Charvo, I agree with you that Yao's shot is completely gone. I remember in an interview a while back, Yao attributed his lack of shooting touch to more muscle mass in his biceps, but due to the flu, his arms seem puny. so now he neither has improved upper body strength nor a good shot. When did Yao's shot completely dissappear? That's the question. I recall Yao toastin Dikembe (mostly with 18 footers) last january so it certainly can't all be due to his workout regimen. Also, as I don't remember much from the olympics, did Yao have much of shot then? He torched NZ for 37/38 pts or something and shot 15/20 so I'm inclined to believe that he somewhat had a shot then. So we can conclude that his shot has not been with them since early this season. What was it? I'm inclined to think it was his torn arm ligament or whatever. Hopefully, Yao gets his shot back soon. I too don't think he's much use to the rockets if he's being utilized like a ben wallace or brendan haywood...picking up the garbage. Yao needs his shot to take pressure off TMAc. Hopefully he will get his touch back soon. Opinions?
It's gotten pretty bad. He's even missing short shots right next to the basket. It seems like he's only good for layups and dunks now. Yao must figure it out what is going on. This is one of the reasons why I think Yao and the Rockets will part ways. It might not be the Rockets, but sometimes a different environment will awaken the spirit. I've always thought Yao isn't having any fun now. That certainly isn't helping him develop.
I think a flaw in using Yao is having him move around a lot offensively and defensively. Once again I liken Yao to a paperweight with a very heavy base and light top. Paperweights aren't supposed to move around. Just get the ball and shoot. There's no need to move around. When Yao has to move around a lot with the ball, it increases the chances of him losing the ball or committing a turnover. Depending on Yao to make athletic maneuvers to get off a shot is futile. I bet when Yao was successful with his hook shot in the past, Yao would get the ball and within a second launch the shot. He didn't move around to try to get closer to the basket. Get the ball and then shoot. Don't let defenses start to collapse in on him. I was watching the NCAA tournament a few years ago when Antawn Jamison was playing with North Carolina. The broadcasters put up an illustration showing how much time it took for Antawn Jamison to put up a shot after he received the ball. It was very short. He got the ball and immediately put the ball up. Hit or miss. It was still the same. Maybe he's thinking too much before he shoots the ball. Look at the game tonight in the 1st quarter. Yao got the ball and tried to do a bunch of low post moves to get closer to the basket. He effed up. That's bad strategy, but I think Yao thinks he needs to get as close to the basket as possible or else he will brick it. Eff it. Yao should get position. Get the ball, and immediately jack it up. Reduce the time the ball is in his hands. There is less time to think, and there is less time for the defenders to react. As far as defense goes, god created zone defense specifically for Yao.
Let me add that I think this is sort of what Yao did in the 2nd half of the Lakers game. He planted himself in the paint and allowed for penetrating guards to dish to him. He immediately took the shot after receiving the pass. He didn't eff around and try to dribble it closer to the basket. Defenders had to foul him. Yao got 11 free throws. Yao dribbling around is bad. It's a turnover waiting to happen.
I totally agree with Charvo about the Yao moving thing, just catch and shoot. Unfortunately, that means he needs to depend on the Rox Guards to get him the ball when he has position, and I think we all know the outcome of that one
he's wasting his energy moving around and posting up because we keep swinging teh ball around. also, this is where i think Yao and the rockets miss Cato the most. Last season, Cato sometimes would guard the other teams' center or Yao would know that Cato can help out on D. This year, the guy is by himself. Expending energy guarding his own player and expending more energy chasing down PFs while running down the other end trying to post up could really take it out of him.
Somehow I don't think Yao's arm is healed all the way. His shot is WAAAAY off. Not even close. I honestly don't believe JVG damaged his shot that much, either. Yao had that shot more than 2/3rds into the season last year and he dropped 18 on Shaq in Game 3 of the playoffs, round one, mostly using his 18 footer. And he had his touch in the olympics, now that I think about it. I think it's still his arm. I'd imagine having a consistent jumper is like perfecting a golf swing. If you have an injury it's really hard to get the shot/swing back in a short amount of time.
I think it happened before the playoffs last season. Yao started missing shots all over the place from his usual spots on the floor. I watched the playoffs also, and Yao was horrid from the floor. He was only making layups and dunks. Look at the dude in the 1st quarter against the Lakers. He was trying to back it down in the paint even though he was in a spot that usually attained him a high percentage hook shot in the past. He effed up. Yao knows his accuracy is way off, so he is trying to get a layup or dunk. There is no freaking way that everyone can post up a defender and consistently expect a layup or dunk. Yao should figure out why his shooting touch is garbage now. If he only can make layups and dunks to score, he will never be great because he will always have to depend on guards to penetrate to get him the ball under the basket. Great players can create shots from themselves. Yao did it last year for many games. His game is headed down the path of a roleplayer. He depends on others to get his shots. He is not depended on to create shots.
Yao is not going to leave, not until Van Gundy is fired first. The way this team is going, Van Gundy will have a hard time keeping his job.
JVG is half way out, defence mind coach can't let team play any defence, Inside out offence style team is playing up-tempo game, he is out of control on this team, i don't see him stand sideline of rockets bench next season.
One thing I notice with Rudy T and the Lakers is that Rudy T has developed some pretty decent shooters. These guys were not shooters before. I never saw Phil Jackson be able to utilize Brian Cook at all to be a shooter. Who would have known Brian Cook is that good of a shooter? How bout Jumaine Jones? How bout Chucky Atkins? Even Caron Butler is a better outside shooter than he was last year with the Heat. I theorize that Rudy T's style of coaching instills confidence in players. How can Mike D'Antoni create great shooters out of guys like Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson. How bout Don Nelson with the Mavericks? Why is everyone such a good shooter? How bout Rick Adelman with the Kings? Besides TMac, everyone on the Rockets has lost his shooting touch. Even Wesley who was a pretty good shooter before seemed to have lost his shooting touch. JVG might tell you it is alright to shoot the ball and miss, but look at JVG's face when you miss a shot. The anguish in his face is reminiscent of someone who just found out his dog died. It looks like someone gave JVG two permanent black eyes. I theorize that a sweet shooting touch by anyone on the team is indicative of confidence in one's own game. When you got a good shooting touch, you feel you can make a shot from everywhere on the court. It lifts your entire game up offensively and defensively. My theory is that you fire JVG and put in a player's coach who understands how to instill confidence in the players especially for this team, and you will find out that a lot of the Rockets' players all of a sudden find their shooting touches become miraculous better.
I think Les is going to soon start seeing that JVG's system is not going to fly here and we need a change.....he better go and pay some major money for a coach that teaches young players and gives them confidence not bash them as JVG does. Never liked him when we hired him and still don't like him running this team.
Yeah, Charvo, Yao should be a great finisher around the basket being created by his teammates. However that means two things: 1. He wouldn't be the initiator to involve the teammates. This will cause problem to those who thinks Yao should only be milked like a cow on offense, without reward. Amare or Malone type of easy points are not for Yao. Double teams are better than 60% FGP under the basket. 2. He doesn't have to play solely with his back to the basket. If you noticed when Yao plants himself next to the basket, he is facing the basket sometimes. This doesn't bode well with people who think that if Yao plays facing the basket he will end up being the next Rik Smits. On the JVG developing shooters thing, I wonder how many mid to long range jumpers does Yao practice a day? Who's the shooting coach on the Rockets?
big kids don't need to shoot, just get em as close to the basket as possible and make plau in that area and shoot all their shots from in close......who needs longer shots when someone is 7ft 6inches
Yao is definitely more of a finisher than initiator now. He's getting a lot of assisted layups and dunks. I have no doubts he can get points in this manner. However, his mark in NBA history will be much less with this kind of role. Hakeem was not just the finisher, he was creating shots for himself and everyone. Whoever dumped the ball into the low post with Hakeem was irrelevant. Yao is now dependent on good guard play in order to get his points. That's not a great player.
The reason why he lost his shooting touch is because of "Yao dunk the ball, damn it dunk the ball, stop shooting." From that point all he think about is dunking and the result is he lost his touch.
