Here's what ESPN and the AP had to say about Yao's game vs the Hornets tonight: "Although New Orleans has a 7-footer of its own in Tyson Chandler, the matchup against the 7-6 Yao did not go well for the Hornets' center. Yao scored on seemingly effortless jump hooks and short turnaround jumpers. Other times, he rotated into the paint to steal rebounds from Hornets forwards and casually lay the ball back in like an adolescent might toy with younger, shorter brothers in a driveway. Chandler, who came in averaging 12 points and 12.4 rebounds, finished with nine points and five rebounds against the Rockets." Keep in mind Chandler's widely considered one of the top defensive low post players in the league. Sure, Yao gets embarrassed from time to time, but you know what? He also shows greatness on plenty of nights, which is why we are so harsh on him and why we place higher and higher expectations on the man. The better the player, the harsher the criticism. Michael Jordan used to be called 'selfish and doesn't make his teammates better' before he won his championships. The same with Hakeem. It's easy to forget what people used to say about Kevin Garnett before he took the T-wolves to the conference finals or the things said about Allen Iverson before he reached the finals, because winning shuts up all the naysayers; it's not coincidence that both players won the MVP award the same year that they broke through the playoffs. Am I saying Yao is as good or accomplished as these players? Obviously no, but he has a chance to reach some of these lofty expectations. In case you've forgotten, Yao is only 27 years old. Last season, before he was injured, Yao was being discussed as an early-mid season MVP candidate. He also frequently destroys other 'premier' centers in the league. Last I saw, he fared pretty damn well against Dwight Howard. Amare Stoudamire's a good big man, but Phoenix had to change up their team because of a 'lack of size and interior presence'. Eddie Curry? Pssssshhhhh.
LOL, so you changed your nick? Or you are too stupid to notice OP just got run out of this bbs after this stupid BS? Troll harder next time, puleeeze.
YAO is soft in the last few years. because he did't get a good partner in the inside now we see that the partner is coming up and we become unstoppable so stupid guy do never say that who you can find out to guard YAO in the league. if no body shut up your mouth jerk...
I see you are just having a weird standard of softness. Playing by rules and not retaliating is apparently soft to you. I mean take nothing from you, you are just having a different opinion from most fans here, which is biased, period. So please stop posting these crap.
Lock this stupid ass thread up already... I hate dumb ass trolls like this fool right here. Ban this r****ded ass fool right now! Yea we should trade Yao for Curry or Bynum lol what a dumb ass!! Seriously get the hell out of you troll!
Let me try to be as clear as possible so this thread can go away. I've never judged yao on numbers or lack of numbers. I never judge yao on how many points he scored. I don't judge softness on fights either. Walk with me on this one. I said when there are times for yao to stand up, he doesnt . A lot of times when teams start pushing on yao, he gives up his positioning. After that happens, he shoots a fade away. That's why he shot so poorly against Utah in the playoffs last season. Like I've said a few times david robinson is a hof and had some great stat season, but the book on him is to push on him and his game changes. I made a comment about some of things or tricks yao doesn't do might be cultural. The guy called e ignorant and talked about the chinese soccer team and their toughness. Maybe my words were wrong,but let me give some clarification. From basic kiddie league hoops, they teach u when rebouding to hold the ball high with elbows out. u don't swing the elbows, but u keep them out to protect the ball. Now I was taught this when I was 8. I was also taught at that age when posting up, before the dribble, keep the ball high and tight and close to the body with elbows out for protection. Now maybe its a thing with alll of the ''imports'', but have u noticed that very few can play with their back to the basket no matter how tall they are? Maybe its because the euros are trained to be more perimeter or something. Bottomline is yao is good,he's just soft a lot of times. What he did to chandler,gsw, and suns last time is what he should always do. Chandler is 235, harrington is 6'9, and diaw or amare are just as small. Yao should dominate them all the time. Those guys aren't big or strong enough to contain him. When he has in his mind that he's going to give people hell, he's nearly impossible to stop. The problem is he doesn't feel like that every night. For the millionth, please don't bring this thread back when yao has a good numbers game. When u do, just remember david robinson.
< gene peterson > .... Spaniel's backin it in, backin it in, backin it in ... five years later ... backin it in, backin it in, spins baseline and (geno now screaming) SCOOOOORRRRRRES. SLAAAAMMMMM DUNK!!!!! RIGHT IN MEATANDPOTATOES KISSER. WHAT A MOVE!!!! < gene peterson > Nice first shot.
I understand what you're saying about his fadeaways, but if he plays aggressively on EVERY play, he will be worn down in two and a half quarter. The truth is that he has to ration out those aggressive moves in the paint, and his fadeaways aren't exactly horrible shots. He can still score at a pretty high clip with his hooks and fades. It's just unrealistic to expect him to be aggressive on EVERY single play.
No, but they are quick enough to take advantage of Yao's biggest weakness, which is his lack of quickness. How many times have we seen Yao contained with a small agressive player who fronts him all game? Yao's lack of quickness and athleticism doesn't allow for effective lob passes to counter quick fronting defenses either. I can probably count on one hand the number of successful lob passes this season.
He be fouled out in the first qtr if you ask him to be aggressive everytime. He is balancing out his finesse and aggressive plays nicely to not get burned out or in foul trouble. I would think people would get a better sense of how big men play especially in an era where the ref are not allowing them to dominate. D Howard for example...
Meat head and P[otatoe brains, Im confused, we have the best C in the NBA and you are complaining about it? Cant wait for your next thread.
Can we stop resonding to this stupid thread already? These kind of threads don't need to be brought up again, especially after we just whooped the best team in the west!
You think he doesn't know his own deficiencies? You actually think that we, as fans who know (despite our own opinions) very little about basketball, can enlighten Yao and the entire Houston coaching staff about how Yao can improve his game? Comical.
Your signature is ridiculous. I'm glad you think you're cool by comparing yourself to Kobe Bryant. Too bad it makes no sense whatsoever.
