I'm sorry but I feel this deserves it's own thread because it has been discussed a lot of times, if Yao is soft ? After hearing his post game interview I'm having a change of opinion on Yao being soft all together. Funny because what he says makes sense but I just never thought about it, which is the part that he cannot be aggresive when he's posting up so cannot take fully advantage of his muscle and size. Also the part about people jumping into Yao, I figured most of the time Yao should just try to block a shot instead of jumping straight up or drawing a charge but what can the guy do ? He gets called either way and this is seriously preventing him to be the best he can be. If Yao could throw all his weight into the defender, like the post game should be played especially with centers, and the other guy does not fall down, he would be unstoppable. Same goes for trying to block a shot; picture Yao trying to block instead of going straight up and the offensive player jumps into him and not getting the call, it used to be a non-call and the defensive player was allowed to block the shot since the offensive player had nowhere to go, he would average like 4-5 blocks a game easily. My point is that I always figured Yao was just not as aggresive as he should be and it was part of him so he was indeed a bit soft, but now I think he's not soft at all and it's definetly due to the way he's refereed. Any1 else having a change of opinion or always figured this is why people think he's soft ?
He isn't going to strong arm anybody around in the paint, his body is not built for it. He is tall and most his weight is from his stronger lower half. He has no arms and a thin upper body.Most people just look at him and think he should be able to just push everybody around and mad dog everbody around like shaq and it's just not who he is.
other teams are coached to defend him with flops. probably the only player in the league that has to deal with it nba needs to take a look at film and make changes
I agree, Yao playing more "Aggressive" will just get him fouled out even quicker. There's only one thing I wish Yao would do..and that's when he get's a rebound..pivot..and throw an elbow. Same with Landry. That will stop the little pesky guards from slapping down at the ball and trying to steal it after Yao grabs a rebound. If you watch Deke play..and after he grabs a board..there's no one to be found from the opposing team.
change in opinion? certainly not me, since i've never thought for a flash of moment that yao is soft - both mentally and physically.
I know but check his statements about how he cannot use his full strength in the post. So Yao never actually uses his full strength on offense !! (unless it's Shaq / Howard and real Centers like them) I never though of that and it is really to me an eye opener on why he is not as aggresive on offense like we expect him to.
I agree with the op. He doesn't seem to put all his strength into the defender when backing him down.
Nothing is going to change my opinion of his greatness or his greatest weakness: He's OUR Yao, OUR center, OUR main man...with the Weakest of Hands.
How the hell do you know? Are you Yao's team mate? Even the jazz commentator said you have to see Yao in person to really see his size.
I feel that lower body strength is more important for a post player than upper body strength is. I'm sure his high center of gravity does negate his strength to some degree but how many other players in this league does Dwight Howard bounce off of like a bug hitting a windshield? I think if Yao wanted to push people around his lower body strength and his weight would allow him to out-muscle any player not named Shaq.
Actually in the post you need a strong lower body not the other way around, That's why Maxiell have his way with D. Howard in the last playoff, DH lower body is thing and most of the time it will try to out quick and out jump the defender not to push. his base is weak.
Flopping has completely changed the game, at least for dominant post players. You can even see the change in Shaq's game. He isnt allowed to bully his way to hoop like the old days.
Yao can be very tough but Yao is soft in general. otherwise, we need to invent a lot of excuses (more than Referees, flopping, racism) for 1 missed dunks, being blocked 3 times, 5 lost rebounds and 7 falling downs a game.
I wouldn't mind seeing him play bullish offense for a couple of games. Not too lose sight of winning, but beat the crap out of some people...make em earn a flop if that's what they want to do.
It's half and half. Half is bad calls, bad officiating. There's definitely situations where , like you mentioned, a player just jumps into Yao and he gets called for a foul. He can't always avoid that. However, a lot of it has to do with Yao's inablity to move fluidly. Yao isn't the first big to have guards jump into him. He's not the first big to have post defenders grab him and push him, or flop. He has to learn to overcome this when possible. For example, Yao still has a habit of slapping down on blocks, he's improving, but once he masters it it's going to cut back on some fouls. He also hasn't quit learned how to wait for the shot release or attempt, he jumps too early. In the post, he hasn't learned to basically slide back and use his body/weight to move the defender. He tries to bump himself closer to the rim. He needs to keep in contact with the defender and move him back with his body, not with a shoulder bump. It's much easier for a defender to time his flop perfectly when Yao is driving into him so visibly, if Yao is just sliding back, moving him with his butt/legs, then if the defender flops, it looks too obvious to call.
Agreed. However to get the ball up and to the basket you need to have strong arms shoulders and hands. Yao isn't a banger. He has incredible post game and touch. Thats his game and he should stick to it.
Lets see DH have 9% of his shoot blocked, Yao 10% they both soft. Dwade fall like 15 times a game he is soft. Losing rebound is not being soft is having horrible hand, now not getting position to get the rebound is been soft or thing. Oh I forgot that you are one of the biggest haters here.
He is NOT soft, but he is not hard either.... Shaq gives as much as he gets.....Yao does not give enough. Yao should give a lot more...and he probably would get away with it. DD
