I'm not one to sound the alarm. I'll just say this is a BAD basketball team AT THE MOMENT. Where we go from here is anyone's guess. But, there is one thing about Yao I've watched more closely over the past couple weeks and it is a problem that hasn't gone away. A few weeks back, John Barry was on 610 and he said that Yao has the tendency to back up as the entry pass is being made making it more difficult to catch the ball and often causing turnovers or, at the very least, causing him to be off balance when he does catch it. Since he said that, I've watched that tendency, particularly since T-Mac has been out because he is such a safety net for everyone. This is an issue Yao must address. Almost all great post players go get the ball when it is thrown to them. Not only does this eliminate turnovers, but it makes for a cleaner entry pass in general. During tonight's game, I saw at least 3 turnovers that were the direct result of players passing the ball to Yao in the post but he backed away from the pass as it was headed to him. This becomes a pariticular problem when the angle of the pass is from the foul line extended or from the high post, which has to happen often when Yao is being fronted. The angle of those passes is already awkward. Making himself a moving target, especially in the direction opposite of where the ball is going, creates problems. While this is a relatively minor problem on the surface, it can lead to a myriad of other issues. It definitely makes it easier for defenders to reach around and knock the ball loose. It also gives more time for double teams to react to the pass. More importantly, it leaves Yao out of balance when and if he can hold onto the ball. We all know that Yao struggles to keep the ball in his possession, but he is making it worse for himself by backing away as the entry pass is being made.
Good observation. I also noticed that as I watched the game tonight, especially the pass by DW down to the third quarter. The only question I had is since Rockets organization knew Yao has this problem, do they have any perticular method or training to help him overcome this bad habbit?
Jeff, I completely understand what you're saying, and I did hear the same interview with JB on SR610. However, IMO, that problem won't go away. I think a major part of it is Yao's slow reaction to everything, which again goes back to the fact that he's 7'6", and I honestly don't see how that will get much better over time, since his defenders will always be three or four steps quicker than him; the key to the entry pass is timing on both ends (the passer and probably more so the reciever), and Yao's timing will always be off. Just my opinion though.
Well that could explain the offensive fouls. if you bcak into a opposing player with the back, it can be deamed as a offensive foul.
I think Yao wants to get as deep as possible before catching the ball. Once he gets the ball, it is harder for him to move towards the basket, because he has to put the ball on floor and dribble several times. For some reason, Yao seems not confident with his ability to back down his defenders with ball in hands. Yao and all other tall guys want to avoid putting the ball on floor, especially if DT is coming. Actually Yao can dribble the ball ok, as shown by the behind back dribble last year and that quick spin move close to the end of this game. But I guess he just does trust his dribbling. BTW, where has his baby hook shot gone? He is not using it in the past two games.
Yeah, he backs up because he is trying to hold the defender behind him, but the defender just sidesteps a little bit and is able to get right at the basketball. I think Bullard said it during tonight's game that Yao has to spread his legs and create a wider space with his body. Then he's gotta be ready to catch a harder thrown ball and the ball does need to be delivered with a little more zip on it. Yao doesn't spread out enough to keep the defenders from reaching around him for the ball. The other thing Yao needs to address is handling the ball. I think part of his problem with catching the ball is it has been drilled into him by the Chinese to always catch the ball and handle the ball with both hands because it is harder for defenders to get the ball away from him. For this reason, he always tries to catch 2 handed, and he always pivots 2 handed, and faces up 2 handed. A seven footer in the NBA has to be able to catch with one mitt and elbow extend or shoulder extend the off hand to create just a little bit of space. They also need to be able to palm the ball effectively and hold it away from their bodies or up above their head, causing the defender to have to have move out of position to get the ball. Also the ability to swing the ball from hand to hand with the pivot drop own or the ability to go up in one motion with one hand and throw it down. Yao always seems to have to have both hands on the ball. I can't hardly believe that his hands aren't big enough to palm the basketball comfortably. All that being said, there were still numerous times tonight when he got free in the extreme low post and they didn't even throw him the ball, when he had his hand up looking for it. Granted, when he gets in real deep, for the play to work, the pass has to be thrown with some mustard on it, which means he's gotta catch it. But when he is so low in the block and he starts rolling across the middle as our perimeter player is dribbling from one side to the other, a one handed bullet pass right to his arm extended towards the rim seems so tempting from my seat in front of the television. Our perimeter players refuse to throw the ball hard to him in those situations. In fact, they don't throw him the ball at all in those situations. I don't understand that.
I heard the interview with Barry. I think it boils down to aggression, an aggressive player goes towards the ball because they want the ball. I believe its just a mental thing and since yao isn't aggressive, he goes away from the ball. Same principle on rebounds.
It's very true. I guess it has more to do with Yao's natual ability. Yao was fighting his position hard, when the pass comes, Yao's center of gravity is too high and his reaction is slower than a normal NBA player. Like Yao's lacking of stamina and explosiveness, it's his shortcoming. It may take a while for Yao to get better at that, when he thinks ahead, anticipates the pass before the pass actually comes to his way.
Passes have to be pretty much perfect for Yao. Otherwise it gets hairy with his slow reaction time. It also doesn't help that he has lousy hands. How many times have we seen passes or rebounds deflect off his mitts.
True. Why not throw the ball harder to him, especially when he gets position? If I were Van Gundy, I'd get one of those ball throwing machines and set it up to first throw the medicine ball. I'd set up a drill with Yao where he had to start with his back to the machine and he couldn't turn to catch the ball until he heard the machine beep. Then you set the beep at different times and move the times forward to shorten the time between the beep and the ball being thrown. Then speed up how fast the ball is thrown. Then switch to a regulation basketball. Yao has to turn, catch the ball, one handed, and then pivot and shoot the basketball. Make him do this drill until he catches and drills 10 shots in a row. Then make him turn and catch single handed and he can't stop until he catches and drains the shot single handed ten times in a row. Works on his reflex action and his hands.
Yes, but how do many players in the league are capable of making "perfect" passes? Short of having both Kidd and Nash as our backcourt tandom, how do you accomplish that? Do you understand why his teammates would be hesitant to dish him the ball if more than a few times they have seen it result in a turnover? Very few players in this league can make a 'perfect pass', and most don't, and that's why the reciever of the pass has to do his part in adjusting to that, which usually requires a quick reaction and quick feet, neither of which Yao has, which is why I just don't see him making a significant improvement on that front.
The habit of backing up while receiving the ball is obviously a subconscious attempt to get as close to the basket as possible. It's like a receiver in football who starts to turn upfield before catching the ball. Yao should work to break that habit. And if it is such a big issue, the coaches should make it a point to drill him in how to receive the entry pass.
Like someone has said he wants to get as close to the basket as possible to attack once he catches the ball. I call it being aggressive.
I think that is a problem of the whole team. I count 3 times this game when we got the rebounds and then somehow the ball went out of bound. Swift also fumbled the ball a couple of times for no reason.
