This has been discussed a little in other threads but I thought it deserved it's own. People are clamoring for Rockets to be more up-tempo but how exactly do you do that with Yao? Would it have to be some sort of mix? What coach would be able to make this happen? Do we need it to happen? Can it happen?
We can be up-tempo and still use Yao. You just need guards that can run the fast break. You need a coach that is willing to allow guards to leave a bit early on the defensive end. Just look at the Spurs. They are a hard nosed defensive team but Parker and Ginobili get up and down the court on the break and FINISH at the basket. Easy points. The team FG% goes up. The half court offense isn't TOTALLY dependant on the scoring. We could do this with Yao. We just need better guard personnel and probably a coaching change.
One thing YAO can take from Shaq is this Shaq runs down the center of the court to the front of the basket I mean he RUNS until he is deep into the paint the posts up Where Yao runs to a spot . . not as deep then try to get position Rocket River
Its easier said than done, when you say all you need is to get guards like Parker and Ginobili. The thread should be, which guards can we get to run the uptempo game. Yao is essentially a non-factor to determine whether or not its feasible. We know he's not going to run with them, and we know it still can be done without him if you have the guards capable of doing it. But, that's the million dollar question, and the one position that needs a serious upgrade... PG, PG, PG.
It would also help if Rafer and Luther were not scared to take the ball to the basket. I have seen so many fastbreaks that should have resulted in easy buckets, but either Rafer or Luther backed it out because they have no confidence in making a layup.
You guys don't understand the fast break. You don't need a fast center to run a break. There are many teams out there whose centers rarely ever on the break but they are considered fast breaking teams. To run a break, you need good rebounder(s). Only 1 or 2 players stay back to secure a rebound. The other 3 are free to run the break. We also need a guy to lead a break, make good decision and guys who can finish. The Rockets are deficient on all areas. Yao is not a great rebounder, neither are Hayes, Howard. Deke was good in his younger day, but not any more. When they got a rebound, more likely than not they had to work hard to get it. They are not ready to throw a good outlet pass. Because, our 4, 5 are not great rebounders, Tmac, Battier, Alston often stay to help on the defensive board. We do not have enough people to fill the lanes. A few times we do run a break, we are adequate but not great. Sometimes we make wrong decision, sometimes we do not finish strong.
thats a great point. Great centers know where to go and move well without the ball...finding the weak spot. Yao doesnt do that very well at all. like you said, a lot of the times its like he is on rails...unable to 'float' where he needs to really be
Yao needs a coach like Dream to teach him how. And of course we need a point guard who could penetrate and finish the play as simple as that. We could work on our bench this season also and try to develop young talent like Steve and Spanoulis to help the team out. Please let Juwan and Luther go they proved that they could not compete in the playoff.
Actually Yao is a perfect center for a fast breaking team. He's not going to lead the break, but he will trail and will get a lot of baskets by cutting through the lane while the defense is still trying to stop the initial break. Or you basically do some simple high post offense to get him an easy jumper early in the shot clock, it would actually be better for him stamina wise cos he would not have to bang around and establish position as much. If we were to move to a fast break offense, stromile swift is looking mighty good right now
Why not? Someone mentioned this in another thread. What about those great Laker teams in the eighties? The had a pretty good center and, if I remember right, a pretty good fast break as well. We should use Yao like those teams used Kareem, since Yao's game is closer to Kareem's than it is (or will ever be) to Shaq's anyway.
You mold the team after the Laker teams from the 80's. You make a concerted effort to the push the ball as much as possibe, take advantage of TMac's ability to see the floor and/or finish and then, if you don't get an easy shot, you set up and pound it to Yao and/or run pick-n-rolls with McGrady. Yao will still get his numbers because he is so effecient and would be fresher due to the fact that not every position is required of him to grind it out, fighting for post-position. What is great about is that the opponent can't concentrate on one thing to stop and will get worn down by the 4th quarter because they will have to keep up with the other Rocket players and then have to deal with Yao down low as well. It worked for Magic and Kareem. We can still have the same result with Yao and TMac.
I think Yao gets tired not so much from running, but from wrestling with defenders who try to push him out of the paint.
ya thats what i am thinking. who the crap wouldn't be fatigued trying to get rbs against 7 ft guys ...then going back and scoring 25 a night.
Difficult issue here. No - we don't need 5 men running the break each time. Kareem was slow too during the Lakers' era and they ran the break to perfection. Kareem was seldom involved in those fast breaks. Riley seemed to understand Kareem's limitations (albeit not as great as Yao's limitations) and would not get on his ass for "dogging it". One thing though - Yao does seem to be able to get deeper position when we do pick up the pace. Seems like we do go thru short spurts where he can establish deep position before his man or the opposing defense is setup. Does wear him out though.
The moment you try to emulate someone else's style, you fail. If we were to join the rest of the pack, then we will be the late comers... as we all know how late comers turn out to be.
