Basketball is a team sports. The defense can take any player out of the game, especially the inside players, but it cannot take the entire team out of the game. A good offense always beats a good defense.
Yao was taken out but he wasn't as big of a factor as the best player of the team should be. Getting fronted by Oden without putting up much a fight to get the ball isn't going to cut it.
I was at the game. the OP is right, Yao had a good game and impacted it on the boards and defensively. i can count at least 3-4 times where yao was open, and Brooks or Artest flat out missed him with his defender pinned on his back. But that's ok. We do not have to have Yao go off to win.
Yao was probably afraid to hurt the team by getting called for an offensive foul if he tried to get position too hard. Thats happened alot of times in the regular season.
There were also a couple times when Yao was open in the post, the Rockets tried to get him the ball, and it ended up being a turnover.
When Yao was fronted, Scola got much chances to shoot, and also Scola made three in 8 attempts in 1st qtr, at this point Scola is well done, he gave Blazers much pressure. Yao appealed alot of defence, his all 7 shoot attempts were at 1st half... 2nd half -- No, our players seems dont have much patience to find Yao.
I have a question: Why did the Rockets make it predictable that they go to Yao every time? Seriously, every ****ing time they go to Yao, they have to go through some sort of screening like a ritual. Why can't they surprise their opponents and mix it up and just pass him when he post up on the initial side without going through all these bullshyt screening? I swear he was opened but the Rockets never EVER pass him like that...WHYYY??
true. but 7pts is unacceptable no matter what. not a single team can go far in the playoffs with its best player scoring single digit. the game should not be this close in the end. yao needs to step up a little more.
thought you knew bball. but maybe you don't. or you're high tonight. or you're just doing this for fun. which one is it?
I agree with the post for the most part. The Rockets have the Blazers right where they want them as long as they execute and it is due to Yao. Look at the positives. 1. With the Blazer defense focused and schemed to stop Yao open players and favorable match-ups abound for the Rockets. I suggest that had Scola not gotten into foul trouble the game would never have been in doubt. They just have to execute. 2. Fronting gives us the advantage on the boards. 3. I think the bench is more effective due to the Blazer's focus on Yao. They know what they want to do with him, but the bench plays a totally different style of offense. I think it makes it hard for the defense to adjust when he leaves. 4. What about their psyche? They limit Yao two games in a row and barely win one and lose the other. Their defense achieves its goal and they're still down 2-1. 5. The Blazer defense startegy could be come less effective as we continue to gain experience against it. The real threat of what Yao can do is helping the Rockets win this series. BTW - Take this game. Subtract the amazingly difficult shots by both team and what would the final score have been? If shane hit one timely 3, the Blazers hit at least 7. I don't see that happening evey game.
Wow, tired typing leads to some really poor mechanics and word choice. I'm embarrassed. How do those of you that drink and type manage to sound so refined?
When Scolandry scored 29 points shooting 13-22, I am not worried about Yao not getting the ball. In Game 2, if Scola or Landry shot better, we would have won. This is the benefit our PFs get when the defense is determined to stop Yao. People keep saying how efficient Yao. That is true when he gets the ball one on one. But Scolandry is almost as efficient when they are open. This is the perfect pick-your-poison offense. The only thing is, Brooks and Artest need to play smart for the front court to be effective.
We are up 2-1. It's up to the Blazers to react. On Sunday, if we still put Shane on Roy in the beginning to deny him getting hot early, and Blazers will still front Yao aggressively from the tip off, the KEY is for Scola to continue to knock down those jumpers at 50%. If he could do that, and we get into a lead, I would bet that Blazers have to adjust to loose up on Yao a little bit. Again, Shane and Scola will be the key for game 4.
Yao is doing what he SHOULD be doing. Making a commendable effort in ALL facets of the game even when he's not getting the ball. He surely has to realize at this point his team's just too dumb to feed him the ball, or that fronting is always gonna be a problem. Rebounding, picks and screens, blocks, passing, help defense, smart fouls on layup attempts, decoying, its all part of the game he still has to play.
No, the key is our hot headed guards need to be keep in check, not more 1 on 4, 1 on 3 plays, Kyle needs to strip the ball from those 1 on 1 play and AB needs to go bench if he is not hot. When does he pass or defend?
don't count on it. it may happen, but it depends on the in-game judgment of the blazers coaching staff. they loosened up the fronting for the first possession in the second half tonight and played yao from the back. yao caught the ball and they doubled with roy when he starts to make his move. yao passed to a cutting battier. easy lay up. timeout portland @ 10:30-ish 3rd qtr. never saw that "regular" defense again.
