http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2006/08/the_bull_in_chinas_shop.html August 27, 2006 The Bull in China's Shop If you're Yao Ming, you get over the loss to Greece real fast and get excited about getting to training camp with Vasilis Spanoulis. If you're a Rockets fan, you hope the best for Bob Sura's comeback, but get a tingle thinking that Spanoulis is the Greek way to spell Sura. There will certainly be a period of adjustment while Spanoulis becomes accustomed to the NBA. But hustle is hustle and Spanoulis has it. He is just the kind of hard-nosed, aggressive attacker that the Rockets need in their backcourt. Heck, in their entire lineup. There will surely be many times when Jeff Van Gundy is screaming at Spanoulis for some kind of defensive error next season. But there will also by many times when Spanoulis simply knocks somebody down on his way to the basket and scores a tough layup that will make "Blue Collar Jeff" tickled pink on the inside. Get ready, Houston. You're gonna like him. Posted by Fran Blinebury at August 27, 2006 10:07 AM
Hope he's right. I wonder if JVG and V-Span will have a similar relationship to Pop and Manu, but with fewer fireworks and scream sessions. JVG is not as authoritarian as Pop and I don't think V-Span will be as stubborn as Manu was.
I am excited that Yao ended this with good performance, but more importantly, without any new injury.
Vspan will be a good addition to the team, he does remind me a little of Ginobili, fearless, drives to the hoop, and can shoot the long ball. I'm excited.
Not only I'm so excited about VSpan playing along side Yao, but I think we've finally settled our PG position, the one spot that has been our Achilles' heel(PF is the other one). I can't wait to see our rotation with VSpan starting(sooner than you think) and Rafer comes off the bench, we will be solid at the 1. We can upgrade everywhere else and make our team better and ready to be a real contender, not just a wannabe! I think China existing early is a blessing for us, Yao will be hungrier than before, he'll tackle rehab and conditioning like a mother, I hate to be the opposing centers playing against him this coming season. Yao will take it out on everyone crossing his path, he does not take losing lying down, Houston might have a parade soon..... I know, I'm getting ahead of myself but I can dream , can't I?
Lets be happy all three of our players Bat, Vspan and Yao have been and are playing well at the WC...bodes well for the upcoming season... now wew just need 1 or two high profile free agents too sign for peanuts... and id say the Rox woud be championship caliber team
How's Vspan's quickness? Can he keep up with the feisty 1s and 2s? Don't want to see him go to way of Head (bench) every time makes a rookie mistake.
Yeah, my biggest fear is Van Gundy benching the kid the first time he gets burned. I hope that doesn't happen. He's gonna give up some points. But Rafer gives up his fair share too. I don't know about his quickness but he's got a bulldog mentality with the ability to change directions with the ball on the dribble like Manu does. I don't see him being able to stay with Parker or Paul. I don't think anybody can. I don't think Parker and Paul can stay with Parker and Paul defensively. With the way the game is being officiated, it's impossible. You have to rely on help defense, collapsing the defenders into the paint and then scrambling to cover the shooters. That's why quicker 4s are the vogue. So, defensively I can't see how he could be any worse than any other points we have. We've got him, Rafer, and JLIII at the point. I am confident Span will be just as good as the other two guys defensively. The one thing he does have on the other two is superior strength. He is built similar to Chauncey, maybe not as muscular yet, but considerably thicker in the shoulders, chest, and thighs than Rafe. That strength will allow him to mix it up better and be a better post up defender against guys like Chauncey that totally own guys like Rafer.
