Chinese interview: http://sports.sohu.com/20041208/n223380257.shtml It's a long interview for about 1 hour over the phone. Several points: *After the game vs 76ers, Yao is more willing to be the second option. He knows that now TMac is really superior to SF3 (basketball capability). He said he had no control of the ball, so it's better for TMac to be the first option. *Asked why his dream footwork (the Dream-like fake shakes he played to J Oneal) shown in his rookie season disappear. Yao said too many guys clasp to him (fronting or double) so that he has no space to dribble show he still has the ability. *He is now trying to practice a new attacking skill, attach the basket without dribbling. But it requires him to be more assertative, stronger and tougher. *Why he always goes out and leave the space under the hoop open? Yao said every coaches would ask their player to lure Yao out the paint area. And that's because of the requirement of JVG. JVG asked everybody to try their best and hoped everyone can play like one and a half to help the system. But Yao thinks that most guys can't even do their own work, that's why they are always trying to run to help each other and there are still so many holes. * From Dec, JVG asked TMac to go hard for boards. They are controlling boards better now. *He never played with a guard like TMac. TMac never played a center like him. And JVG never had a combo like him and TMac. What they need is time. So calm down everybody and let's see whether they can really mesh.
Yao a second option? That is blasphemous to many poeple on the BBS. Remember why we got rid of Francis? One of the big reasons was that Francis had a hard time getting the ball to Yao and making him the first option.
The question is who's better, Yao or TMac. Right now, it seems obvious that TMac is better and that Yao is more comfortable playing the supporting role.
Not true. I think it was always clear to JVG that Francis was a better all-around player than Yao, as it is clear that TMac is better than Yao. The problem with Francis was that he didn't know how to be the first option while also having a 2nd option center like Yao. TMac is having some of the same problems. TMac's other problem is that he has Yao-syndrome occasionally, where he also doesn't want to be the first option. Francis never had this problem - but Francis doesn't have TMac's abilities. So, for the TMAC + Yao potential to work, we needed to see one of two things: either (1) Yao truly is dominant and would have been comfortable as the first option (didn't happen so far) or (2) TMac understands that he has to be option 1, 1a, 1b and 1c at least for a while - which also didn't happen until recently. In TMac's defense, he is at least right in that we'd be a better team if Yao was dominant and TMac was option #2 (as was the case with Kobe/Shaq). In light of that, though, even given the current role players, if both Yao and TMac played more aggressively, the team should be 2nd round of the playoffs in the Western Conference good.
damm I cant believe Yao said that. I wished he's say something like "yea I'm willing to defer to Tmac for now, but once I get my grove, I better get the FUCCIN Ball when I want!". I'm not really sold on TMAC being the focus of the Offense. Tmac spends to much time shooting jumpers, rather then driving the lane like we want him to.
Good stuff! Thanks for posting the highlights! I do think Yao is the 2nd option to Tmac. Until Yao can start to dominate games he will be that. And there is nothing wrong with that. Let Tmac be the main guy and Yao can collect rebounds score and guard the paint. I had a problem with Francis taking more shots than Yao because Francis wasnt as good a shooter. Tmac is a better shooter than Yao so he should get the extra shots.
Good post, thanks for the find! One thing that everyone must keep in mind and I think that Yao reallizes this now is that his strength and conditioning is still far behind the NBA level that it needs to be. The CBA players haven't really had to focus on strength and stamina at the level it takes to be successful in the NBA. I see big steps forward this year in those areas for Yao and expect him to continue that growth and progress over the next few years. When he came into the leage my buddies and I all said he was just a pup and was going to take a few to realize his potential, we said 4-5 years from his rookie campaign. Sounds like he likes T-Mac better the SF3.......
It won't matter who defers to who, until we get a third, fourth, and fifth starter, one of which, who on any given night, can go for 20 points to help out a little.
Yeah, eventually this team is going to need a 3rd scorer (just like Duncan had Parker and then added Ginobili). Hopefully someone that can break down the defense and get their own shot when needed. Ideally that 3rd scorer would be a Small Forward type player and then we could round out the starters with at least a solid PG and a good defensive PF. Of course at this point, anything would just about be an improvement!
becoming proficient in this skill will help him the most imo... some of his biggest problems come when he hesitates or puts the ball on the floor to make his move....thats normally when the double(or triple) swarms over to try to knock the ball loose. If he can get good on the quick move after the pass, and knock it down, he will be dominant.(well, and keep up the effort of the last two games on the glass) not surprising to hear that he feels they can get it together in time...as some of us have been preaching for weeks....you gotta be patient and allow them to make mistakes while they are learning how to deal with each other....and with the coach.
Did he really say that he thinks T-Mac is better than Francis? Last year, he said that he thinks Francis is the best guard in the NBA...
Yao probably didn't make direct comparison, because it was not quoted in the article. Yao said that T-Mac sometimes passed the ball beyond his imagination, and he can always caught Yao's pass that Yao used to pass to Francis.
Perhaps not in terms of %, but more often that not Tmac is very efficient in his shots. Basically he scores a lot of points versus the amount of shots he takes. And we know he can at least score 48.
Yao also said that now he puts emphasis in strength training so he could "attack w/o dribbling", for which he needs to be very strong. He now can bench 140kgs (310lbs).
Besides developing a tenacity to rebound and timing on his shot-blocking, I don't think there is a bigger place for Yao to improve, than getting to the basket on a minimal amout of dribbles. Every time I see Yao doing a one-bounce power dribble move, it never seems like he's getting anywhere. Duncan and Shaq on the other hand are so much more adept at using a jumpstop and covering a lot of ground to get to the basket.
