This is true. The window (time span) for the entry pass closes too quick for the guards. Yao has to work harder to get in position, re-post and then try again.
To sum it up, Yao was weak tonight and other guys were just wild and missing everything. It was an ugly, ugly game..... Bench all these bastards... LOL
I totally agree with what you just wrote, though I wouldn't go as far as to rag the players in China. They're not 4"3, but they're not 6"10 either. Against the Nuggets, they won as a team. Against the Grizzlies, they lost as a team. Mobely--get his sorry ass off this team. Send him to the Clippers where he has all the playground space to do whatever he wants. The man has loads of talent, but what good is all that talent if he has the BB IQ of a ball boy? I swear, when I watch him, it's like he wants to be Francis, or perhaps wants the recognition Francis has. I have a feeling that deep down inside, Mobely doesn't want to be role player. He just doesn't. That sort of desire is hard for a coach to work with. But I'm just an observer. What do I know Boki--I'm sorry, but Boki is clumsy and stupid. I don't care if he has potential to be a sharp shooter (even though we didn't draft him for that potential), but the guy just seems one-step behind everyone on the court, especially his teammates. He's out of sync. And he took ill advised shots, when, as a guy coming off the bench, he should have been passing to the better shooters (though those guys looked sorry, too). I mean, against Denver, he was 2-2, but when I was watching the game, I thought it was a pretty stupid move when he had the ball on a fast break and rushed a three (which he made). Who cares if he made the shot in a blow-out game. He rushed that shot, and the habit of rushing and taking an ill advised shot will bite you in the ass when playing a game you're losing. Today should be textbook for Boki from now on. Back to Yao. First off, Yao is good. To quote Shaq: "Damn good." Now that's outta the way, I want to add one more glaring fact: Yao is a wimp. I love the guy, but I'm not blind to the fact that he has the ball down deep against a guy he can overpower . . . and then passes it out. Turn and piledrive! What's the point in adding 18 pounds of muscle if you're just going to do fadeaways and hook shots. Wanna know why Yao is foul prone? Because he doesn't play the kind of big-man game that elicits from the Zebras favorable calls. This is the NBA, not the CBA. IN the CBA, I'm sure the refs go by the book with their codified notions of everyone respecting each other, not getting in someone's face, yada yada yada yada. In the NBA, in America, getting in someone's face is the way to give respect and to get it. If Yao turns around and starts driving to the basket for a slam, sure, the refs might call a foul, probably foul after foul at first--but eventually, like someone said (said very well, in fact), the refs are going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Most refs aren't just about calling what the rules say in the BB handbook. They're about regulating the game, and, if possible, allowing a game-flow that will make it more exciting for the fans. I'm sure in NBA-Ref school, Stern tells them this in one way or another. Let the kids play. Shaq drives to the basket and should be called for charging half the time but doesn't get a foul because the fans love power and hustling--and so do the refs. After all, they're human and, once, a long time ago, they were basketball fans, too. Refs reward honest to God hard work. They reward hustling. That's why guys like Shaq and Ben Wallace thrive. Someone's got to tell Yao this. For the love of humanity, someone has got to get it into his head that if he tears whoever's guarding him a new one by clawing to the hoop and slamming it in, the refs will honor it--it'll bring the inner fan out of the Black-and-white Striped Agent Smiths. Look at all the greats. They're the GREATS, because they know the rules and the game and have the skill to bend the rules and transcend the fundamental structure of the game to raise it to a whole new level. No one becomes Neo by doing what they're told, and being a cookie-cutter player. You got to break out. You got to scream to the basket like you're pre-historic cave-man trying to break out of ice. Wanna know why Amare got the Rookie of the Year award? Because that single aspect of his aggressive game made everyone overlook the other skills he lacked. Fundamentals and finesse is great, but you got to have that primal edge, Yao! Jeff Van Gundy. Ewing. If ANY of you guys are reading this, heed my advice. You gotta free Yao's mind. You gotta make him believe that he can dodge bullets, or stop them, and that he owns this team. He can't do it without his teammates, of course, but when he's in the paint with the ball, he has to become the hulk and want one thing: to stuff that rock! Yao is wimp. He is a pansy. He's a momma's boy. Anyone getting pissed? Good. If we all say it, and say it loud enough, maybe Yao will hear it and get pissed and toughen up. I saw one of Yao's games in China when they aired it on American TV. It was the final with Korea. Yao controlled his teammates like a dictator. When he was in the paint, he was screaming in Chinese (which I can't understand), but screaming is screaming. HE WAS SCREAMING FOR THE BALL. He was screaming for the ball with a face that said, "If you don't give me the ball, I'm going to beat your ass after the game." He MADE himself the center of the game. And, because of that, he dominated. Back in Asia, He knows--he knows like it's scripture--that he's the best player around, and because of that he has the confidence to demand the rock. Back here, he's a little more confident then he was last year in the league, but he's still too polite. You're here, Yao. You're an NBA player now. You're not an exchange student. you're entitled to it all. Yao was better than everyone in Asia, sure. Yao is great here, but if he really wanted. Like if he really wanted to (ala Shaq and Ben Wallace), he could dominate everyone here. There is so much about his talent and his phyisque that he just not USING in the game. What he is using, alone, is great, but imagine if he used EVERYTHING he had, and even more than everything. Determination is what makes a player use more than the sum of his own parts to get things done--that's what makes them, for 48 minutes, god-like. It's like Good WIll Hunting, when Ben Affleck calls Matt Damon's character a total wuss, adding that Matt Damon has something no one else has, that he's sitting on a lottery ticket and is too much of a wimp to cash it. Yao is sitting on lottery ticket, and all he has to do is cash it. Guys, Yao is not a stick. He's not a push over. Skinnier centers than him have torn **** up in the past. Skinnier players. Tim Duncan doesn't look thicker than Yao. In a lot of pictures, Yao actually looks thicker. It's all in the mind. Yao still needs to get bigger, but even with his current build and weight, if he just believed he was hella badass, he could nearly reach Shaq (3-peat championship) dominance. In THIS season. If we were to take a machine and supplant a new personality in Yao tonight. Like a personality of an absolute killer, with that same build, he would tear people in half and scare the crap out of people. Yao needs to get stronger and bigger, still, but he's as big and strong as he needs to be to kick ass. He's not getting the ball? I'll vouch for that. But if he stopped acting like a foriegn exchange student, and realize that he's a teammate, and the best offensive option on his team, and realize what all those things entitle, and demands the ball--like DEMANDS the ball--with his voice, his body, his aggression, his attitude . . . Francis, Mobely, everyone will give him the DAMN ball like they don't ever want to see the thing again. These guys want to give Yao the ball. They do. They wouldn't be trying game after game if they didn't. They wouldn't stay on the team if they didn't. But Yao has to WANT the ball so much that Francis and Mobely don't have to be reminded. Yao gets so quiet--though not as quiet as last year, but, still pretty ******g quiet--that I think Francis and Mobely forget to get Yao the ball. I'm serious. If Yao just takes control and gets pissed, if he shows some initiative, if he yells like the player he is (the player who has a much bigger part of the team pie than the likes of someone like, let's say, Moochie), his teammates will back him up. They'll not show him not only relational respect, but COURT-RESPECT. The other guys need to pass the ball, but the onus doesn't fall on them. It doesn't fall on Van Gundy. It doesn't fall on Ewing. It falls on Yao. Yao getting the ball STARTS with Yao demanding the ball. Getting good position down deep and being visibly open isn't enough. You got to make your presence known. You got to make them get you the ball. It's THAT attitude that makes you a center to begin with, not your height or your fancy skills and soft touch. It's the attitude that at any moment, someone is going to take away everything you have, and you can't have that--it's streetball, cage ball gruff. I hope Colin Pine is reading this so he can relay this to Yao. Sure, 19 to 20 points a game is great. But I know--we ALL know--that if Yao freed his mind and released the animal within, he could easily--and I mean EASILY--score 30 to 40 every other game.
This is a very good topic. I am a Chinese fan, and to be honest, I feel Yao played far better in the Asian Championships than in the last two NBA matches. He was not as dominant and aggressive as I expected. Is he too tired? I don't konw. I feel too he is somewhat to be blamed. But it seemed to me the rest of the team played even worse. The more I watched the rockets games, the more I understood why this team had the chance to get Yao. Poor ball movement, low shooting percentage, the turnovers, and always looked like a mess on the court without Yao, really not a first-class team in NBA.
okay... they have trouble getting the ball up the court due to memphis' great defense (and it really was great). the 24 second shot clock now reads 14 as they barely get it across the halfcourt line in time. they try to pass the ball to yao, but swift fronts him. yao moves to the other side of the court, but swift knocks his arm down to front him yet again. no passes are made. 8 seconds left on the clock. moochie dribbles the ball off of his foot. turnover. so you're saying that if they were able to get the ball above the half court line unscathed that they would have been able to do something with the ball? let's see here... what would have been the options...? 1. bounce pass to yao. 2. turn-around, fadeaway, left-handed loop-di-loop, eyes closed, reverse slam by cuttino. 3. moochie dribbling the ball off of his foot. turnover. 4. francis... goes for a layup, but while in the air attempts to pass the ball while under the goal. turnover. 5. cato (i really hate doing him this way since he's played well) takes a 18 foot baseline jumper. clang! you know that i'm not a troll (you know better than that) and i like the rockets probably more than any of you. people hate being around me when the rockets lose. the only time i don't wake up and read anything in the chronicle is when they lose. i hate having to wait a day or so to dread on the loss until the next game. diehard fan. yep. if you make yao the focal point, then the ball is going to have to touch his hands, right? duh. well... if he can't get the ball, then how is the offense going to look? dribble, dribble, dribble... rudyt style. why can't he get the ball?
You guys didn't read VG's post-game comment after Denver game. He was criticising Yao having too many fouls. In a Chinese article, Yao concurred with VG's observation and implied that he might be too agressive. So, he is playing much more gentle tonight and it works. He got "0" TO and 1 PF at half. He is definitely a very good, classy student. Except that also brings us a loss.
There one thing worse than seeing Rox lose - that is seeing Stupid and unintelligent fans give their take on the game. Unbelievably naive and puerile analysis (majority)
Anyone who blames Yao for this loss is flat out on crack! Yao is shooting almost 70% for the season and tonight he was just awesome. There were plenty of times that Steve or Mooch decided to ignore the post so that they could dribble the ball aimlessly around the court until they turned it over. Only a moron would blame Yao Ming for the loss tonight. Yao is the reason were were ever even in it.
Yao is the big man, the Center. The etymological meaning of "Center" still holds court here. If Yao demanded the ball, and took control of the team, the supporting class would be less likely to fade away. A leader takes the entire blame of the loss. If Yao wants to be a leader, alongside Francis, he has to start doing that. A good leader will always take the blame, even if he doesn't deserve it.
Yes, you are right, our team does not know how pass nor move the ball yet. Even if Swift (or sometimes double team) was in front of Yao, if we can move the ball around or find the open man to take an accurate jump shot the other team has to be honest. Then the next trip up, we would have a much easier entry pass. However, since our shooters sucked, Grizzlies can simply concetrate on Yao.
Even Rudy the coach could not get the ball from our guards. Nor could VG now. How could Yao do that. Should Yao demand a fight aginst our guards. Haha.
Theres not enough love in this thread. may i remind some of you that- 1: Its just a game and 2: there are 80 games left. 3: we have useful guys that are still injured 4:at least we are not memphis.
I can understand your frustation. But it's just totally stupid to blame one single player (Yao) for the loss. Did you see the full court presure the Memphis put on the Rockets? Memphis came in knowing the odds were against them, so they fought like a bunch Mother****s. The rockets thought it would be a piece of cake to win this one, then lost their composure under pressure. Even the fans thought this would be an easy one. The fact is that no game is easy. Memphis had full court pressure since the start. But the rockets had full court pressure only at the last minute. Why didn't we do the same to them? That's the reason we lost. It's simple as that.
A great evaluation. Coincidentally, VG said the same thing after the game. We lost our compusure under pressure. That happened many times last year. It happened again tonight. Our players must have though the win against Denver was too easy and Denver beated Spur. So, Rocket must be the champion this year.
Thank you David. Short, yet excellent summary of the problem that some of us see. Yao needs to keep his man behind him and not let hm come around the side to deny the entry pass. Furthermore, the criticism that Yao's teamates didnt try and get him the ball is somewhat unreasonable. The only way to have gotten him more touches, would be to force a low % entry pass. Its low % because Yao's man was coming around the side and denying the entry. That means the pass has much less room for error when being thrown in, which of course, leads to more turnovers. Its a Catch 22 for the guards. Force the pass and you have more turnovers and you will be critisized just as much than if you hadnt passed it in the 1st place. With Yao becoming the primary focus on offense, its highly disruptive to the flow of the offensive when we cant get him the ball due to these problems. That is why so many are placing an emphasis on this problem. Its hard to have offensive cohesion when your best offensive player cant get into a position to get a clean pass. This leads to having to look for other options, which ultimately, lead to lower % shots and/or turnovers when swining the ball back out and/or around.
And before anyone jumps on me for what I just posted, I am not saying that this specifically cost us the game or that Yao didn't play well. The whole team had problems tonight, Steve, Mooch, Cato. Yao included.
if playing defense like Memphis did tonight is a byproduct of being Memphis... Ill take it. you folks are entirely discounting the fact that the Grizz defense was smothering..the best defensive effort I have seen from any team this season.. they wanted the game, and we didnt. they adjusted to what we did, and we didnt Everyone on the team is to blame, if you want to play the blame game. everyone including Yao. I repeat....EVERYONE. Yao needs to work harder to get position, he needs to work harder on defense. the rest of the team needs to work ontheir shooting, their adjustments to the defensive scheme thrown at them by the other team, and they need to learn how to help each other get free of their defenders. Some of you think Yao can do no wrong...he played good, he mad ethe least amount of mistakes than anyone out there...but he still made mistakes. admit it, and then get over it...this is only the second game and I can guarantee you that VG will be cracking thewhip come tomorrow.... they will adjust and do better next time someone throws that kind of defensive pressure at them.. and make no mistake....they will see it again. Cheer up folks...it could be worse...we could be 0-2 and showing zero signs of improvement.
