Van Gundy and Yao: no love?

I don't know about foul language. But I think Yao used to have disciplinary coaches in China. To my knowledge, all Chinese coaches are disciplinary and authoritarian.

I remember Yao told Rudy early on in his first NBA year, "Coach, you don't have to be so nice to me."

 

It's not really about love between a coach and his players. It's more about respect. A coach can be tough, but still gain the respect of his players if he shows that his intentions are good. I have a lot of doubt as to whether Van Gundy has gained the respect of his players. He's not getting across to them, and showing his players up by benching them and then dissing them in the press ain't gonna win him any more respect from his troops.

 

i agree, great point

 

A lot has been said about the stereotype/generalization of the traditional Chinese culture of being polite, reactionary, etc...what about the stereotype/generalization about losing face or the Model Minority Myth of succeeding? Me thinks Yao Ming needs to spend less time philosophizing, posting on his website and more time playing physical basketball.

While I'm earning my Ph.D. (player-hating degree), what's wrong with a PG/self-appointed team leader whose only indication of maturity is his month-old mustache?

Where is Les? He CANNOT be happy with this product.


University (More for Les) Blue

 

Ya know when I read these Yao has regressed posts, I try and watch the games and see if he actually has and I don't see it. His have been down because JVG is playing him very miniscule minutes. His scoring is down because of that, but also because when he is actually in the game, he's not receiving the same touches he was earlier on in the season when he was averaing 18 points and 10 boards. It's like they went away from that plan for some reason. Not that stats matter unless it's in the win column, but benching your potential dominant big man for the future isn't the right way to go about getting wins. Yes the man has some deficiencies in terms of lateral foot speed, and yes he can be timid from time to time to the point where it frustrates even me. Two of my biggest pet peeves about him are the fact that he tips rebounds instead of snagging them instead. I know he can do it, but it's another lousy habit he picked up over the years playing against smaller less athletic players.

The other is the fact that he takes so long to make a move. I don't mind when he actually makes the move. I mean when he just holds the ball after it's been passed inside to him and he waits to come up with a move to do instead of already preplanning what he wants to do with the ball once he gets it. Instead he'll just hold onto the ball and let the defense adjust and get back to their man instead of promoting quick thinking decisions. But for that matter, everyone on the team does the same thing. MoT takes forever when he faces up, looks at his defender and decides whether he wants to attack the basket or take a mid range jumper. That kills any ball movement, and I hate that because it results in low percentage shots. However Mobley and Francis do it too though. There's just too many guys on this team that feel the need to eat up a few seconds with the ball in their hand and make a move to the basket or try and nail a jumper in their defenders face instead of already knowing exactly what they want to do once the ball is given to them. I can't stress that enough how much that kills ball movement and any chance for an open look. All blowout games the Rockets have had they moved the ball around well, set good PnR's and took quick shots that were open instead of fumbling around with the ball.

But back on Yao, he hasn't even gotten enough touches lately to put up big numbers. Whether you want to argue it's because of the defenses that are set up around him or not, I fail to see how hard it is to find a way to make a good pass into a 7'6 big man. Padgett is the only one on the team that seems to know how and when to make a back door pass into Yao instead of passing the ball around the perimeter every damn time with the occasional drive into the lane. The Rockets should spend more time on how to make defenses adjust to their offense instead of having their offense adjust to their opponents defense. Also I fail to see how if your missing from the 3 point line the last 6 times you took why you would feel the next time you jack it up, the 7th time it just might fall. That's another stubborn characteristic I've seen from the Rockets. They keep jacking up 3s til the very end instead of moving perhaps a little closer to the basket and taking a midrange jumper or driving into the lane. If your missing from the 3 point line a certain night, don't keep shooting it hoping you'll eventually start making it.

I got off track as far as Yao's regression, but I think it's more or less JVG pulling Yao out of games too much for him to be much of an impact and it's the rest of the team shutting him out once he's even on the floor.

 

i wonder if the dalai lama and other Tibetans feel the same way about Chinese people being polite...

 

One other thing to note about Yao that I do think has regressed is him not getting to the FT line as much. Wasn't he earlier in the season getting the line about 7 times a game? Again it could be attributed to him not getting more touches and seeing less time on the court, but his FT attempts per game have dwindled, and getting to the charity line often always helps a team.

 

Yao and JVG are fine. I think Yao is a bit frustrated with the pace of his development and what he is and isn't able to do while on the court. But that's not JVG's fault. JVG is urging him along at the right pace. A couple of weeks ago, JVG made a statement to the effect of: "I need to hold Yao to a higher standard." And he's absolutely right. If Yao is to progress into a true superstar, he needs to be pushed. Else, he will always defer to the "senior" players on this team. Does this offend Yao's culture? I doubt it.

Moreover, if you look at JVG's trackrecord, the players he typically shows "love" to are usually the ones that either 1) actually need some "emotional encouragement" b/c they're just role players who need a sense of significance or 2) veterans who are proven commodities. JVG is a very shrewd leader, IMO. This is textbook Riley too. Young players like Yao need to go through boot camp before they can appreciate the fruits of their labor as nurtured by a strong coach. Yao doens't need love, he needs guidance.

Unfortunately, I think the variable that is catching up with this team is TIME. Yao did himself AND the Rox an injustice, IMO for not participating in summer camp and staying overseas instead. Had Yao trained earlier in the US and worked alongside JVG, I think the changes JVG is asking of Yao would have been more natural. Instead, we face a situation where Yao is learning on the "fly" with the regular season nearly half way through.

There's plenty of time for lovin' AFTER the post-season.



theSAGE

 

Good point. Yao needs to know that he is not playing up to his potential and that JVG realizes this, and that he won't hesitate to bench him. Also, Yao needs to know that JVG is doing this all because he holds Yao to a higher standard, it's all out of love.

Yao needs to know that he needs to be rough out there, because if he's not, the opponent will make him pay.

 

Best course of action is a parting of ways for Yao and the Rockets. I wouldn't mind seeing the Spurs pick up Yao to play alongside Tim Duncan. Maybe the Rockets bite on Rasho Nestorovic, Bruce Bowen, and draft picks.

 

is there not a thread that goes by that you dont popin to decree that Yao needs to be somewhere else??

You are starting to sound like a ricerocket record....

 

Rasho and Bowen for Yao? The Spurs draft picks are worthless since they are a top team so they have little value. Give me a break. The Rockets can get way more than that.

Maybe for Kobe if he says he'll leave LA. Maybe for Peja, Bobby Jackson, and Keon Clark. These kinds of trades are more equal.

 

Doesn't sound like you're a Rockets fan, eh? "Maybe the Rockets bite"? Maybe the Spurs will bite on Yao, eh? If you think the Rockets are holding Yao back, you really should hope that he gets traded to a team without any great scorers like Miami, Utah or Atlanta. The Spurs have the fire power and are a championship-contending team. They will not patiently wait for Yao to develop, as they're going for it all. He'll certainly be an upgrade over Rasho though, but why would they pull a deal like that when they're already winning?

 

So you have been to tibet and spoken to them? What do you think about the landscape and the temple? Stunning aren't they?

Me, on the other hand, haven't spoken to any Red Indians before.

 

Not that I would want to Trade Yao Ming but be sure that Yao Ming could play his more natural Game [not under the basket]with the Spurs and would develop much faster because Tim Duncan who also plays the Natural way as opposed to Traditional, is a great passer and makes all of his Team better.The Big men of the Spurs are not concerned about things like Guards that shoot first and pass second. Duncan would turn Yao Mings Basketball Career arround in a Flash!

 

Is this a real thread? Someone's actually arguing that an NBA player does not respect a coach because he uses bad language?

Are we that desperate for things to discuss these days?

Maybe Yao doesn't respect JVG because he's short, and therefore can't know anything about basketball. Yes, that's it.

 

as if dalai lama used to run a democratic government in Tibet...

 

Can we please not start this in GARM.