http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6359386.html Yao talks about his upcoming matchup with Dwight Howard, and reflects on how he used to dominate like Dwight back in China. Yao also says that the best center in the league is still Shaq. Does anyone else suspect that Shaq and Yao are the only two players in the entire league who don't think Dwight Howard is the best center in basketball this season? [rquoter]“I think that Dwight Howard right now is just like me in the CBA (China Basketball Association), in my last year,” Yao said of Howard’s physical superiority. “I was like him, 20-20 every game, and no one was going to the paint. No one. I know that feeling, but obviously the CBA is a different level. That’s an amazing thing.” But Yao has dominated their individual matchup. Yao has said that he has to enjoy whatever moments he can against Howard, 6-11, before Howard overtakes him, but Yao has maintained the edge. In eight games with Yao and Howard matched up with one another (though Howard played power forward in portions of the first four of those meetings), the Rockets went 6-2. Yao outscored Howard by an average of 24 to 12.8 points per game. Both averaged 9.8 rebounds in those games. Yao averaged 2.13 blocked shots, Howard 1.5. Yao made 55.6 percent of his shots in those games, Howard 45.1 percent. As Yao predicted, Howard is narrowing the gap, averaging 16.5 points and 10 rebounds in the past four meetings. Yao averaged 26 points and 11.8 rebounds. But Yao said that does not make him the league’s best center. He does not give that honor to Howard, either. “I would just say it’s Shaq,” Yao said. “He has more experience. He will have that special energy against me, against Dwight Howard, against the guys he thinks he needs that energy against. The rest of the guys, he knows his age, he knows his body.”[/rquoter]
Nice read. I like those light-hearted interviews from Yao. He's calm, humble but confident. He's never shy praising an opponent. To me, that's great confidence. Only confident people can be modest without worrying about others' opinions. I look forward to the meeting again. I think Yao also enjoys those meeting very much, not just because he's been having the upper hand in those games, but rather, as he said before, refs wouldn't allow him to use his full strength against smaller players. Just like Shaq said, only then, refs allow those big guys to pound on each other, with their full strength.
Yao dominates pretty much anybody that doesn't flop, grab or hold him with two hands. NBA refereeing big man these days is a disgrace.
and he probably will. stan looks like a jealous type of guy to me. and the van gundy brothers are the only ones i've ever seen that are so far apart from each other. they don't look alike, they act differently, their voices and tones aren't the same, and their coaching style is not the same, either...
Ron Artest is the precursor to Lebron James, and Lebron James is the new and improved version of Ron Artest. "I was Lebron James on the Pacers" ??
