Yao didnt play like Yao that series. In fact Yao got exposed. But Okur was AWFUL that whole series except for 2 games. Okur shot 29% FG, 16% threes first 5 games. Okur shouldnt pat himself on the back too much, whatever he gained on Yao he gave right back with sucking on the other end. Just ended up being the last 2 games where he was hitting shots at key moments. Derek freaking Fisher was locking up McGrady as much if not more than Okur to Yao. (What you shoulda said is where is Yao vs Carlos Boozer)
I am so sick of the Yao + Tmac cost us the series bull crap. If we had another player capable of scoring over 10 points we would have topped the Jazz.
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/72ioq3zNK6U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> more yao.....from the past
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XjRYm21QyJ0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IpAvX8sfWAM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/me6Wn_-C0pU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WPkWSYkdXUI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bM2vigqUe-Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> yao playing against little kids
Don't forget: <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BwlwdHktFuA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hvvAMDrMcO0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> and my favorite.. <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IebhPrKQGzs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
McGrady played his worst playoff series, but mind you, he faced 4 different defenders in that series (AK47, Dfish, Giricek, and Harpring- 4 guys who defended in completely different ways).
I loved the early year Yao highlights. I remember watching some of those games and thinking wow this guy is gonna be special.
LOL that was only due to the age difference. DH was just in his early twenties back then, his body hasn't filled out yet and Yao was already fully developed at age 26. Well to be honest if Yao hadn't gotten injured he probably would have destroyed DH today, but crowing about it back then when there's a clear age difference seems silly to me. And to me its such a shame Yao got injured like he did. With the way his growth was going he could have been the next dominant center in the L after Shaq.
<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6jRXhj1PpFU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This was my greatest memory of Yao Ming. It was almost like his farewell to the game. <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eskOmM_HhL4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This one is good too...
Man... watching those old clips of Yao with Francis and then with TMac are depressing. I had so much hope for our team. Its sad that all 3 of those players careers were ruined from injuries
"JUST TRY AND F***ING STOP ME" <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lfjYxyOGW7c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This was when Yao was throwing up MVP numbers and a few games before his first major injury I believe.
There's not as much love for Yao as there is for players past and present. The whole "move on" thing is assuming Morey may get forced to be stupid. The man Yao is leads me to believe he'll probably sign for the vet minimum for a year. I fail to see the harm in that. But, if he were to sign with the Heat I'd choke back my bile. I don't know how any NBA fan could root against him.
If we had any of the players from 07-08 teams to current team. We would've toasted Utah, especially having Scola, Lowry, Landry, Battier, Brooks, Hayes, and/or Wafer and Artest.
Thank you for stating the actual facts. I am so sick of people insinuating that Okur actually put up a good fight against Yao, much less outplayed him in that series. Yao played subpar for his standards and his FG% looked low, but that was because the Jazz sent him to the line like crazy. He had 10.7 FTAs per game that series (4.5 more than the regular season), with 13, 14, or 16 FTs in some of those games. Okur was just atrocious.
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Yao vs. Okur wasn't the problem. Although having Okur camp on the 3 point line sucked for us. Yao vs. Boozer was, as we learned that Yao has a lot of trouble with jumper-shooting power forwards.
