Dr of Dunk, you are obvious biased to yao. while yao has many weakness, does he deserve so many curses you put on him? you are the man enjoying bash yao and yao fan. while some yao basheres said they loved yao, then go on to bash yao. you are the one continued bashing yao whenever you had chance. if you were not a crew member, i would understand. as a crew member and with some authorities on bbs and chat channel, i am concerned.
Dr of Dunk Please give me a break. The problem is obvious and Panda was spot on. Let the purging begin!
Yes, you are correct. Never EVER bash Yao, even the slightest bit. He is god. Amare who? Shaq who? Francis who? Rockets who? Rudy who?
Why don't you folks just give this a rest? You are irritating the rest of us with your idiotic banter. Like little girls....
Btw, it's great to have Yao and Amare in the same line-up. Amare is a fierce rebounder who is strong and tough. You gotta admit it: Yao is kind of soft, but skilled centre. I think they can complement each other...
Quote: Btw, it's great to have Yao and Amare in the same line-up. Amare is a fierce rebounder who is strong and tough. You gotta admit it: Yao is kind of soft, but skilled centre. I think they can complement each other... No, he means trade Yao for Aarme. That means they are not going to play together.
DavidS, One thing I'd like to point out is that if such pics were simply harmless caricatures, you'd get exaggerated features that are case SPECIFIC to the individual. i.e. for a person with prominent ears (e.g. Pres. Bush), drawing big ears isn't a baseless departure from reality. But when caricatures are drawn w/o basis (e.g. Yao by no means has those buck teeth), they become deragotory. Truth be told, it IS a fine line - and one that is not as ambiguous, as an ounce of common sense would quickly illuminate. While I agree with you that the solution isn't to swing to the opposite extreme and become ultra-PC, in this particular example, the pic is clearly derogatory and racist, IMO. REIT makes a great point of citing those old pre/post WWII caricatures of the Japanese. Sure it might have been war-related propaganda, but fact-is, they lasted longer as derogatory icons against Asians and Asian-Americans than they should have. In the case of this Yao caricature, I find nothing funny about how he is portrayed. Long legs, and gangly build - that much I can see and appreciate in a caricature. But the teeth are an unwarranted return to the racist caricatures of old. DavidS, for the record, I've always enjoyed your posts. I think those little animations you add are quite hilarious. But on this matter, while I can appreciate your lighter spirit, I do think this pic was in bad taste. diplomaticSAGE
As it relates to this original thread, I do think Yao IS at fault for: 1) Failing to demand the ball more 2) Failing to rip down more rebounds 3) Failing to take more "calculated" risks Part I - Failing to demand the ball more While Yao probably chooses to work w/in the team's gameplan, there are no doubt MANY SITUATIONS which demand that Yao get the ball more. In the simplest example - Yao finds himself with a mismatch (which is obviously more often than not). There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the big man NOT to be getting more shots than he has in recent memory. Yes, this is a function of how generous the guards pass him the ball. But it is also a function of how often Yao should DEMAND the ball upon sensing his relative advantage. For as many egos as the Rockets may have, I highly doubt that if Yao raised his "voice" and demanded the ball more, that he'd be ostracized by it. Even from a coaching perspective, Yao shoots, on average a higher percentage than most any other player who gets quality minutes. If the team is shooting, on average, sub 45% for the GAME, wouldn't it make sense to let your +50% shooter to get more shots?. On any given night, Yao could have a offensive statistical adv of +60% FG% against his defenders. Smart big men should be able to sense their competitive advantage. Moreover, upon feeling out their opponent, it is incumbent upon a big man to demand the ball and make good on his higher FG%. As quoted by a few Rockets, many players play games while "afraid to lose." This is NOT the right attitude. All the more reason why Yao needs to assert himself and not simply wallow in the passivity of the ENTIRE (X-Francis) team. Yao's opportunities to shine are probably coming faster than even he expected. With his minutes up, more drawn plays for him, and greater expectations, Yao already has a lot on his plate. But in the one department where he has truly shined - i.e. offensive productivity - even a mediocre game from Yao (i.e. 45%-50%FG) is still BETTER than our team avg and will PULL UP our overall FG% for any given game. Over many trials, stats don't lie. Yao needs to seize this new opportunity esp as the Rockets appear directionless and tentative on days where the team "plays NOT to lose." theSAGE
Part II - Failing to rip down more rebounds Here, I think Yao has to "unlearn" many of the habits related to his blessed height. My theory is that Yao got off easy, in Asia, playing against centers and forwards far smaller in stature. Therefore, back then, he could get away with the volleyball tips and outstretched arms. Moreover, b/c he's so long, Yao does a great impression of the Mango "NO TOUCH", and consequently, NO FOUL, over the back rebounds. Unfortunately, the NBA is different. Against leapers and beefcakes who surround him on the defensive end, Yao has to make better use of his legs. He isn't the most mobile of centers, but he's mobile enough to get position and make better use of his height. All too often, he is playing volleyball with himself or breaking back to the defensive end. Even if Yao moved his feet an extra few feet, it'd be enough for him to contest for potential rebounds and draw defensive fouls. Some people pin this lack of aggressiveness to Yao's lack of girth, but I think it's more habit than anything. Even w/o girth, you can be a tough-as-nails rebounder. Maybe Yao isn't one of those players blessed with rebounding instincts. Nevertheless some of the rebounding basics can and should be taught to Yao... not least of which is how to break inside a defender who is trying to box him out. Alternatively, I think Yao can do an even better job boxing people out on the defensive end. For a guy that long, he could single-handedly seal off two opposing players on the defensive boards. As to my expectations, I feel that any game where Yao does NOT reach 10 rebounds is a disappointment. He has all the tools to be an even bigger force on the defensive end. Any offensive rebounds is a plus at this stage in his career. theSAGE
Part III - Failing to take more calculated risks All of these issues converge upon one central matter - Yao SHOULD TAKE MORE CALCULATED RISKS. By risks, I mean: 1) Shooting more, even if it's a new untested or unperfected move (e.g. more sky hooks, more baby hooks, more 18 footers, less fadeaways) 2) Shooting more, ESP if its late in the game and players are standing around and watching (Yao should have AT LEAST 3 FGA in the 4th Q) 3) Fighting for more rebounds while keeping an eye on his foul count (Yao has been finishing games of late with very few fouls, but is that a good thing? IMO, NO!) 4) Stop thinking of involving every teammate; just focus on your bread and butter (SF) during crunchtime Franchise level players must necessarily be selfish. Additionally, it's a given that such players have the talent to execute and finish games. This is what separates franchise players from everybody else. Everything that I have seen tells me that Yao IS that other franchise player opposite Stevie Francis. But Yao doesn't ACT like a franchise player. While it is true that he IS a rookie and he IS a solid team player, this recent funk the Rockets have found themselves in is BECKONING YAO TO STEP UP MORE and show his stuff. To NOT challenge himself in this way would be the REAL travesty to the team and the fans. More and more regular seasons are playing out like playoff games whereby it's your franchise player(s) who will carry you to the W. Stevie Francis has no excuse for fading out and becoming invisible in the fourth quarter and neither does Yao. The solution is no longer with the coaching staff. When the players go out to play on the court, Rudy is not the one who gets to do all the play calling. Yao AND Francis are our crunch time players and Yao esp. needs to embrace this role that is fast being given to him. theSAGE
I don't pretend Yao has no weaknesses or doesn't make mistakes. He is just a rookie. Beside his physical shortcomings, he might also be suffering from mental fatigue for having no time to relax and refresh himself in the past few years. Yao also seems to not have a clue of his role on the team. I suspect Yao has a few misconceptions of his role on offense that remains unfixed, which causes his seemingly lack of aggressiveness such as failing to exploit matchups against shorter players. Take Brian Grant for example, if Yao is being told clearly that he should shoot every time against Grant, then why would Yao passed the ball out other than taking shots? If Yao didn't take shots that he's supposed to take, then why doesn't Rudy call a timeout and set him straight? The coach is responsible to give Yao clear instuctions in the first place. Second, if the coach didn't tell Yao clearly what to do on offense, and all Yao hears is the guards saying "we will pass the ball to Yao because we expect him to pass it back and make things easier for us", being unfamiliar with the American culture, Yao might think that he won't get the ball anymore if he shoots everytime he gets it. So he feels he's obligated to pass the ball back out even it serves no clear purpose other than being a gesture. I'm not saying the guards are wrong to expect the Yao to pass the ball back out, just that there might be a few misunderstandings that the coach needs to fix. You are partly right Dod, unluckily I got the mad cow disease because Yao is mad for being treated as only a cow for milking. Pass Yao the damn grass. Just my two cents.
Strangely, I actually went to Disneyland today. I can tell you, if a caricature artist drew a picture of me with a buck-toothed overbite, I would be horribly offended since, like Yao, I have nothing close to resembling a buck-toothed overbite. It's a long established racist convention. I wouldn't be offended at all if the Yao caricature had obscenely long thick legs and Tyranosaurus-like arms, because that would at least be an exagerration of a feature that genuinely really exists, not one that's just a long perpetuated racist stereotype.
Thx for the plug Deckard. The Chicken and Egg Problem One other problem that I think many people on this board, including myself, get frustrated by is that Yao hasn't been used effectively. Consequently, all good things that come from Yao's presence in the middle is lost. Case in point - Yao's FGA. The Classic Question: If Yao isn't asserting himself offensively, why should teams feel compelled to double team him? Consequently, if teams don't feel compelled to double team Yao, why should the Rox expect to gain a competitive adv with Yao on the floor? This double teaming of Yao is the single greatest competitive adv the Rox have, IMO. With one double-team, some Rock, heck, ANY ROCK, will have a field day on the offensive end. Moreover, a Rock field day on the offensive end also translates into a miserable defensive night for their opponents - opponents who have to expend more energy to work THAT MUCH harder on both ends of the floor. So, let's consider this question: "What kind of performance commands a double team?" What kind of stat line would be fair? 1) 50% FG%, 12 FGA, 12+ pts going into halftime? 2) Or rather, 50%, 10 FGA, 10+pts? 3) Or better yet, 6 consecutive points on 3 consecutive offensive possessions? IMO, either stat line should be a statistical layup for Yao. But the key stat is FGA. w/o the FGA, Yao can't garner the defensive attention from the opposing team. w/o the defensive attention, the Rox can't benefit from any double teams on their offensive end. However, what I find MOST interesting about Yao, is that unlike your "average NBA player," Yao can achieve that third hypothetical stat line in any given game. Basketball is a game of runs And this ability to string together 4 or 6 or 8 consecutive points is enough to warrant a double team on the "next" possession. Whatever quarter we're in, I believe Yao has the talent to achieve this. Why? b/c he has clear competitive advantages in height and shooting accuracy. w/in 5 feet, Yao is as deadly as a magnum at point blank range. And even if he's pushed out to 10 feet, the very fact that he can get two back to back FGMs will give cause for opponent's alarm. The formula, in my mind, looks something like this: More Yao FGA -> More Yao FGM -> More Double Teams on Yao -> More Easy Rocket Baskets -> More Ws Or as many astute cc.net posters have concluded: GIVE YAO THE DAMN BALL!!! theSAGE
SageHare6, those were so incredible posts. I wish Rox had someone on their coaching staff who sees things as clearly.
