There has been a lot of talk about how 'this' player stinks and isn't right for the team or 'that' player is selfish and hurting the chances of 'another' player, and only by having the other player is the one and only star of the team will the Rockets ever be truly good. I was thinking, and trying to imagine our team without either Yao or Steve, sine those are the two that get most of the grief. Without Steve(and in part Cat): Without these players there isn't a real scoring threat other than Yao. Defenses will be allowed to concentrate even more than they already do on Yao. The ball will be in his hands all the time. He already has a rough time holding on to the ball, and dealing with physical play, and constant double teams away from the ball. It will happen even more. Yao's high TO's will go higher, he may try and do too much at this early stage in his career and he'll be more prone to fatigue and injury. With Steve and to some extent Cat the Rockets have legitimate options on offense that will draw defense, or should be able to make defenses pay for ignoring them. A balanced and effective team needs this. Most importantly the Rockets would be a worse team without Steve, and to a certain extent Cat. Without Yao: We've seen it before and it's ugly. Dribble mania increases, our team is out of the playoffs, and defenses can concentrate on Steve, who won't have another star player to help carry the burden. Steve will feel even more like he needs to be the Atlas that carries the team on his shoulders. He'll try and force the action, and with the defense concentrating on him, he will lose TO the ball even more. That's the kind of team we've seen prior to Yao getting here and it was ugly, and not fun to watch. Steve's individual stats would skyrocket, and he would post Iverson like numbers on a losing team. It would be a horrible move for the Rockets. Most importantly the Rockets would be a worse team without Yao. I fully admit that our offense has a long way to go, and every player even its stars have parts of their game that need serious improvement. That being said there are brief glimpses when we see what can be. We've seen Steve pull it together and carry the team to a victory when it was crunch time against the Clippers. We've seen Yao with a monster game where he had 6 or seven blocks, grow in his aggressiveness, and provide constant stats as far as points. It's far from perfect so far, but for the sake of the team we need to give it a chance to grow.
great post. i completely agree with you. i wonder what people will say if their wish does come true [about steve or yao or cat being traded] and we become worse.. wonder what the next thing they're gonna complain about.
Lets not find out. I havent given up on the current team. Its a new system with a number of players who are stuck in their ways. It can most surely come around.
well, i'm just saying because there are so many people on this board making up these trade/so-so sucks threads. i think it's unnecessary because i think we have a great team with a great coach and i know the team will come around and we'll be one of the greatest teams in a few years.
Yep. Exactly what I've been saying for a while: Steve and Yao are the stars we build around, if it ain't wrking, get their roles straightened out, get each of them shooting more, and retool the pieces around them, even if that means trading the restof the team. We need role definition, and players willing to fit in around Yao and Steve, not the other way around.
I would like to see Yao Ming play a game that is more natural to him! Instead of the Rock of Gibralter Center Position that JVG[Ewing] is teaching him. From what I see its not working.Yao Ming is playing in too much of a static position and is attracting quick defenders by the drove. At present everyone knows exactly where he is going to be.Where is his great footwork which he showed as a Rookie, where is his Hook Shot, Where is his now you see it, now you dont Shot? Where are his two handed DUNKS?
I havent caught many games so far but as I watch sportscenter or the... 3?.... games I may have been able to watch it now dawns on me that he doesnt seem to be moving nearly as much as last season. Good point.
I'm not sure why, but JVG has no used Yao's passing ability to the Rockets advantage. Last year, we were seeing more cuts to the basket with Yao passing the ball for easy lay ups. This year, I haven't seen any of this. Is it that defenses are not allowing this now? I think that Yao's game is really dependant on his passing. When we have the ball go through him, the rest of the Rockets players seem to play even better. I would like to see Yao come out some more, ala Brad Miller and Divac. I like it when the Kings use their big guys to set screens around the foul line. With Yao's height, he is able to see everything, giving him great angles for passing. Steve and Cat should also learn to become set shooters. Letting the rest of the team set them up every once and awhile would be good for them. They try so hard sometimes to create a shot, that they wast the shot clock dribbling. Many PG's, Bibby and Jason Williams, are not dependant on their driving ability; they let their teamates set them up. I guess what I would like to see is some more trust from Steve and Cat; trust that their teamates can set them up.
Good thread. Every single player on the Rox has been to blame for the sad games we've witnessed lately...i think we are too predictable as a team...there's no imagination in our offense...JVG is just building a defensive team as he has always done...all this talk about what player's fault it is will soon transform into JVG bashing...
Yao is Fast Becoming a CRUTCH for the Rox The whole point of inside-out is that the guards can take advantage of a defense that collapses on Yao... and that goes for both perimeter shooting AND penetration opportunities. But the problem that seems to be developing is when we start to lose, they start going to Yao as if he's some sort of crutch. IMHO, there is no need to debate the whole Yao vs. Steve thing. SF and Yao should be working SYNERGISTICALLY much like Shaq and Kobe. The destiny of this Rox team is in the direction of the Lakers and NOT of Sacramento or Dallas or any other team for that matter. But to get there, SF needs the license to do what he does best and not get mesmermized into thinking Yao is some sort of crutch. Meanwhile, Yao himself has got to get a better handle on the ball. He NEEDS his guards as much if not more than they need him. b/c today's NBA knows that we are going to pass Yao the damn ball (remember that one folks?). The league really is something else... truly adaptable... like survival of the fittest. theSAGE
niice post! good to see a rational assesment. i agree 100%. i think that the offense will be fine with yao and steve as the main damies, i just think this streak of poor offense is psychological. seriously, i think all the guys are pressing so hard on defense, they are not confident in their shooting. we get plenty of open looks, but the shots just don't seem to be falling. i think things will improve, they just need to keep the faith.
Good post, I pretty much agree. However, if we fail to make the playoffs, then blowing up the team and rebuilding around Yao for next year will become more of a possibility.
If we don't make the playoffs, something big will happen for sure. But for right now, we need to give this team more than 16 games. We are capable of being really good this year, we showed it early, but 16 games into the season and we want to trade? It's ridiculous. I've said this over and over: When the Rockets lose, everybody wants to point the finger at Steve, Cat, or any individual, but the facts is that the Rockets lose when the TEAM doesn't deserve to win, not just one guy.
You are assuming that if we trade SF we are not going to get anybody in return (and maybe we are getting to that point). Before we get to that point, we need to get somebody that is talented and fits with this team. We need somebody that is willing to make the other players better first. That is the signature of a super star.
I'm assuming that we won't get another person who will command as much attention by the defense, or will be able to take games over by himself the way Steve can. Steve does make other players better simply by being on the court and demanding the attention he does from the defense. In addition to that Steve is passing more, passing sooner, and all the other stuff he's supposed to do. Like I said he's far from perfect yet, but it's a work in progress.
