Economy Of Ming

I have been wondering about this for a while now. When Ming does play (not very often) he is standing near the free throw line looking really confused while Cat and Steve chunk the ball to the hoop every time they touch it.

Yao will never develop this way.

 

Yet, I have seen other posts amazingly argue that Yao sometimes gets in the way because he is in the lane too often (can't find the specific one I'm thinking of but I remember reading it).

If you ask me, Yao is a generally smart basketball player and is in the lane/out of the lane at a good percentage. Often, he doesn't know the plays so he'll just stay at the free-throw line and cut to the basket in the end. Yao's main weaknesses are obvious to everyone right now.

Offensively, he gets pushed out too far on the block. Even at that distance, though, he still remains a good offensive player in my mind and the low FG% is a current aboration of the new style, speed, etc. He will have to learn to post up more effectively.

Yao does an excellent box out when rebounding. His problem there is that this is the only way he rebounds. In the NBA, players are too big, quick, and agile to keep boxed out for long. Yao needs to stick a hard box out (which he does) and then release quickly to the ball (which he doesn't do). He must also be mroe agressive when pulling in the boards.

Defensively, Yao must work on lateral quickness for one on one defensive. A good center can currently beat him baseline, or face him up and juke him to the baseline and then go towards the paint. Yao will be too slow to react and likely foul. I think he does a solid job on one on one post up moves to the interior though. In terms of help defense, he needs two things to happen. First, he must learn to play the ball more accurately. This goes beyond just putting hands up and letting his 7-6 fram do the rest. He must learn how to avoid contact while still being a presence. It is something Hakeem was great at, and EG is very good. Second, the refs have got to give him a break at some point. When a player jumps directly into him, it doesn't have to be a foul everytime.

Sounds like Yao needs a lot to work on, but I don't think it is that bad. Additionally, his lists of positives would be just as long (good offensive player, not selfish, excellent passer, usually superb free throw shooter, improving on the post defensively and provides a competent defensive body, etc).

I am not a big Rudy fan these days, though, and do see his developement taking longer than it could otherwise, but it in no way means I agree with anyone who claims Yao would be doing fantastic on another team right now.

 

I think Yao won't be able to stand closer to the basket. I believe he gets pushed off the block on offense.

On defense I'm not sure he's aware enough of what the rotations are and where he's supposed to be. Maybe the plan is for him to be close to the basket. I just don't think he's comfortable enough yet to know how to do it.

 

My girlfriend, who is from mainland China, told me that Yao came from a basketball school. People there, like many European players, learned how to pass before dunking the ball into the basket or shoot the ball and very team oriented. The atomosphere is very different from here. I'm sure he has all the fundamentals. But again, sorry for being reptitive, he just needs to adapt this new environment and strengthen himself physically. I think his basketball IQ should be above average, so his learning curve should be relatively short.

 

At this point, on O anyway, I think he should do whatever he feels comfortable with. If he feels more comfy in the post, put him there. If he feels better out a little further threatening the defender with his jumper, that's fine too.

Eventually though, I would like to see him become more of a post up threat, esp when he has a good matchup(which should be often). But he can shoot it from anywhere on the floor, so if his defender is a powerful player or great defender, its a big plus that he can pull him out with his shot.

I have no problem with him setting screens or running the team hi-post style, but his primary job should be battling for the boards.

 

I do think the Rockets have done a horrible job of using any sort of high-low post game with Ming. Granted, he hasn't been fronted a lot (which would be a perfect scenario for it), but I still think that instead of just lobbing the ball into Ming on the same position on the block every time, they need to work on feeding him the ball in other ways. Cutting a player to the high post would work wonders with his height and his work on a new hook shot. Granted, the best combo with him for this move is probably Mo Taylor, who's been out, although I think that Griffin, KT and Rice would work well here also. Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, there should be some picking going on around the perimeter and with a cut to the basket. This gives a lot fo players the option to score.

Essentially, what I'd like to see is the PG dribble up the middle of the court and pass to the SG on the 3 point line elbow. After Francis passes he cuts to the right to set a pick for the SF or PF who cuts to the elbow of the paint. During this time, Mobley can already pass it down to a well posted Yao, or hit the cutting player at the lane's elbow. Concurrently, after setting the pick for the SF or PF, Francis continues on to set another pick for the other of the SF or PF to roll out to an open shot at the 3 point line. Yao now either has the ball in the post, with a guy open at the three point line, or Griffino or Taylor have the ball at the elbow. Either Griffin/Taylor are open and shoot, pass the ball to an even better positioned Yao, or hit the man coming off Francis' pick for the open 3 pointer. Finally, after Francis sets his second pick, he cuts hard to the hoop and may occasionally be open (after all the picking). Either Yao (who has received the post pass from Mobley or the man at the top of the key) or the man at the top of the key can hit Francis cutting to the basket, or Yao continues on trying to score himself. Finally, if the play breaks down, Yao simply comes out to set a pick for Mobley, who can drive to the whole with the back pick's still continuing on other side and Yao rolling or popping out for the midrange jumper after the pick.

Anyone who's seen an high-low offense has seen something similar to this. It is generally not very hard to execute in my opinion, as long as crisp passes and solid picks are made. I think it would be a nice addition to the offensive arsenal.