Well, you want to talk about "solid objective facts"? Let's do it: 1. Yao kicked the crap out of Bradley on national TV. 30points vs 0 points, fact? 2. Yao only played 19 games, and without training camp/preseason. He yaominated the twin tower, fact? 3. Yao was named the best center at world championship games, and the German team didn't even choose Bradley, fact? 4. 19 games into the season, Yao has higher scoring/rebounding/fg%/wins/respect/, than Bradley had in his rookie season, fact? If you want to compare two players, the last thing you want is to ONLY, remember, ONLY compare their stats. I remember someone once said something like this: "there are three bad things, lies, damned lies and statistics." WANT TRUTH? BUY A ROCKETS TICKETS AND FIND OUT YOURSELF.
It's kind of ridiculous to use any of Yao Ming's numbers to this point for any kind of comparison. He missed summer leagues, workouts and training camp, which I'm sure Bradley didn't. Ming's averages are pulled down by the fact he didn't even know where he was supposed to be on the court in some of the early games, and had 2 zero point game and a 2 point game. Without this context, comparing these numbers is meaningless.
You do know that Yao's numbers are greatly skewed by the first 5-8 games, where he basically played 12 minutes per game and got under 5 points and 3 rebounds per game? It's obvious that Yao's a completely different player from his first couple of weeks in the country-- if you can't tell that that was all an adjustment period for him, you're being ridiculous. After the adjustment period: Yao = 15 ppg, 8.3 reb, 2.1 blocks, 27 minutes Even if you want to be a complete fool and hold Yao's numbers in the first two weeks against him (it's obvious to anyone who watched the damn games that he was adapting to the speed and differences in the game), it should be noted that Yao's overall numbers came in 22 minutes. Bradley's numbers came in 28. Also, Bradley shot 40% from the field; Yao is at 64%. There's so much to distinguish them it's a joke...
So you have made your point solely base on statistics. Did you watch the Rockets-Mavericks game? Or do you even have a TV set?
I think it's safe to say after the Sacramento game that this thread and all like it in the future should be locked and the starter be banned. Polypus if you can't see the difference in their game than you're a maroon.
If you're every going to use stats to make comparisons, make sure it's a fair one. It's obvious that just comparing Pts, Rbs, and Blks of Yao's first 19 games and Bradley's first 49 games doesn't say much. Now if they played similar minutes, shot similar percentages, and made similar improvements(from little playing time to consistent double doubles), then you have a case. But that's not the case. Yao's so much better Bradley it's not even funny.
I'm sure he's just some Yao hater who try to come here and talk smack, but pretend he's not. I think right now anyone who's not a Yao hater would've stopped comparing Yao to Bradley. Stats for the rookie season doesn't mean anything. Look at Kobe's rookie stats, TMac's rookie stats, Dirk's rookie stats, etc. Polypheus, you're the weakest link! Goodbye!
Just some clarifications Yao's father only played for the Shanghai Team not the national team and he is a power forward. Her mom is the starting center for the national team.
If u compare the 2, Yao score 30 pts n grab 16 rebound againist shawan bradely that just say it all n bradley with 0pts
It took Bradley his 3rd year to have a 30 point game whereas Yao did it less than a month into his rookie season.
Originally posted by polypheus Many people have claimed that Yao Ming will become the next great center based on his promising start so far. Indeed he has performed well in a few games and has made remarkable progress. However people should note the following: Shawn Bradley, rookie year: 49 games, 10.3 PPG, 6.2 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 2.0 apg. Yao Ming, rookie year so far: 19 games, 11.1 PPG, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 0.9 apg Dirk Nowitzki, rookie year 47 games, 8.2 PPG, 3.5 rpg, .6 bpg, 1 apg That Dirk guy kinda sucks doesn't he. He's the next Shawn Bradley for sure. I certainly hope that Yao Ming will achieve much more than what Bradley has achieved by the time Yao has been in the league as long as Bradley has been in the league to date. However, the above stats show that the critics who said that Yao Ming might be nothing more than the next Shawn Bradley is still not proven false, at least not yet. To disprove this comparison all you have to do is watch Yao Ming play and realize that the Rockets are far more talented than the Sixers team that Bradley played on. Yao has to share the ball, Bradley did not. Bradley's team won 25 games his rookie year and the Rockets may win 25 games by the All-Star break. Bradley played with Clarence Weatherspoon and Yao Ming plays with Steve Francis. Yao Ming has shown rapid improvement and a great feel for the game, Bradley has shown little improvement and little feel for the game. Yao Ming makes the highlights with his beautiful passes and Bradley makes them for the latest monster dunk over him. Nuff said.
When I first compared Yao Ming and Shawn Bradley, people said if was unfair since Yao had only played in 19 games at that time. Now let's take a look: Shawn Bradley, rookie year: 49 games, 10.3 PPG, 6.2 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 2.0 apg. Yao Ming, as of 2003-01-23: 40 games, 12.6 PPF, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 1.5 apg Yao's numbers have improved slightly but are still not a whole lot better than Bradley's numbers and now both have played a comparable number of games. Now I have heard of all sorts of spin as to why Yao is better then Bradley. Some of this reasoning may be true but if one being intellectually honest, one would also have to admit that some of this reasoning is wishful thinking as well. I hope the Yao Ming worshippers consider the following: When Shawn Bradley first joined the league there was high expectations of him and like Yao Ming, he also showed flashes of brilliance. At that time, detractors compared Bradley to past busts and stiffs and Bradley supporters gave all sorts of reasons as to why Bradley would be different. When Bradley stopped improving, Bradley supporters also gave all sorts of excuses and insisted he would definitely continue to improve and get better. But it turns out that the detractors were right. I hope the Yao Ming worshippers read the above and think about it carefully to avoid suffering from the same disappointment and disillusionment that happened to the Bradley supporters...
Yao is obviously going to be a tremendous player. He just needs experience and teammates who share the ball. Little Stevie is already starting to show his jealousy over the attention Yao is getting. If Stevie doesn't grow up, this team blows up in another year or two.
1) Bradley is not that bad. 2) Yao vs. Bradley: Yao 30/16, Bradley 0 3) I cannot remember the last time I saw Bradley stuff Shaq three times in a row.
Or polypheus We could compare to Kevin Garnett's numbers... Kevin Garnett, rookie year: 80 games, 10.4 PPG, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 1.8 apg. And we could realize that Yao, like Kevin, needed time to adjust to different game played in the NBA and to not expect to much of them right now. I hope Yao Ming detractors read the above and think about it carefully to avoid suffering from the same disappointment and disillusionment that happened to the Garnett detractors... And polypheus...try showing up after a good Yao Ming game.
Yao wasn't that good against Raef Lafrentz. BUT AGAINST SHAWN BRADLEY?!?!?!?! That was a joke. He owned him!!!! He dominated. Bradley didn't even score TWO points. Shawn Bradley usually starts in other games and scores......ONLY BECAUSE HE IS TALLER and no one ever pays attention to him.....Even Todd Maccullough leaves him open. Yao is MUCH better than him.
You left out two big stats that are very telling: Yao fg%: 52% Bradley fg%: 41% Yao ft%: 77% Bradley ft%: 61% Bradley came to the NBA with a bad offensive game and a bad work ethic. Yao came to the NBA with a great offensive game and a good work ethic.
