I don't think he's built for the playoffs. Not saying that the Rockets need to jump ship and try to trade him or anything, but the fact is that Yao is not the type of center you want playing 40 minutes a night for many nights. Now you can still build a championship team around him, just that he NEEDS a capable backup. It's abdundantly clear that he's quite a distance away from the tier of legendary centers; the Hakeems and Shaqs and maybe even Ewings and Robinsons of this world. We've never seen Yao after one round and from what has happened so far, things have not looked so great. His stamina has gone from mediocre to downright terrible. He's getting injured nearly every game. He's a warrior and he can take it and I love the spirit he's displaying...but he simply is not the type of player who can play 28 playoff games in 60 days. Mutumbo getting hurt really killed our chances this year...but it's not like he has a Fountain of Eternal Youth, I'm hoping the Rockets had a plan for replacing Mutumbo. This is a really big problem, especially with the frontlines in the West. Nearly every playoff contender has at least one or two or sometimes even three versatile and talented bigs and size is becoming a huge asset. When Yao has to sit and with Mutumbo now off, we become one of the smallest teams in the West. Priority number one this off-season; a backup, legit 7-footer center a la DeAndre Jordan (grr to picking Dorsey). Assuming we lose to the Cavs, that is.
I don't agree a word you posted in this thread aside from Yao being a warrior. You know it's kind of hard to be playing in the playoffs when you play 70+ regular season games and the Olympics. Especially when you are 7'6 and 310 lbs.
A solid backup who can play up to 20 minutes a night would do wonders for this team...we've needed a backup C for as long as Yao became a Rocket.
Wouldn't he actually BE built for the playoffs...slower toned down pace. Half-court sets? He just has bad luck with injuries...
The problem isn't Yao. The problem is we don't have a guy who can create on the perimeter consistently. There is no team that can win when there Big Guy is there best player but has no creators. Shaq had Kobe and Wade when he did it.
Kobe played the Olympics and 70+ games, as well as LeBron and Dwight. I kind of agree with the OP. We can still win with Yao; his limitations are going to make it hard for us to do.
he just needs to go back to geaining upper body strength like he did 2or 3 years ago... i will never understand the rockets' reasoning for getting him to lean up his upper body again....it gives his body a very unbalanced flow, you wouldnt want to play a game like basketball with a heavy lower body like that, you're just asking for injuries because one half of the body can't keep up with the other half in speed and strength. Not to mention his inability to take the ball up strong and hold on to rebounds or putbacks....
Agreed. Yao needs a scoring wing player who can create like a Joe Johnson. Not all his fault, considering the fact that nobody aside from Lowry and Battier can throw an entry pass. Let's see those guys be 7'6 310 Lbs and let's see those guys play since what 1998?
You said you don't agree with the OP, and then your second paragraph is just backing up what he said.
Look at Game 1 for both of the series. I'd say he can definitely have success in the playoffs. We just suck at getting him the ball when he's fronted, and of course he's part of that reason.
you know, that's too bad.. a group of 12 players will do it and Win a championship every year despite the fact that it's "hard".. Tmac is a regarded as a little b!tch because he was "tired".. this is inexcusable.. Allowing little guys to get rebounds from you because you failed to box out..inexcusable getting blocked by a guy exactly A FOOT shorter than you..inexcusable missing 3 point-blank layups/tip-ins..inexcusable fumbling the ball away several times..inexcusable I have mad love for Yao, but I'm slowly realizing that we're not going anywhere with him as our center piece.. Don't get me wrong, amazing player, amazing center, but not THE GUY whom you want to build your team around.. he's a piece, a damn important piece, just not THE piece..
Yao can't take over games and it's not his fault. He needs someone who can get him the ball and keep him motivated. Artest keeps yao motivated. Tmac get's him the ball. It hurts to say this i really didn't want to believe it, i really didn't but the championship hopes died when Tmac went out for the season. Getting past the first round: Take it for what it's worth, sure we got a huge hump of our back and sure we got to make of fun tmac lots but we beat a young team that will probably kick our ass in the future if we don't get a legitimate leader, if it's either Tracy or someone that we trade for him. This series is not over but if we can't beat the lakers at home without there starting PG with all the reason on our side. Than we can't beat them at all.
