"Just to name a few besides Shaq: Duncan, Robinson, Mourning, Mcdyess, Webber, Fortson, Mutumbo, Ratliff, J. Oneal, Ben Wallace, Davis, and Rasheed Wallace are much stronger than Ming is." Thing is that of those players, 6 are centers. Mourning is over-the-hill, Robinson--ditto, Shaq--unfair to compare since he overpowers everyone, Mutumbo-not really, Wallace-yes, but he's in EC, Davis-yes, but he isn't much to worry aobut... J. O'neal doesn't use strength to get off his shots, they're all turnaround jumpers and spin moves. Same thing goes for Duncan. Ratliff is hardly an offensive force. Fortson is a PF a well as Rasheed and Webber. Anyways, the point is that the center position is weak. Yao is weak, but since there aren't many people to face it doesn't really matter. I'm concerned more about his physical play on the defensive end, but nowadays how many centers truly worry you? On the offensive end, Yao uses finesse to get off his shots and that seems just fine. Watch him play against the Dream Team which was over 2 years ago and he didn't look to troubled. I'd think he's improved greatly so we shouldn't have to worry as much as some think. He does need to bulk up eventually, but our main concern is that he's developed properly and taught how to not get into foul trouble. On the Sac vs. Hou thing...Our players have greater potential probably, but Sacramento has a team that has been together for awhile and without a doubt are the best TEAM in the NBA. Vlade plays smart, Bibby and Bobby J play within their roles perfectly, Webber needs to take over more but still is pretty damn good, Peja/Hedo look good and have plenty of room to improve, and Christie is a great defender. Talent-wise we're up to par, but our team needs to get used to playing together before we even think about comparing ourselves to the best team in the League. Hopefully the chemistry clicks.
And Sam Bowie seemed like he had more potential than Michael Jordon to the Trailblazers. You should watch this team play a couple of games before you start throwing that "potential" word around.
Thought I was on a Rocket board, but what ever. The Lakers did not wait to start throwing the dynasty word around and it worked for them so using potential seems ok to us Rocket fans.
Its JordAn for crissakes! (P.S., to many other posters on this board, its also GriffIn!!) Sorry if I'm being picky
LOL, Barkley lifted weights?? You are talking about Charles Barkley, right? When the other players were in the weight room, Barkley was at the strip club drinking. I refer you to Jayson Williams' basketball autobiography, and the statements of many others who were Barkley's friends. Pippen did not like Barkley for a reason.
He is exactly right, I have no problem with US Rocket fans having a reason to being optimistic, but we have not seen Ming play as of yet and honestly I wont judge his game "Negatively or Positively" until I see just what he can do an access his potential myself. Yeah, Yeah we look as if we have great potential on paper, but I dont give props to "Paper Champions" so by all means feel excited but dont go comparing my Dear rockets to two teams "Sac-town and L.A." who are proven winners and champs, cause at this stage we "rockets" are neither..... And thats being honest as a Rockets fan....
You, an the Laker fan, are certainly welcome to think the way you want, if you feel that highly about the Kings and Lakers I would think that is your right. But if you are going to talk about proven winners and champs then I think the Rockets have been both since the Kings. If "we" want to believe in the opinion of Rudy and CD and almost every nba person that has seen Ming, over the media and people looking for a reason to run the Rockets down then that is as much our right as you not wanting to believe. That is just being Honest as a real Rocket fan.
You have it all twisted dude. Yes we were the "Champs" back in the mid 90's, bottom line, Right now our record shows that we have not been in the playoffs in 3 years. I am stating facts buddy. I am optimistic as anyone else about the Rockets future but I also can respect teams that are the best in the league, It was not luck that the Kings and Lakers are 60 win teams. I am not trying to run the rockets down, but if this young man "Yao Ming" fails to meet the high standards that you are setting for him (which I hope he doesn't) what will be your excuse for the rockets then? I love the rockets but dont forget we all had the same expectations for Kelvin Cato when we signed him (I was on the band wagon I admit) but he hasnt turned out to be the player I thought he could be. He is not that bad but he is definetly not worth the paycheck he earns. So for us to Compare Yao to shaq or the rockets to the Lakers/Sac-town... Sorry it doesnt fly with me... The point I am trying to make witch you my friend cant seem to understand is when we are proven then run your mouth until then me/you believing and them achieving is two totally different levels in which they (lakers/sac-town) have the upper hand to man/w**** slap us with...
I never came close to having the same expectations for Cato as I do for Ming. I thought Cato could be a serviceable center. I think Ming can be great. And as far as his weight goes, I am more concerned about Griffin beefing up than him. The only center that I see pushing him around will be Shaq. (maybe Kandi)Everyone else will struggle. And Rudy did say on the Jim Rhome show Ming is already working on his upper body.
Ill settle this issue up right now ming>>divac cuttino>chrissy francis>>bibby nachbar=peja rice=turkolu cato>pollard webber>taylor/griffin jackson>moochie ming/griffin/taylor>webber/old divac/pollard francis/cuttino/mooch>bibby/jackson/chrissy nachbar/rice = peja/turkey Already we are better this year just watch,not to mentian for the next 7 years Anybody that says theyd rather have the old/maxed out kings is a dumb realgm
The point I started with and still hold too is that with the players we have, we are only experence short of being better then the Kings. Is that too hard to understand? If you like Divac againest Shaq at 260, but think Ming at 295 is too small, well we just disagree. If anyone is going to do any slapping they better do it early, all this team needs is time and playing togather and we will see who does the slapping in the end. I would think the last slap is the best one.
Everything looks great on paper, but we don't know how it will translate to the court............'til we at least see a few regular season games. Pippen Hakeem Hakeem Clyde Barkley Both looked nice, but we couldn't even make it out of our conference.
To me there is a big difference between taking players that have been in the league and think players should adopt to what every way they want to play, to having younger players that are willing to adopt to doing what ever they can to fit in and help the team. But with the youth of this team it looks to me like it is all up!
nachbar=peja LOL! A dude that hasn't even played an NBA game is already as good as one of its allstars? rice=turkoglu Rice had a very good career but that poor injury-prone guy is on the downslide while the young turk looks to put up big numbers next year. I wish he was a Laker. I am not trying to flame you odom, but that's just obscene.
LakerMania, it seems to me you would have teams to concern you more then a lowly lottery team that was soooo low they got the number one pick. I mean you are the world champions for the third year and your man Shaq has said he will play another 5 years. Why worry about a young inexperenced team that has a person from China for a center and average age of about 25? BUT THEN YOU MIGHT BE HEARING THE FOOT STEPS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE...
The only reason everybody is talking about Ming getting pushed around is because Chris Christoffersen knocked him over. Well Chris is bigger than everyone in the NBA except Shaq. The boy is 7'2" with a 9'11" reach and weighs in at around 300 lbs. He lower his shoulder and know him over. Ming is not Shawn Bradley. Not does Bradley weigh less, he is also clumsy. Ming is not going to get pushed around by some 240 lb dude.
I think Houston is coming up on Sac, and L.A., but it is hard to say how our newly acquired talent will stack versus the bad guys. However, I think our picks will make a good first year impression.
Maybe....maybe not. The Lakers aren't even the subject here, I just hate to see good players and good teams get disrespected. I am even harsher to lakerfans who bash other teams/players I respect. Good luck with Ming, it's not just Rocket fans that are curious to see how this guy pans out. And if Shaq throws some insults his way, he should take it as a compliment. If he has no respect for your game he will praise you to high heaven(i.e. Todd MacCulloch)
Totally agree with you here, he is not worried but he is concerned or he would not even be mentioning him. He is as much in the dark as the rest of us, except Rudy and CD. I have no doubt Shaq will get the best of Ming the first few times they meet, but look for it to even out in time. IMO Where Shaq wants to be the main man, I think Ming will want to win the game any way that works.
