The problem though is that it was a high risk-reward gambit. One on one his deep post game was difficult for nearly anybody to stop in NBA History, as long as he held the ball up and used his height and combined with his excellent shooting touch. However, once either fronted or double teamed, his inability to deal with over-the-top passes (adjust to the ball in the air or outmuscle lower-center-of-grav defenders) and to pass out of double teams quickly made him a huge turnover liability.
Yao's low post game and his turnover problem are both overrated. Sammy, statistically Mourning and Yao are neck and neck when it comes to turnovers.
Not really in the same sense. On the occasions when he was able to play, Yao wasn't charged with a turnover on the plays where he stone-hands the lob because he mistimes his jump, or where the entry passer is afraid to toss it to him for that reason. I don't ever remember the Hornets or the Heat having their whole offense being shut down for long stretches because somebody decided to start fronting Mourning. Granted, Mourning wasn't Olajuwon, who would grab most of the lobs and burn the fronter with high frequency, and he wasn't an expert passer, but he wasn't Yao either. You couldn't simply put Eduardo Najera or Zaza Pachulia on him and have a 50-50 shot of shutting hiim down on certain nights. Of course he didn't have the shooting touch of yao either so there were other ways to neutralize him.
Alonzo in his prime...pre kidney problems... clearly the winner of this battle. Not by a HUGE margin or anything, but still a clear winner for his overall game and versatility in comparison
Sam, i think you nailed it. If yao gets deep post position, he's almost impossible to stop. The problem is he doesnt get deep as frequently as shaq used to and you have to do so many things to help him get. That leads to time running off the shot clock and the rockets being a slow paced team. Then a team would front and just take him out the game. He has really slow feet and cant move them when the ball is away from his body and frame. Zo could catch the ball out the frame, he could also move to the high post and work.Pick and pop,pick and roll, mid range jimmy's,off post jimmy's,and post game. Zo played well in charlotte when they played uptempo. He played well when riley treated every possession like a root canal.
Yao's fronting problem had something to do with our lack of other offensive options, or the lack of offensive creativity. IIRC, it was a problem only when McGrady was not on the court. The rest of the team did not know how to create offense when Yao was fronted. Having two perimeter players who can create will force the defense to ease up on crowding Yao down low. Overall, Yao is a more formidable offensive player than Mourning. Yao forces the opponent to change their defense, which was not the case with Mourning. As someone has pointed out, Mourning is more consistent. Yao is more deadly at his best. On defense, Mourning was clearly more versatile and skilled. But I do think Yao's defensive impact is often underrated. There's a reason why we dropped from a perennial great defensive team to a mediocre defensive team in just one season.
Sam when you say over-the -top passes are you referring to passes made to Yao? If so you are, you are completely mistaken! Because the one thing the Rocket's team has not had, during the Yao Era is someone who could make such over-the -head passes. this player ( like a Robert Hory) is badly needed if the team is to utilize Yao's talents.
it`s a tough call. gotta go with ZO, only because of his durability. not being able to play because you have chronic problems automatically takes you out of the running. if they were both healthy, then Yao. i like them both.
I suspect that Horry, Cassell, Smith etc were all aided in their entry passes because they were being thrown to a freakishly quick, extremely mobile leaper with soft hands and capable of making adjustments even with the ball in the air, rather than a lead-footed, brick-fisted plodder who is easily knocked off balance.
