Ariza + Budinger = great complimentary players when Yao returns

They are great complimentary players because they'll spend a lot of time telling people what a great guy and a great player Yao is?

 

What does this mean?

 

I hope Yao returns but that is one major surgical procedure he went through.

DD

 

SS Yao has sailed. Get over it.

 

the only problem is when yao's fronted we'll still be unable to do anything

 

not quite, we have more guys now who can cut back door, especially for alley oops, and more three point shooters to give more spacing, including a PF in DA who can step out to the 3.

 

even if yao comes back 100%, not sure id want him on this current team. theres no way we'd blow out the jazz with Yao guarding boozer.

 

big z's experience tells nothing about yao's future with this team.

if yao returns to his form, then great. if not, then we must have other plans. can yao do it? no one knows at this point.

 

if our offensive efficiency is even better without yao, then do we even really need yao on offense?

 

we're 3-1 so far. do you think we can keep this clip (i.e., be a 60-win team) for the entire season if we don't add pieces?

 

It's not about Yao anymore and I think it's his duty to fit in the new system when he returns. Same as T-Mac.

Gotta run the high post stuff more.

 

Our defense won't be good enough without him for us to win in the playoffs. There's no reason why we can't integrate him into this lineup, it's not like scola and DA are olympic sprinters. Yao can still step out and pop, shoot quick hooks, and if we get the ball moving enough he'll get some easy layups/dunks. Plus he won't have to play as many minutes. Only problem we need him to take less $ if he's doing less work.

 

This thread is about a year too early to ponder about. Let's talk about the present Rockets and what they can do this year.

 

agreed. we can only hope.

and if yao returns to form, it will still be a yao-centric team - a team that got us where we got last season. with a few twists in strategy and a bit luck, we can even go further than last year. those "yao and mcgrady need to fit the current team when they return" comments to me are really nonsense.

 

the thing is, we didnt just squeak out a nailbiter against the Jazz, we destroyed them in the 4th and stomped on their throats in their own gym. we beat them in Salt Lake, where no team wins at. we looked GOOD.

im not saying this team will win 60+, but what i do know is we destroyed Utah in their own gym we also tied the defending champs two games to two in the playoffs. if you match up against the Lakers and Jazz, you match up with the rest of the NBA.

i dont see any team in the west giving us trouble except maybe the Spurs and of course a full strength Lakers.

 

The Jazz are imploding. It was a great win no doubt, but that Jazz team isn't as good as everyone thinks they are. Better barometer is the Lakers game, even if Gasol doesn't play.