This is from Fred Carter's chat yesterday on ESPN.com Mike (Los Angeles): Will Yao Ming ever reigns as the best center in the NBA? I think in 2 years he'll be better than Shaq. Fred Carter: Actually if you look at his overall skills, he is better than Shaq. His feel for the game, passing, shooting, etc. It's all right there for him. I have said before they have to build a new Mt. Rushmore of centers and put Ming's face on it. He is very similar to Bill Walton. Ming does everything well. Go Yao!!
I have to disagree with Fred Carter. While Yao may have skills, no one in the game dominates like Shaq can. He has unmatched physical ability. Yao is great, don't get me wrong. Second best center in the league and will someday take the mantle from Shaq. And his game is more fun to watch than Shaq's. But Shaq is more utterly unstoppable than yao. BTW, for all those wondering why Yao is struggling here over the last stretch, how about HE IS TIRED!!!. Guy has been playing nonstop forever and just started putting in 35-40 min a game. He needs a major break. The best thing for him would have been if he had not made the allstar team or rookie team and could rest that weekend. If I was Rudy, I would strongly consider either Feb 14th vs Heat or March 8th vs Nets (prolly this one), telling Yao ahead of time that he was not going to play in the game. And that I wanted him to do nothing but eat and sleep between the games before and after, no practice, no exercise, nothing. The Nets game would give him a full week of rest between games. He does this, it might just be enough to enable him to get through the rest of the season and a deep run in the playoffs healthy and relatively fresh. Don't know if I would have the guts to do it, but I would consider it. And it would have to be a carefully selected game to give Yao as much time to rest as possible. Just a thought
I think that Carter meant that Yao's fundamentals are simply better than Shaq's, and I agree. Yes, Shaq is the most dominating player in this era, maybe ever. But, he still doesn't have a jump shot nor can he shoot a free throw. Yao has better hands and footwork. They both see the game equally well and both are good passers, but I have to give the edge to Yao. Shaq dominates because of his size and quickness. Yao will dominate because of his skills. On your other note, you are right. Yao is getting tired. Taking one of those games off would be a good idea. Get him some rest so he can recharge.
FYI 0 Days Rest 15.6 ppg 1 Days Rest 14.9 2 Days Rest 11.0 3+ Days Rest 7.8 He actually does better with fewer days off.
Nellie is good about giving his folks rest. He will sit almost every player at some point in time during the season. I thnk he does it for rest and to put some players in pressure situations on the court. He hasn't don it as much this season, but I think it is a good tactic. You see who can step if you are short a player (due to injury, foul trouble, etc). I would mind seeing Ming get a couple days off. Those muscles need a little rest in order to get stronger. It is basic strength training.
Give us all a break. Yao plays basketball a couple of hours a day and everyone thinks he is overworked and tired. Have him try being a construction worker 8 hours a day 7 days a week and see who is the most tired.
Well put, mystic. I think that the Rockets should use the bench a little more in those situations. What if Rice and Posey go down? Is Boki ready to step up? No one knows because he doesn't get any minutes. As much as it pains me to say it, give Collier some minutes against the Denver's & the Laker's D ) of the world. It will help just in case something happens down the line that we need to rely on these guys. Yao is the man. He may not be as tired as we think. The muscle training can only benefit him. It trains the muscles to be able to function at a higher level while the body is fatigued. The Rockets' trainers knowwhat they are doing. They wouldn't do anything that would harm Yao physically or mentally. It's up to him to learn how to relax in the short periods of down time he has.
imo, yao's going to develop a mysterious injury somewhere around the 65-70 game mark (not so coincidentally around the time the playoff position is rapped up) . something like, oh, back spasms or tendinitis or something utterly unprovable. that'll be his opportunity to go on the injured list, get a couple of weeks rest and come out strong for the playoffs. just watch. you read it here first.
Shaq is the most powerful center in the league. He plays the NBA morphed version of basketball aka powerball. I think Shaq is nervous about bringing his game international these days, and that is why he has backed out of the Olympics/World Championships. A center with good footwork would get alot of charges on Shaq, the NBA simply doesnt call it as charging. While Yao offers the complete package. He brings a complete fundamental game, a free throw touch, passing ability, way better footwork and Range. As Walton would say "He's like Bobby Fisher" LOL
Here's what I think: It doesn't really matter how you do it, as long as you put up the numbers. Shaq is a great player (who is on the way down, it seems to me), and Yao Ming is going to be a great player. One uses power, the other skill. It doesn't really matter how you get two points, but that you get two points--many, many times a game. Both can be practically unstoppable. You can attribute much of that to Shaq's girth and Yao's height.
