Yao is the 2nd best center but

It actually means something. That is we have an advantage at the center position against 27 other NBA teams. You know, center position, the one under the busket. Rox just couldn't find an effective way to exploit that advantage.

 

Being the second best player at a position while only being a rookie does mean something. No matter how you see it, the Rockets have something special in Yao Ming.

No, he may never become the next Hakeem or the next Robinson, but he is already something that neither of those players or any center before him were... He's Yao Freak'n Ming, and he has only begun being Yao.

 

By that logic, since Divacs is arguably the 3rd best center, he should be the go to guy and the Kings should find a way to run their offence through him agianst the 26 other NBA teams and the Pacer should do the same against 25 other NBA teams with Brad Miller.

Yao is a going to be a great player, no doubt about that barring a bad injury. But it was a mistake this season to put sooooooo much pressure on him. Wasn't one of the reasons that Houston would be better for him was that he doesn't have to come in a produce right away, our backcourt can carry us and he can 'develope'. Then he showed how good he culd be and all of sudden he became the messiah. But I've said all along 13 and 8 for most of the other season will get u fifth on ROY balloting and not nearly as much hoopla. Joe Smith avg 15 and 9 and was labled a bust. I'm beginning to think that stretch where Yao was unbelievely hot at the early part of the season might've been a course in disguise as it puts more pressure on him to produce rest of the season and puts more pressure on the team to help him produce more rest of the season.

 

If you read carefully, you should see I didn't say "making him the go-to-guy is the only to take the advantage we have".
To exploit this advantage, considering also Yao's weaknesses, our coaches need design something suitable for this situation. I am not here pretending I know basketball to give your the answer. An advantage is an advantage, there should be ways to utilize it. Don't you agree? Kings and Pacers are doing great. Their center might not be the go-to-guy, but helped the teams to win, isn't it? Did Rox find a way to use Yao? Noop.

Yao was NOT being pushed into the pressure situation. Remeber Rudy didn't want to start him at the beginning of the season? He has been given more pressure and responsibilities because he IS GOOD and has the abilities to bring wins to us. But dumb coaches want him to join an ISO system. That's why he was not able to give us more.

 

Yao still has a long way to go. I wish that he could stay here and work on his games instead of playing his ass off in some meaningless Asian games.

 

Yao was great for the earlier part of the season because we were utilizing him to our advantage as a role player. We didn't post him up on every play, we were still guard oriented, but he was able to get put backs and when we do get him the ball occassionally that he scored. He didn't shoot that 80% or something in the early part by getting the ball every time, he did it because he was getting easy baskets i.e. put back with a occassional dunk or post up. When we start to utilize him as our top 2 offensive weapon and other team recognized this, that's when he struggled. If Yao was a role player this season and we were still playing an system we were familiar with, we'd be in the playoffs. This season is great as far as forcing Yao to deal with pressure of being more of a focal point. Sometimes he did good, some times he didn't but I'm fine with that. I feel because of the pressures we gave him this year we'll all be better next year. That's all I'm saying. THIS SEASON ISN'T A WASTE OF TIME IN MY BOOK.

 

I really don't know if Yao will be the undisputed 2nd best C next year. He's going to have to battle it out with Curry. I mean, c'mon, despite being overweight, Curry is playing excellent basketball.

Let's say he takes this offseason to improve his conditioning and polish his skills?

I think the league is starting to get filled with good C's again. Yao, Curry, Shaq, and Duncan will be head to head for the next few years.

 

Yao may BECOME the 2nd best centre in the league, but i doubt whether he is CURRENTLY the 2nd best centre now. In terms of the role and the importance in the team, Ben Wallace, Brad Miller, Michael Olowokandi, Zydrunas Igauskas may not be worse than Yao. (Forget about aged David Robinson, Vlade Divac, and Arvydas Sabonis.) Especially Ben Wallace, he is inarguably the key factor of Piston's success. Big Ben is now the 2nd best centre in my heart, but I do hope Yao can surpass him!