i think he's 50-60 percent because of the jetlag and travleing, not so much the tournament. last year was twice as grueling before he got here and he was there a week longer. once he gets a day or two rest he should be 90-100%
Rimbaud and I were talking about this the other day. Lets break it down this way: Season before last CBA - 34 games Summer training Asian Games/World Championships 16 games (aprox.) Total 50 games + summer training Last season NBA - 82 games (against players much more physical than those in the CBA) Summer training (1 mo. off before) Asian Championships 7 games Total 89 games + summer training So if you look at the total games, one can make the argument that he certainly would be just as tired, if not more tired, than he was when he came into camp last season.
We can just hope Yao's stamina improved a lot than last season. How much play time will he contribute this season? I think we are expecting more. KH
Are you kidding me? I can't count the number of times he was quoted as saying he was tired, especially near the end of the season.
hehe.. i was joking of course..enhance the sarcastic rolling eyes.. but i dont think JVG is...commenting on last year: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2126123
hell, i don't know. if someone asked me how i felt the day after i got home from traveling for 20 hours across the globe, i probably wouldn't say i'm 100%.
Yao being fatigued from playing all year was a fact. JVG never refute it. It was an excuse only when it was used to explain the Rockets failing to reach the playoffs. Obviously JVG thought the Rockets could make the playoffs with Yao being tired. What makes you think that JVG thinks Yao is making excuses now when he simply pointed out a fact?
I really hate those Asian games, I really do. Especially this time it postponed three weeks for no reason (SARs ended in May and what was the point you move the games from Sept 3 to Sept 23? ). Those twenty-day’s rest is crucial for Yao for preparing the new season and it had been taken away. Next summer's Olympic game starts from August, I wish it would never be postponed again.
C'mon - that flight and the accompanying jet lag are a complete and total a**kicker. 7'6" in an airplane for 20 hours? I'm amazed that he's actually out doing stuff the night he arrived and the day following.
One caveat though, Yao wasn't tired, saved for the jet lag when he came into camp last season. He got fatigued as the last season rolled on, one of the reason being his weak upper body. Yao wasn't troubled by chronic fatigue before the season. When he arrived in Houston last year he was still fresh, evidenced by his peaking in Dec. The good thing is that Yao's summer schedule this time is more relaxing than his summer schedule last year with less games played, and Yao arrived in USA two weeks earlier with added bulk. Yao should feel easier to play the NBA games this year than he did last year. Would the physical improvement between last year's Yao and current Yao be big enough to propel him through the regular NBA season? Only time will tell.
