We have seen Yao's best basketball. He will not improve signifcantly because he is on the decline. Guys his size dont have a long shelf life and could you imagine Yao becoming even more slower? What Yao can do is minimize his turnovers and get more rebounds. The best thing the rockets can do is stay afloat until we can get a superstar on this team.
didn't morey just say yao is playing his best bball lately? i'm sure in your mind it's another pr crap. and "he's on the decline"? on what ground? another baseless bash. i just don't understand why some do this.
I could see Yao playing at his current level for a few more years. Although he's going to lose more of whatever bit of athleticism he has, he will improve in other areas too. Just look at Zydrunas Ilgauskas, this guy has a 3-pt shot now.
Yao Ming is still not in his prime. Yao has not had a proper off season big man training. During his past 7 years in the NBA, he has not had a decent break. Most of his off seasons was either hampered by recovery process due to injury or commitments to team China. I believe these hindrances has played a major role in his developments.
Sadly, I think Yao has already peaked, not because of age but because of those two injuries that he suffered. If you look back at those games that he played before the knee injury, he was scoring with ease and was truly dominant. At that point if I recall correctly, I think Kevin Garnett said Yao was the leading MVP candidate.
He was the clear cut MVP in the 1st month of the 06-07 season. KG was not the only person who said that. Even the analysts said he was the MVP. He could get back to that level, however he was much more athletic and mobile then. At that time, he was capable of running up the court and finishing.
Either Yao is getting slow or you are getting older. Either way you can't just blatantly assume Yao has peaked. You have to view this from all angles. I am sure that a lot of "LEVEL HEADED Fans" out there has brought up the following points: 1) During JVG era Yao was averaging more shots and more rebs. While this is true, the inclusion of Scola and Adelmans coaching style has somewhat dimished his stats in those departments. 2) He is just recovering from a half season ending injury. It takes a while for a player of Yao's size to recover what ever agility he has lost. 3) Yao needs a good off season break. The needed break will allow him to work more on his game. 4) Teams are now more aware of him than before. They are fronting and double/triple teaming him more. 5) Since Yao is so big, The laws of physic states that "big heavy objects don’t move as fast or as easily as smaller lighter objects." 6) You are getting older and your vision is somewhat askewed as what it used to be 2 years ago.
Not true about the rebounds. JVG restricted players from rebounding offensively and didn't want to allow fast break points so he was more of a fan of transition defense. Only reason why he has only 9.6 Rebounds this year is because of his limited minutes.
Dude, why resort to personal attacks when all I did is give an opinion? 1) Nowhere in my post did I say that he has peaked base solely on declining numbers. If you had watch any Rockets' games before Yao suffered the knee injury, you would clearly see that the level he was playing at was higher than right now. 2) Yao had the knee injury in December of 2006 and over a year later right up until he had the stress fracture, did you ever see him recover to his old form? I sure didn't. 3) Is he going to get a summer break anytime soon? Isn't seven years in the NBA enough time to work on your game? 4) Yeah, I'm sure all the other teams in the NBA were oblivious of a certain 7'6'' guy on the Rockets before this season. 5) What law of physics state that? I guess you have never taken a physics class before or else you would not have put that ridiculous statement in quotes. 6) Uh, yeah, I'm getting older. Aren't all of us? Actually, maybe not since you sound like a little immature 10 year old who hasn't grown up yet.
State in my reply to you where I personally attacked your post? And yet you reply back to me with a lame attack. GTFOH!
I think Yao has already declined, players of his size usually decline faster because of their legs, they become slower and they start having major injuries more often, that ends up withh the player having less time to prepare, to practive, and obvios decline in their games. I would say yao peaked physically in his 3rd year in the league, he stands today near that line, but every injury he had since then is or will affect his game soon.
"You are getting older and your vision is somewhat askewed as what it used to be 2 years ago." Implying that I'm old and have visual problems is not a personal attack?
No this is not a personal attack. It is a common and general view of people approaching a certain age.
OlajuwonShake34, I apologize for degrading your thread by arguing with a kid who doesn't understand as basic a principle of physics as Newton's 2nd law. I will let other posters steer the discussion back to its originally intended point.
Right... You know you are wrong and I am right. STFU while your ahead. You are just making yourself into a bigger fool!
