The Coaches fault? The guards fault? Mings Lack of Muscle? Mings Lack of Hustle? Mings Lack of ability? Or all of the above and in which order?
maybe it's the fact that he was playing against the best players in the world. then you can blame the guards.
It's not like he was laboring against these guys, after all his FGM was 77%. It's very clear. 1. Wang Fei 2. The Chinese guards inability to get Yao the ball.
Yao still has at least two more games in the World Basketball Championships in case people were unaware that a group of 4 teams have to battle for the 9th-12th place bracket. China plays in a group with Russia and two other teams to be determined starting September 6, the second game is the 7th. Places 9-12 Date Time No. Arena Team A Score 06.09. tbd 51 Conseco Fieldhouse Team E/5 vs China - 06.09. tbd 52 CF Team E/6 vs Russia - 07.09. tbd 53 CF Loser Game 51 vs Loser Game 52 - 07.09. tbd 54 CF Winner Game 51 vs Winner Game 52 - http://fiba.com/oneplanet/world/main_schedule_p.asp?CC=WMM&YearBegin=2002
Truth writes the Truth. What the hell is the coach doing sitting his best player down in the 4th when Yao still has two fouls to use? Tough love? Stupidity? Yao, not to worry, you will soon have a real coaching staff.
Thanks for the head up ron413! China vs. Turkey Sept. 6 at 1:30 China vs. Russia or Angola on Sept. 7
Ming Did Dominate!!!!!!!!!! He is only 21-22 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give the guy a break, he had a couple of perfect games, he led the tourney in blocks............He was Awesome!!!!!!!!!!
Actually Ming has dominated. He caused every team to change their defense. It is the rest of Chinas' team that didn't dominate.
The thought has been rattling around in my head for a few days, after watching the Chinese team play for the first few times.. Ming comes from a team, a city, a nation, nay an entire CULTURE that 'values the state over the individual'. Not only is this aspect ingrained into their people from birth, but they are also conditioned to be PROUD of their country and its society. Now look at the guys on the Chinese team. Not one of those guys playing at guard for that team has a snowball's chance to ever even THINK about playing in the NBA. Sure, Bateer and Zhi-Zhi made it to the NBA, but are frankly marginal talents signed more for their novelty factor than their top-notch hoops skills. But those guards.. ugh. Now here comes Ming, still just a kid really, who is going to be the first Chinese fellow to jump across the sea who has been blessed, truly blessed with genuine undeniable personal basketball skills, combined of course with the unbelievable athleticism evident in his unusually tall body. These guys in China who play hoops are not dummies, for sure. They have watched the NBA, they spent the hours on the play- rounds just like the kids here do, and their highest hope is to some day play in the Chinese Basketball League, maybe even represent their country in the WC's and the Olympics. They bust their butts, but will ultimately have very little to show for it, next to what Yao Ming will eventually claim - personal fame, personal fortune, and the ultimate reward in their eyes: the respect from the entire basketball world ordaining him as one of the greatest players, not just in China, but in the entire world. And all summer, during a time that was SUPPOSED to be all about the national team, dedication to team and country, here's Ming getting ALL the press.. they know he's going to be a millionaire very soon, even if he does give half his money to the government. And at the same time here's Wang, hiding in California all summer instead of going home and eating fish soup and rice and living in a hole of a dorm room, just for the privilege of having his butt handed to him in the WC's, and there is yet more for those guards to chew on. Add all that to the fact that the guards are just not very good basketball players, and it all adds up to one thing, IMO. I'll tell you why Ming did not get to dominate as he should have at these games. They froze him out. From the coach to the last player on their bench, they flat-out resented him and what is about to become, and they froze him out. They knew they weren't going to win anyway. You think there weren't some hidden smiles from Ming's teammates every time he got benched with fouls during those games? You think they didn't secretly rejoice every time some musclebound thug made him look bad? I guarantee you they did. You think they don't realize, just like we all do deep inside, that once Ming has been here for a few years, he will not be going back to play for China, or in its leagues, ever again? I can say this because I know that even I (slow, fat, short, no- jumping, can't dribble for **** white guy that I am) could have successfully lobbed the ball in to Ming every time down the court. And as bad as I am, I know those Chinese guards are probably better than me, so they have no excuses. And the coach knows as well as everyone else that the game plan should have been to toss it in to Ming and let him either pass it back out or score. But it just didn't happen, and we all saw it. The coach isn't THAT stupid, and the guards aren't THAT bad. The only way they could failed so miserably to get Ming involved is through a deliberate effort. It just made me sick to watch it, it was all so blatant. I'll tell you something else. When Ming leaves his home to come here and join the Rockets, he won't be leaving the place where he belongs.. he will be arriving where belongs for the first time in his life. He'll be going from a place that secretly hates him for being a star, to a place where we will all love him for it. I for one can barely wait for the time we see Ming get to play for a coach and a team that are truly dedicated to his succes. Ciao
Sounds plausible..... so blantant? However, dont you think the coach was hurting himself by not dishing the ball to Ming? What could he get from losing all the games? it maks no sense to me. As much as I dont like the coach, I still guess that's because of his stupidity instead of jealousness. It's not some kind of colluding, well.. may be the case for a couple of players.
Nero, I don't know the real reason why the Chinese guard can't get the ball to Yao. But I like to offer a different reason. I played in high school varsity basketball in Maryland. I was a short (5'10'') yet fast Chinese guy who played the point. I still remember the first game I played. I was so horrible that day. I was so pumped up that I played 110% of my ability. Well, that is the problem. Basketball is all about timing. When I dribbled 10% faster than what I am comfortable with, turn over follows. When I tried to pass to the post players, it seemed the person guarding me can predict exactly where I was going to pass to. It seemed he was so quick and can jump to the sky. Any way, the coach kept me in for 15 minutes even though I was a disruptive influence on my own team. He gave me the same opportunity for the next few games also. 9 weeks later, we played the same team again and I was guarded by the same people. I penetrated at will. I assisted, I stealed. Overall, I had a great game. I was a major reason for their defence breakdown. Sometimes when you are in owe, it is just human nature to lose control. Personally, I don't think the whole Chinese team purposely froze out Yao. Maybe a few players. Definitely not the coach. If they win, they go home as heros. Chinese fans are not stupid either. They will not look kindly to see Yao been purposely froze out of action. For their own self interest, they would rather ride on Yao to win than froze Yao out and lose. Peace,
He did very well in the tournament.The guards had problems getting him the ball whenever he was double teamed.Yao needs to improve his physical strength,stamina,get adjusted to the speed of the NBA , improve his low post game and his defense so he can learn how to avoid getting in early foul trouble.He was obviously the biggest target of all the opposing teams and some of them managed to slow him down somewhat,but he is an all round player with a big upside who should be able to make a big impact within a year or two. I feel that the Rockets have a good chance of making it to the playoffs this season with him on the team even though it will take him some time to get used to playing with the rest of the guys.
