I guess Yao has worn out his welcome here. He is what he is, a very good player with obvious flaws. If he is a perfect combination of MJ and Dream, he doesn't need system or coach or complimentary players. He will dominate at both end, read the game perfectly well, set his teams straight on and off court, demand the front office to make the trades he wants. Unfortunately, he's far from that. So the question is always, what can the team do to bring the best out of him and translate that to team success? Or, since he's flawed, if the team fails, it's not our (coach or teammate) fault, so we are fine? We kept talking how we build around Yao. But in the past 7 years, Yao has never had a 40% 3 pointer shooter or 45% 2 pointer shooter played with him 20 minutes a game for 20 games straight. In other words, he never had ANY reliable shooter to play alongside him for significant minutes. How's that building around anything? Are we just lying to ourselves in bright daylight to make ourselves feel better? We always complain how Chinese fans are unreasonable who want perfect coach/system/players around him. Well, from my understanding, many Chinese fans were very happy with Cato, who played hard on defense, can rebound. Chinese fans are more than happy with Scola, who's intelligent, shoots well, and boards well. Chinese fans weren't so excited about Bowen and Hayes, not because of their efforts but rather their lacking of offensive games. Is that a crime? I seriously hope that so-called "real" Rockets fans aren't satisfied with those 2 players as our PF for significant minutes. Were Chinese fans unreasonable or just another example we just lie to ourselves to feel better of ourselves? Our player always say how they should/must/will and always try to play through Yao. How many of them do what they say? Ron claimed he would be Yao's foot solider, but we all know what he does when he's "feeling" it, which is almost always. AB claimed all the right things, but he did play through Yao - as if Yao doesn't exist, play right through him. We say Yao can't catch a pass, but when was last time Yao had so much trouble with entry passes from Battier, post or re-post? When was the last time Yao had trouble with AB's "pass" (just last time he tried, and the play before last time?), post or re-post (what re-post, how about never?)? For most of the time, the ball is in either AB's or Ron's hands, how's that playing through Yao? We know Yao can't run 20 minutes non-stop, but we don't care, just keep him running empty trips back and forth without getting him involved for large stretches of the game. Then we are super pi$$ed, he couldn't turn on in the fourth quarter, and we asked with straight face, why can't Yao demand the ball? Why can't Yao get deep positions? Did Yao ever ask for perfect system or coach? Rudy T took him and let him play inside and outside, and make him improve. Yao loves Rudy. JVG made Yao to play in the post only, and yelled at him all the time for missing defensive assignments. Yao improved a lot under him, and Yao loves JVG. RA made Yao play at high-post, he had reserves, but he complied. It didn't work out well, Yao went back to post again. It got better, but RA wanted Yao to come out again. Yao followed the lead. RA wanted him to run 20 mins non-stop, he couldn't but tried hard, how ineffective it might be. After all, Yao is a professional and team player. Does he love RA? I don't know. But he doesn't demand anything. As fans we claim we love Yao. But on the one hand, we act insulted when someone compares him with Dream, while making AB the next Parker or Nash after a few games; on the another hand, we always complain Dream would do this and that, why Yao can't? Due to his physical limitation, when he's tired, he can't jump high with that 300lbs body to dunk, or can't grab a rebound with his not so strong and flexible fingers. We call him soft tofu p***y. We claim we love him, but we question every year whether he "deserves" to be in start lineup for Allstar game, when EVEN Reggie Miller, normally the negative one, asked "who questioned that?". We claim we love him, but we are so busy discussing who we trade him for to "FIT THIS SYSTEM BETTER", the "system" came 5 years after Yao. Not to blame anyone or put the fault on anyone. Maybe it's time for the Rockets and Yao to part their ways. All I see is, how Rockets won't let him go because he's such a cash cow. What does that mean? Yao has no value on the court to us? We are just shameless gold-digger? I would say it's probably the best for both parties. Hopefully that Rockets can get a Paul Gasol or Bosh to fit this system. No, we are not getting LeBron or Wade, if Yao is gone. Hopefully "real" Rockets fans can be happy, that Yao took his only fans with him. As for fans like me, Rockets fans, start to love Yao after we drafted him No. 1, it would be sad. But I guess I will get over with it. I just hope Rockets do not become another Maple Leafs - "we were great 40 years ago", whose fans act more and more arrogant and defensive with each year passed by. As for Yao, some teams might want him. After all, he's a cash cow, isn't he?
Very well said, real_egal. I know Yao's shortcomings as much as anyone in here, but the way some talk about Yao make it seem like he's not one of the top 10 players in the NBA, which he damn well is. The way this is going, the unfair criticism of our best player, who without a doubt is carrying this team without McGrady, it makes people wonder is Yao really appreciated in Houston? Or maybe this is how it is now in sports, when the main man does well, not a word. When he messes up once, all the boo birds come out.
all i know is this: your lakers that you love so much and say they are perfect. it wasn't that long ago that they had a prolific scorer in kobe and didn't win ****. they picked up shaq won lots of **** not that long ago gasol was the yao of memphis...tried to carry but no talent around. gasol goes to la...kibe and others make him look real good. same player yao goe to another team with legit high level players (especially 1 like kobe) and the dude is gonna win it all.
So which of these players is damn well not in the top 10? Kobe Bryant LeBron James Dwyane Wade Chris Paul Dwight Howard Tim Duncan Kevin Garnett Paul Pierce Deron Williams Brandon Roy
Garnett, Paul Pierce, Brandon Roy are all not as good as Yao right now. Garnett because of age, Pierce because of age and he's a SF not named Lebron, Roy because he's a shooting guard. Think about how stacked Boston and Portland is, and how WEAK Houston is. And think about how Houston is STILL better than Portland, and how the reason is Yao, Yao, and Yao.
worst thread ever.. i dont think theres any coach that will make yao play or be used the way you want.. i believe yao will play the same way regardless of who is coaching him.. yao is always gonna be slow, unaggressive, and even clumsy at times.. i cant believe yao finishes around the rim and rebounds as bad as he does.. but ill tell you one thing, its not adelman's fault.. and if yao were to move on another team, it wouldnt be that coach's fault either.. its all on yao.. though i still love the guy's attitude and as a person
1)Yao is no Shaq 2) If Yao played like he did against Utah, even with Kobe Bryant carrying him he wouldn't win no championship. 3)If hes need high level player(s) to carry him, then that's no different than Michael Finley, Brian Scalabrini, Gary Payton, etc
Garnett, Paul Pierce, Brandon Roy are all not as good as Yao right now. Garnett because of age, Pierce because of age and he's a SF not named Lebron, Roy because he's a shooting guard. Think about how stacked Boston and Portland is, and how WEAK Houston is. And think about how Houston is STILL better than Portland, and how the reason is Yao, Yao, and Yao. And if Yao had a McGrady. Also, I'm sure if Yao had Jameer Nelson (better than Rafer), Hedo (better than McGrady this year), Rashard Lewis (great 3pt shooter), and rounding the team off with good/great role players that can provide a spark, Yao would look better than Dwight. He wouldn't get as many rebounds as Dwight, nor as many blocks, but could you imagine that offense? Are you going to double Yao, and leave 3pt shooters open (which we have basically none of), or are you going to single coverage Yao? And if you front Yao, the Magic have the athleticism and instincts from Hedo, Jameer, and Rashard to create something instead of the players on our team that don't have the athleticism nor skill to create, with the exception of Scola and he has less than all three of those that I just mentioned.
EXACTLY!!!!! Like I have said for a while... I hope they trade both Yao and Tracy to get rid of these ONLY Fans and get back to having ROCKET Fans like we did before.... Hint Hint (99ers, Early 2000)... Gets to a point where you hate looking at some of the ridicules Threads that are being created.
Brandon Roy is kind of overrated right now. The guy is nice and talented but he hasn't done anything to be named.
Im a die hard Rockets fan but I'm also a true basketball fan and a realist. So for you to say KG is better than Yao is nuts. If both were HEALTHY since KG is not right now he is better than Yao because he is a 2 way player. Yao is liable on defense where KG is not. Yao is a very very very good player but guys talk about him like he is God and he has done alot. Yao can be stopped and the fronting defense proves my point.
As for the thread. How can you call yourself a Rocket fan and not want Yao to resign with Houston just because they don't have a good guard?? What type of mess is that. Boston doesn't have a good point guard and they won it all. If guys thing Rondo is great then ooooo man. He is the most overrated guard in the league. I hope you didn't make this out of frustration.
Rondo averages 8 or 9 assists a game. Whether you think its cause he has a great supporting cast or not, I dont see Brooks even hitting 9 assists in one game, let alone average it.
I think i will just deal with having a dominant center if it comes with some threads on clutchfans. I gotta say it is well worth it. TMAC is done as a rocket anyways so it doesn't matter.
the last few seasons, without tmac, yao led the rockets to below .50 record, not much better than portland. the reason is more like yao, artest and scola. yao proved that with some help he can lead a team to the playoffs. i'll give him that.
Rondo had 3 superstars that was in the line-up almost every game. Come crunch time the ball wasn't always in his hands. Brooks is the only ball handler in the starting line-up. Artest and Battier do not have great handle. That's where McGrady is missed because he could handle the ball also. So 3 superstars who was basically in the line-up in almost every game compared to 3 superstars who you would have to worry about if they are going to play or not.
