.

I take Howard, yes, Yao always got the better of him head to head, but against any other team and over the long haul of a season, Dwight was better and more effective. Yao was a good solid player who was occasionally dominant, but Howard was easily better...and I don't have to say IF with that opinion.

 

I counter and say let's not pretend like Dwight Howard is dominant center on offense and *cough* defense, when's actually not. Very good on defense, but hardly exceptional (I digress in modern day NBA). Easily taken out of the game...yet Yao still managed to average 20 ppg for his career and had several seasons over 21 ppg. He actually performed well against prime time teams, I honestly doubt that about Howard. Who basically was a no-show last year in the playoffs and the year before last. Had inflated stats in a near sweep by the Hawks. And was thoroughly neutralized against Gasol and Bynum. To even insinuate Dwight Howard dominates at level of basketball beyond simple rebounding and mostly defense...is an insult to pretty much any other all-time great center.

 

next Poll would be : is Lin better or MJ..

 

Are you trying to say that the gap between Lin and Jordan is similar to the gap between Yao and Howard?

 

Give me the Howard that could make 60% of his FT's. He did that just as much as Yao was truly healthy.

 

It sure sounds like it.

 

Of course I can - people keep on talking about Yao and the Jazz series & Dwight leading "scrubs" to the finals, keep it even.

 

# and stat will tell you Allen Iverson , or Carmelo are a few of the best players ever played the game.

but aside from personal stat. what their teams accomplished ?

Rockets's fans for a decade where cheering for just one good game thrill , no hope for NBA finals or what so ever . ALex's was thinking how many t-shirts gonna sell with Yao rather how many champ.

it is enough evidence that this year Houston record is 2nd best in this city history

 

I'm not sure I get what you mean. I personally said that I couldn't see us losing that 2007 series the way we did with Dwight instead of Yao. I am talking about today's Dwight btw.

I never said anything about us making it to the finals, I was talking about that series specifically. And to your point, I'm not sure that Orlando team makes it to the finals with Yao instead of Dwight.

 

Yao Dominated Dwight! Only problem was his defense and heavy legs.

 

Today's dwight will be a liability still on the offensive side - especially with Hack a Dwert tactics

 

I did not say that...there is nothing in my post that claims Dwight is 'dominant' because I don't believe he is either. I said he's better than Yao which I truly believe he is in many ways and overall.

I was happy with his offense, but still not too impressed with his 20 ppg (had 25 one year) when he was being force fed the ball which caused our offense to be stiffled at times. I can't remember any other good player that a team had such trouble getting the ball because of that player's poor mobility.

It's a shame b/c he was improving and then I guess his frame finally couldn't handle the muscle he was building to better handle those defenders down low.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy with Yao on the team (when healthy*), but when it was obvious he couldn't stay healthy it was just too frustrating to watch. Health is huge, maybe the most important thing in this league, and Yao simply lost it and lost it quick.

 

If it was Yao going up against Howard every night...i'd take Yao all day all night, but that isn't the case is it?

 

Haven't you been watching the games? Our record when "hack-a-Dwight" is employed is fantastic.

 

ask Shaq.