Yao Ming can not and will not be the star of our team. Even if he is the first option to score, he does not have the ability to carry a team. Don't get me wrong I love his play and his heart and he is an ESSENTIAL to the rockets success but he is what he is. Rafer really needs to be traded. I don't want to be to hard on the guy cause its not like he's being lazy. He is doing everything right but he just does not have a damn shot! We need an upgrade here. Aaron Brooks is a really good back up player. But he does not have the ability to lead the team throughout the season (atleast for now). He is way to inconsistent but he is a great asset. Wafer is the man, but don't kid yourself if you think his play will stay like this. I'm sure he is going to be a great addition to the team but I don't think he will be a game changer as he has been for the past few games....but again I hope I'm wrong. Mr. Chuck Hayes, if we trade him I will not be a rockets fan anymore This guy is an f&*%$ brick wall when it comes to D. Who can shut down any great player in the NBA and be very consistent about it. And best of all he knows his role and he knows exactly what he is responsible of doing and he does it best. Ron Artest is a monster but we need more plays to help him score. Adelman is making him change to the team (which is expected) but he needs some plays to bring out the scoring. I think this is why his average is so low. Barry is awesome. Put him in there for 10/15 minutes a game, shoot a few three's and get him out. Landry and Scola are both great and consistent players. If scola can improve on his 15 footer just a bit more he will be a huge force. Finally Mr. T-mac. I hope he will be back. Realistically speaking, we need him if we want to make it deep in the playoffs. I really think he will give it what he has when the game is on the line. He is just to used to JVG's half court offense (basically give ball to McGrady, let him creat his own play while everyone watches....). If he can just get in the motion of the team we don't need him to score 25 or even 20. To me 15 to 20 points and a few assists would be great. The attention he brings when he has the ball is enough to change a game. Well thats my crude/short assestment of each player. What do you guys think??
How can you be the first option on the team, but not be the star of that team? I really can't think of a single first option who isn't also the star of the team (with the exception of pgs).
Through 40 games, here are my totally subjective grades, based on how satisfied I am on how they've met expectations: Yao: B+ McGrady: D Artest: C+ Alston: C+ Battier: B- Scola: A- Landry: B Brooks: B+ Wafer: A Barry: C+ Hayes: B- Head: B- Dorsey: I Mutombo: I Francis: I
Brooks: In games where he started or played 30 or more minutes, he looked like a real deal. Rafer: good health.
Through 40 games, here are my totally subjective grades, based on how satisfied I am on how they've met expectations: Yao: A- McGrady: F Artest: C- Alston: C Battier: C+ Scola: A Landry: A- Brooks: B+ Wafer: A+++++++++ Barry: C Hayes: B+ Head: C- Dorsey: C Mutombo: A
I'd say that's pretty good. I think Landry and Barry deserve a little more love though. McGrady I'd move to a D- based on the Toronto game. And Alston should be a C- just for his fg%.
Actually yes you can. A perfect example is ummm......Yao. He should be the first scoring option but as shown vs lakers during crunch time he doesn't have it (atleast mentally). Face it, he is not a Rokie anymore he should have know to go for the damn three. I know that's only one example but I can't see him carrying a team single handedly deep in the playoffs.
Yao- Just Incredible and extremely consistent. T-Mac- Unbelievable and plays with tremendous heart every game. Artest- An absolute animal. Battier- The second coming of the Glove. Scola- Tremendous hops on two handed dunk lastnight. Rafer- Best shooter on the team and clutch at the free throw line. Landry- Incredible weakside defender Brooks- Did you see that alley-oop lastnight and pass to Yao at end of game. Barry- He still has it, off the charts defender. Von Wafer- Love his jumper and mohawk. No bashing at all.
That was a broken play, Yao was supposed to go back out to the perimeter but the shooters were covered and time ran out. As for the single handedly carrying the team deep into the playoffs part no team can make a run based on one guy--note what happened in the past to the Lakers with Kobe and Cavs with LeBron. Futility until help arrived.
Thats not bashing. Thats just analyzing the situation. Maybe your overly sensitive or something but bashing for me is if i called you a jerk off...you know something like that.
There's nothing like backing up your argument with the initial point of contention. Circular reasoning works because... circular reasoning works.
FYI - Ross...for giggles some of what you said could be read as bashing. Could be read as bashing on Yao..... More bashing. Still more bashing. Is there any part that is not bashing? Finally no bashing...of course it is of a very limited player...but..still...no bashing. Not much real analysis here....how is Ron's FG % this year anyway? 3 in a row, no bashing, can this hold up? I guess it can. Not a bad assessment....but too much bashing for a no-bashing post...IMO. DD
Why do people keep expecting Yao to "SINGLE HAND" carry a team? I just can't understand this fact. Is it because he's 7'6? I mean great as Hakeem was, he might have not won those rings if Mario wasnt there to hit "THE KISS OF DEATH", if K-Smith didnt hit that three in orlando and a few other cluth shot by Horry. I'm not taking any greatness away from Dream at but just stating facts. Dream was great but he still needed the right piece around him to get those rings. It took dream almost 10 yrs to reach greatness. Back to Yao, he's a great center of this era but no where near as good as dream was during championship year. With that said, why in the world would you expect Yao to carry a team "SINGLE HAND"? If you compare this team to the championship teams, this team is still not quite as good as that team yet. Our guards are horrible compare to smith and cassel. Our PF are just now beceme decent but I'll take Thorpe over anyone of our PF right now. Horry was borderline HOFer. Also the great VERNON MAXWELL. Man only if we have this guy on our team right now. All in all the players surrounding Dream were a bunch of decent to great shooters and good defenders. The team surrounding Yao is inconsistent at best. If YAO is not as good as Dream, dont you all agree that he need a team that is better then the team that Dream had before we can really judge him?
