I am often annoyed by the Yao Ming folks too. But how do you know they are socially inept? I hear the socially inept people always make baseless accusations on the internet. So are you socially inept?
I told you guys Yao needs to do a better job on Boozer... but all of you were too happy with the 3-2 series lead. Look at it now, Boozer is eating up Yao again.
Well, this will probably be my last post in a while. I just want to say too many people on this board accept Yao's mediocre performances in this series... Tonight he couldn't grab the rebound when we needed the most and played terrible defense on Boozer except 2 processions. See you all next season! I hope by then Yao will be back in full strength.
I think alot of people bashing Yao aren't realizing that it's not exactly his fault. Boozer had been beating Yao every game, yet JVG still put him on Boozer. It's like if Sloan put Fisher on T-Mac every game and by game 7, T-Mac was smoking Fisher on every play. Would that be Fisher's fault? No. It'd be the coaches fault for doing something so stupid. Yao's not invincible. He's not the perfect center. He has faults. It's the coaches job to get the right matchups to win the game.
I'll ask one more time: Do any of you who ridiculed Boozer after game 1 and said Yao owned him feel stupid? He's a very smart player who learned how to take advantage of what Yao gave him, plus his jumper was dead on the entire series.
Who else on the Jazz could Yao hope to guard? Okur is a much better outside shooter than Boozer and would have lit Yao up from 20 feet. What's your suggestion?
We could have put him on Okur for short periods or put him on Kirilenko. We could've did a zone for a little while and sat Yao in the paint so he doesn't get winded and such. Where do you think Fisher went when he wasn't guarding McGrady? Probably guarding Head or Alston, i.e. someone who's shot wasn't falling. Sure, Okur might start to make shots with Yao on him, but it's better than sticking Yao on Boozer for the whole game. This forces all their players to execute and can take Boozer off his rhythm. What do you think they did to McGrady most of the series?
I'll be nice about this. Do you realize just how slow Yao is? Do you know how easy it is to dribble past him when he's 15 feet away from the basket? Besides Boozer (and backups Millsap and Collins), there was nobody on the Jazz Yao could hope to guard. Leaving Okur open at 18 feet is like giving up free throws. If Yao went near him, Okur would have walked past Yao for a layup because the Jazz space the floor well. A zone may have been worth trying but the Jazz are so good at spacing, passing and cutting I doubt it would have worked. It's an idea though.
Should have played some zone. At least mix it up a little. Or send someone to double / harass boozer, like what they did to Yao. The biggest problem was Boozer didn't need to do **** on defence and expand any energy on hayes / JHO.
Yao basically covered the PG's man (who drove everytime almost), his own man and every other guy who came in the paint. Boozer did get to slack on D but he is also quicker and stronger than Yao. I'm just tired of seeing Yao in other places than the paint on D. Everytime he posts up on Offense there is a guy behind him. Yao rarely takes this position on defense, he's constantly roaming instead of guarding thr paint like DREAM would. I don't get that.
SCORING: Yao - 25.1 Boozer - 24.6 REBOUNDS Yao - 10.3 Boozer - 11.0 On paper it looks relatively even. Yao outscored Boozer, so tough to say he got dominated there. Yao's fg% was lower but shot more free throws than, meaning he put the Jazz in foul trouble (and with other fouls not called). Boozer simply just ran around whoever untouched without needing to get fouled 10.3 boards doesnt show a lack of effort on Yao's part to get em. If we're talking about those 2 shots he couldnt get, Yao can box out but he can't all of a sudden GAIN FOOT SPEED he hasnt had since 10 years old. Not trying to feel sorry for him, but he's what he is - a big lumbering stiff with good touch who can get you some points once in a while. And can't be heavily relied upon for fast reactions for blocking, rebounding, or passing. Shoot those shots 100 more times, Yao won't get to 95 of them. But back on the matchup...Boozer does win out cuz he made swiss cheese of the defense with power drives and dunks galore, while Yao worked extra extra hard for his and still should have hit some more looks he's accustomed to making... Boozer goes up against Yao and Juwan/Battier/Hayes. Yao goes up against 3 All-Star front line guys- All with size and one with SUPERB shot blocking on help defense in Kirilenko.
Yao was very eager to come out when defending PnRs (on the order of JVG?). I don't get it either. Daron Williams wasn't even bothered when Yao was on him. But those half-assed attempts to defend put yao out of position.
You've nailed it! None of the other Rockets made Boozer expend any energy on defense, while Sloan kept sending fresh players into the game with the sole purpose of harassing and beating up Yao. I think the Jazz will find it a different world against GS and, probably Phoenix. Maybe the Rockets gained the moral high ground by not playing the hard foul and other dirty tricks against the Jazz, but, more often than not, good guys do finish last. It would have been appropriate for the Rocks to respond in kind - sending someone hard against Boozer or Okur or Williams to get their attention. Maybe we need an enforcer instead of a scoring PF.
