I was at the game. Yao was clearly exhausted. What's more is he kept getting hacked by Fesenko and Koufas with no calls. That beating can wear someone down. I think we need Deke or a big Backup C to clog the lane to prevent driving because once Yao left Deron and Korver etc started driving at will.
I hope you guys know that I'm bumping a thread from last season and replies to any post before post #118 is replying to a game that happened last season. I just wanted to revisit a topic that has been discussed before.
Superb. T-Mac of course, who has had quite some games like 2 for 11. Absolutely clutch. With that much wrestilng inside in the last couple of minutes, with Yao doubled even without ball in his hand, with him not touching the ball until the last couple of minutes. Use your brain. Oh, you don't have a brain, I figured.
yao generally was pretty clutch this season....today he was just exhausted and our coach still forced every shot through him...
Well it doesn't help that the refs don't call anything for yao everytime he came down at the end of the game he got fouled but nothing was called but on the other hand when ron had the ball he got the call everytime. I am thankful that at least ron got the calls but damn shouldn't our superstar get some calls too.
When he brings the bull game, he gets calls, when he brings the butterfly game he doesnt. its not that hard. Maybe its just a overseas big man thing. Theyre all kinda finesse in the clutch like dirk and others.
When he plays guys that are as big as him, like Z and tonight that young Russian...it comes down to officials, if they let those players manhandle Yao there is not a lot he can do...... DD
And he shud be able to punish them by going up strong and complete bully them. He was soft tonight in the 4th qtr on the offensive end. I'll give him a pass on this one because he contributed on the defensive end(2 clutch blocks)
A foul could have been called for every shot Yao attempted in the late 4th and both OT. But let's be real, alot of those were makeable shots and Yao just couldn't convert. His sphincter just tends to tighten up in close late games.
I agree, he could be more efficient some games, but he is our most efficient offensive scorer. I don't think he gets tight per se, I think he gets tired. If he were choking he would be missing clutch FTs and that is not the case. DD
Clyde said something that was good for a change. He said when yao goes up vertical, he plays better and his scoring is good, but when he goes horizontal, everything is off. I've heard guys say that with diaw and other also. Yao is too big to go sideways. The refs were consistent with the physical play tonight. early in the game when yao was hop stepping and going to the hoop strong, he got fouled, scored and everything else. When the pressure was turned up, he looked like game 6 and 7 in the playoffs. Every shot or play was a struggle and the more physical they got, the softer yao got. that cant happen. On a side note, how can utah find 2 stout 7 ft ers like koufus and fasenko and the rox got chuck hayes as a backup?
Making FT's does not excuse not converting when given shot attempts and being supposedly the best center the NBA. Making FTs is nothing for him. Scoring when you need to score is a problem for him. (To paraphrase Chris Rock, "You're suppose to make your FTs!.....yeah you can make your Rafer comments here) It's harsh but either you get the job done or you don't.
