Is yao considered one of the best centers (or even THE best) of this decade?

^This seems like a good power level assessment:

1) Shaq
-not debatable one of the best C's ever

2) Howard
-has accomplished more than Yao, has done more for his team on court than Yao, is younger than Yao. Also didn't miss a lot of games either in season or the playoffs. Case closed, and definitely not debatable (unless you're a Yao homo).

3) Ben Wallace
-Has done more than Yao, even if he's undoubtedly worse than Yao skill-wise. Also brought his team a ring, which is more than I can say for Yao Ming.

4) Yao Ming
-I think we all know what his strengths and weaknesses are.


So yeah, Yao isn't the greatest c of this decade. He hasn't even reached a conference finals for crying out loud.

 

I want to know how our team would do with this starting lineup:

brooks
martin
ariza
scola
howard

i love the way howard protects the paint because he can move his feet like a small forward. sometimes i cant stand yao because he cant shuffle his feet because he weighs so damn much and hes so tall. i also do love yao for his offensive low post game, free throw shooting, being a great teammate, and just being big on defense.

it just makes me wonder what kind of team we would be with howard controlling the paint on defense and cleaning up the misses on offense.

 

just goes to show you how sad the 00s was for centers, or more specifically how bad centers were after Howard entered the league in 04-05. there is really nothing in the immediate horizon for HOF centers that are going to be drafted in the next few years. Oden is a bust, sorry to say, he will never be like a Robinson or Russell or even a Walton.

if you just pick out one really good year during the decade, then Yao is not as good as Wallace, otherwise, he's third, behind Shaq (big drop off) than Dwight. unless Duncan is considered a center, then Duncan is right up there with Shaq, because Duncan was awesome throught the entire decade and was instrumental in winning three titles.

if you were talking about centers that played in the 80s, then Howard (or Yao ) doesn't even make the top 10.

 

Shaq
TD
DH
BIG BEN
Pau Gasol
Amare
Yao
Big Z

 

There is not a clear separation between 4 and 5 in recent years. Like TD, he is supposely a power forward, but really he plays like a center.

So what you really should ask if yao is one of the best "big" in the last decade? Then the answer is absolutely NO.

Shaq, TD, KG are at the top.
Yao, Amare, Howard, Dirk and whoever are at a level below,
then the rest.

What bothers me about Howard is that he never seemed to develop a credible low post moves...

 

Skill wise/ domination wise

Shaq
Yao
Howard
Rest of centres

Accomplishment wise

Shaq
Howard
Yao
Rest of centres

 

His best post move is his pre-game routine, he just looks uncomfortable and unsure of what to do when he can't go around his defender

 

Clearly one of the best only because it has been an awful decade for centers. A healthy Yao would be one of the best centers since the Hakeem/D-Rob/Ewing days, but unfortunately he has been hurt most of his career.

 

like yao. but don't have interest on this kind of topic right now.

 

Yea, so he just dunks on them. :grin:

 

TD KG is PF,ok?!

 

How typical.
Haters like Durvasa and Leebigeez cant wait to jump out of their hole claiming Yao isnt THE greatest while the thread title clearly stated "One of the best centers", is english your third or forth language or something?

 

Shaq
TD
Howard
Yao

Seeing as we're comparing each C talent-wise and building a franchise around from the past decade.

 

I'm calling Duncan a C. Since I don't want to thread-hijack tho, I won't explain my rationale in the rankings:

1. Shaq
2. Duncan
3. Yao
4. Howard

 

Open your eyes and read that title again. Maybe even read it aloud to yourself. The title says, "(or one of THE best). Don't say someone is hating for bringing up the facts in the matter.

 

Superman I
Superman II
Ben Wallace
Yao Ming

Not counting Timmy cause he is a power forward.

 

I have to agree here.

 

Those winning teams by Shaq, Dwight and Wallace had a helluva lot more support than Yao has had in recent years.

Shaq- Kobe 8, 24, Dwade, Lebron

Dwight- Rashard Lewis, VC, Jameer Nelson

Ben Wallace- That detroit pistons team that won the title just consisted of all players playing at their best. (Sheed wallace, Prince, Hamilton)

I agree-- those were better cohesive teams. That said, It doesn't make them rank the best in terms of Center.

For example, your argument would logically conclude that Rasheed was a better PF than KG if we were to look at this scenario 3 years ago when KG was still in Minnesota.

It should go:

Shaq
Yao
Dwight
Wallace

 

Yao had tmac he should have gotten to a conference final.

He has never even a made a 1st team all nba.

I don't know how he is the best.

 

That would be a fantastic team. Not only is Howard an superb defensive presence, rebounder, and finisher around the basket -- he also can be relied on to play 35+ mpg and 82 games a season. What are we expecting from Yao? Optimistically -- 28 mpg, 75 games played? That extra reliability/durability adds up in the wins column.