When do you think Yao will play Shaq strictly 1 on 1?

Why should he? Yao is 3-1 vs Shaq in games they've both played. Seems like it is working to me.

Maybe the Lakers and Shaq should swallow their pride and start double teaming Yao.

 

yao should never guard shaq 1 on 1

shaq is too big and too fast for yao or any player for that matter

yao defended him as well as anyone in the league however shaq was not trying very hard in the 1st half. in the 2nd half shaq got whatever he wanted on offense.

 

Guarding Shaq 1-on-1 is foolish for anybody. I hope that Yao never does it. It's also foolish to guard Yao 1-on-1... or, imo, pretty much any good player. Help defense works well, especially in a league where there aren't enough good shooters.

 

you guys are nuts.. Shaq was unstoppable that night, he either scored or got fouled which is what you want your big guys to do. What made this interesting was that Yao was also unstoppable, since Lakers didnt double team Yao (even though I saw help defenders come over).

They both had big scoring nights Yao happened to win the game (so supposedly the matchup) .. I think it would be crazy to have Yao go one on one with Shaq. What would be the purpose? so Yao could foul out? (like how Shaq fouled out)

I think the strategy we used was the right one (evidenced by the wins).

J

 

He didn't either score or get fouled. His shooting % was poor. Shaq was "effective" that night.

 

Maybe when Shaq is 40.

I still prefer Cato defending Shaq over Yao, certainly if we're talking about not double-teaming. He holds his ground better, plus it isn't like he needs that energy for the offensive end. And, it would let Yao concentrate more on offense and stay out of foul trouble.

 

Until JVG let's him.

 

If Yao plays Shaq 1 on 1 he will be fouled out in the 1st min of the game. & Yao really cant out play Shaq but he can cancel him out w/ as good or better numbers.

 

I see no reason why Yao would ever play Shaq straight up. Doubling Shaq was effective. Even in the 1995 finals, the Rockets doubled Shaq a lot, and we had the greatest defensive player on the game at center. Its just smart basketball to double him.

 

I prefer winning, and so I hope that Yao will not be guarding Shaq 1 on 1 anytime soon.

 

When Yao gains about 20 more pounds in muscle, he can take shaq 1 on 1

 

I'm sure Yao will play Shaq straight up at the 2006 all star game in Houston...

 

The reason I feel that Kobe is so overrated is this:

Basketball is such that any extreme offensive talent, be it Shaq, Iverson, Carter, Bryant, McGrady or Pierce cannot be effectively guarded on a strictly 1 on 1 basis. Any given play favors the offensive player, in general, the levelling factor being the offensive player's ability to overcome beating himself. The best players have that ability to the exteme, and the very best either are so effective at one dimension ( Shaq/Iverson) or so good at two ( Carter/Pierce) that they prevent defenders from being able to comfortably take away their strength in isolation.

As such, it is foolish to try and 1 on 1 any great offensive talent, unless they are having a bad night. Even then, if the game is on the line, at least do a prevent double. Players like Iverson, Pierce, Carter, McGrady face constant doubles because of this. For limited periods any player can be effective against constant doubles, but in the long run it wears on players, physically and mentally. Kobe has never faced that. Any excpetional offensice talent, such as the ones I've mentioned, would produce at least as much as Kobe were they to be assured of almost never facing doubles, and often being open because of playing with Shaq.

So, after all that, no. It would be silly to try and play Shaq strictly 1 on 1.

 

Shaq is a better one on one player than Yao currently, but Yao contributed more than Shaq for the following reasons:

1) Jackson didn't give Shaq help, which caused him to foul out.
2) The Rocket guards dominated Payton and Kobe (not counting Kobe from behind the arc) causing Shaq to overcompensate and commit fouls when tired and commit fouls when he was overaggressive on offensive end.
3) Yao had a good game.
4) Yao does better against Shaq than Shaq does against Cato.
5) Lakers are use to being able to play straight up defense, but Rockets have a variety of ways of attacking teams that don't help.

 

I don't understand the people who say Yao can never 1 on 1 with Shaq. Yao gets stronger ever year, Shaq is visibly losing quickness and explosiveness every year. Shaq is clearly bothered by Yao's length. Yao is clearly capable of guarding him one on one at some point.

I say next season. Two seasons later is the latest.

 

but, why would we do that? If we beat the Lakers by doubling, why would we change? Its not about showing people how good Yao is, its about winning games.

 

Shaq is getting old and he will continue to have injure issue as time goes by. On the other side, Yao is getting stronger by the day through proper training and diet. He will surpass Shaq within 2 or 3 years. If Yao was here for college and played college basketball, Yao would have dominated already. Anyway, I am seeing a lot of improvement already, thanks for Rocket the determination to draft him and treat him as a prospect. There are people still thought Rocket should have taken J. William instead. LOL.

 

Jeff says no.

and me too


--YM