NY Times: Rockets Seek to Uncover Yao's 7-Foot-6 Mean Streak

You want me to believe that all Patrick Ewing tells Yao Ming is to be aggressive and dunk? You're joking, right?

If Patrick Ewing or Jeff Van Gundy tells Yao Ming to shoot the ball more and he continues to pass the ball back out of even moderate double teams, that's not coaching, that's not technique...that's mind set. Aggressive post moves and taking the ball to the basket aggressively are preceeded by mind set, not the other way around.

 

Great read, and I wonder if Yao has it in him.

My concern is that he is not enough of an athlete to become super agressive.

He will never be a quick jumper, or have quick feet, and he will always be very tall and thus unable to get proper leverage against smaller & stronger players.

I just can not remember any 23 year old suddenly becoming a superstar after playing 3 or 4 years, especially a big man.

But....I would love for it to happen.

DD

 

Ewing and JVG have been saying all the time Yao has great tools which I do not see. Yao has not much post moves as of today. The post moves he showed last year are incidental, not acquired through training.

I don't see Ewing and JVG tell Yao to shoot the ball more under double team. Would you kindly enough show us the link or quote?

Plus, when to shoot under double team or to pass is also about techniques. Ewing himself said it took him 2 years to learn it, so you think Ewing didnot have the mindset for 2 years then suddenly had it after 2 years?

Many people said Yao was always out of position, did not block defenders, all these are techniques.

 

Knicks have no cap space. Sign and trade doesn't work anymore due to BYC rules.

 

Ever since Yao has been more aggressive he's only seemed to get in more foul trouble. Anyone else questioning if maybe more aggressive is not the way to go?

 

By the way, Ewing himself is pretty much so-called best jump shooting center. So how much can Ewing teach Yao with regard to post moves?

 

If I were the Rockets, I'd let Yao have some R&R for a month or so. Just give him some tickets to Hawaii. Let him recharge his batteries and then come back for the final part of the season.

 

JVG is putting square pegs into his round holes.... Whether they like it or not.

 

Because he has not learned the right way to be aggressive. He has to learn the aggressive technique, the one that is aggressive but won't be called a foul. The best one to learn from is Malone who can break someone's skull without being called.

 

Ding ding ding ding...we have a winner.

DD

 

my $0.02

1. NBA players get 80% of their improvement during the offseason. Yao doesn't get one.

2. Yao's problem isn't so much technique as it is timidness. The NBA game moves fast. Players need to react and make decisions immediately without hesitation and act full throttle. Yao hesitates the majority of the time he has the ball, and many times doesn't fully commit to a move. He tries to "feel out" the defense as he goes into a move, while All-Stars simply *SNAP* do it.

3. Yao simply is not at a point where he can carry a team, and JVG's offense was built around him.

4. He doesn't look confident, and in basketball, you have to go out every night with the feeling that you will win no matter what.

5. He would benefit greatly from Pete Newells Big Man Camp, but his obligations to China nix that.

Anyone saying that Yao has been "kept down" by Steve and Cat pretty much has to eat their words these days.

Evan

 

I have. I wanted Kareem to coach Yao - they have more similar games. But I don't think JVG wants that type of game from his center even though Kareem had a few successful games.

 

How many touchs did Yao get after the 1st quarter? I just don't understand why we start out each and every game going to Yao and then ....

 

I agree to some extent.

Clearly Yao would be more comfortable being a high post center. But for him to achieve "greatness" he has to be a low post center. He has to be able to do both. I think what VG is doing now is trying to work on his weaknesses. This will take some time, and an adjustment period. I think we have to wait on this. If after time it does not work, then we give up and run him in the high post.

As for Francis. I personally DO think he is a square peg in a round hole and I have advocated moving him to 2 guard on offense (1 on defense). I would like to see that. In some respects I appreciate what VG is doing in terms of trying to get him to be a REAL PG and perhaps it will work. But I have more faith in Yao learning the post play than Francis becoming a solid "PG".

Bottom line, BOTH of them are learning new things. BOTH of them are out of their comfort zone and thus their play is what it is.

I dont mind JVG trying to mold them a bit to see "IF" he can do something with them in those roles. But I am not sure how much time we can invest in that if it is costing us games. Time will tell.

 

How many touchs did Yao get after the 1st quarter? I just don't understand why we start out each and every game going to Yao and then ....

Me either!
Since the second basket, The ROX was playing 4 on 5 when Yao was on the floor.

 

Because other teams adjust and Yao can't hold the dang ball, he fumbles it away like he just had a butter sandwich.

DD

 

JVG is just too kind to Yao Ming! Yao Ming isnt getting the message, he should be benched for three quarters and told that he can go into the Game only if he takes over the game with determined scoring. On the other hand he could be benched and told that he must earn his starting position. Something like these ideas must be used as what they[the Coaches] are using now isnt working. Restrain Yao Ming, raise eyebrows in China,cause him to ask questions, cause the fans to light fires, then reward Yao Ming only if he plays with determination. All of this means Cato must return to his NATURAL position of Center and for the limited playing time alotted to Yao Ming,Steve must force feed him the ball. Let us see what he is made of!!
PS Get rid of Ewing and bring in Moses Malone who will not only 'demand' Yao to be agressive but will show him just how to do it. This is needed as we are asking a passive person to change his on court personality.Ewing feels nothing for the Rockets and will never make the required effort. Moses is the man and Les , JVG and CD need to get on the ball right away!!!IMHO

 

Ewing was not that great anyway, his games in Knicks was not much more enjoyable than Yao's right now.

 

So because of this, he is never to see the ball again? Does this apply to all Rocket players?

 

This is a good question that has been asked millions of times but got sucked into the Black Hole like Mo T.