ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Spurs 12/13/2003

These two games against the Spers really exposed the weakness of this team.

A team can only go as far as their best players can lead it to. And our two best players are mediocre type of talents at best. Steve Francis simply does not know how to play point, and Yao Ming is a bad offensive player period.

This team maybe able to make the playoffs, but they'll never really be a contender with our "franchise player" being Steve or Yao.

I'm all for trading for a superstar type of player. Steve and Yao for TMac anybody?

 

Well I think that it is ridiculous that someone as big as Yao can't at least consistently dunk the basketball inside.

 

Yes, I agree with supplementing his game. That is about offensive plays that are run for Yao. I was talking about being aggressive no matter where he's on the court. And I do not think that just going out to the 15 foot area will help him learn that. I know you want to supplement his game (I DO TOO), but it doesn't address the main problem.

And that was my main point. I agree with adding to his game, but not to solve the aggressiveness (lack of) problem. That would be just a temporary band-aid. It would help a little, but not a lot. Yao can play hard if he wants to. At times in the 3rd and 4th he did. But then he slows down...And he even plays soft in the 1st and 2nd. That's what I don't get.

We were debating two different issues.

 

Well, how about Duncan tonight, he was the MVP last year, can he consistently dunk the basketball inside. No so easy.

 

I never said that it should be the strength of his game at all. I should be on the inside but when you have 2 7 footers guarding the inside they should let him take some jump shots cuz you know he can make them...mix it up..that's all I am saying...that's what TD does also incase you have never noticed...he got his only FG of the first have on a jump shot....does not make him a lesser man to add that to his game...makes him that much better.....

 

Even Duncan steps out of the paint to shoot the open jumper. Yao's range is not confined to the paint. He's demonstrated that he can actually shoot a free throw which at least shows he can shoot a mid-range jumper. Yao's footwork is too slow to go up against the fast defenders like Garnett and Duncan. Yao's upperbody is not strong enough to muscle his way into the paint like Shaq. Van Gundy's offense makes Yao a statue in the post without utilizing him even occasionally as a outside jump shooter.

 

I'm sure he could if he wanted to. Your point?

 

The only positive i saw was yao actually bein agressive in the second quarter, but then i dont know wat happened.

 

I agree with that to a point. But read my above reply (last one) to gotoloveit2. We were debating different issues.

 

As this season wears on and I see predictions coming true.Yao Ming is still a finesse player and never will be a banger no matter how much he tries. Guards= Street Ballers, JJ too small for Small Forward. Inside /outside game none existant due to poor shooters and lack of spacing. Quality crisp passing= none existant. Team Basketball a lost art as far as the Rockets are concerned. Taking the easy shot avoided at all costs. Passing to the open man only once or twice a game. Not one single player of the Rockets plays continuous defence on the man he is suposed to be guarding.
Coach has a closed mind about using or developing reserve players except in Garbage Time.After looking at all of last years tapes [which I dont believe] Moochie is still on the Team.
I feel a conflict is very close between Players,the Coach and Management this last Game was the last staw of mediocrety.Something has to give, it needs to!!

 

So you mean Duncan doesn't play aggressively ? You said Yao should dunk consistently at the same time Duncan could but he didn't want to dunk, is it your point?

 

Dont get me wrong. I do want Yao to be aggressive. I am sure that most posters here, probably except JUUGIE and few others, want that too. But I dont think this is the best way to cultivate his aggressiveness by telling him to go inside throughout the entire game. It is damn so boring, if not tiring , for someone who didnt grow up playing that way. It's definitely not helping his confidence either. All I see so far is Yao "banging" inside and making all those flat fadeaways that bounced off the back of the rim. If you think that will help him be more aggressive, think again.

 

Yes, I've seen him do that (not take open shoots). Will that be incorporated into Yao's game? Yes, no maybe? Not sure. Not at this stage of his learning path. Why do I say that? Well, as an offensive scheme, it could be used. But this is the way I look at it.

Yao on the outside = Can hit the 15/18-footer right now! He knows how to do that. Does he need to "work on this part of his game?" Not really. Do the Rockets need to use this part of his game to steal some wins? Possibly.

Yao on the inside = Is good but not great. Need to just be aggressive. Not, "learn new skills." Just aggressiveness. That's it. Simple. Good things happen when he is aggressive (generally) under the rim (on missed shots too).

And when good things happen, he becomes more an threat inside than outside, and we develop an INSIDE presence. Then what? Our guards have to hit the 15/18/23-footers. Hmmmm....

So, yes. We could steal some games with Yao shooting the 15 footer. But, we eventually have to address the inside. Why else do we have a 7'5" center?

 

Isn't he that new guy from China?

 

Why would I not want Yao to be aggressive? That's my main complaint about his game.

 

Here's my point:

Yao is a friggin cypress and he should be taking advantage of that. There is no reason that he shouldn't be attacking the rack with authority everytime he gets the ball. If he doesn't stuff it in the opponent's face, he'll at least draw a foul. He's gotta punish the opponents so that the game can open up for the rest of our guys.

Fine. I can accept that Yao shouldn't be limited to only playing inside. However, because he plays the center position he has to establish himself an inside threat first (again) to open up things for the other guys. Everyone has a role and in order for the system to work they ALL (including Yao) must play their roles.

As for the comparison to Duncan (which is comparing apples to oranges anyway), Yao is not even close to playing at that level. At some point I hope he does but right now...uh uh.

 

After the fact...

I'm not talking about his offensive moves, or him doing a fade-away.

I'm talking about, whatever he does, whatever shot he takes, whoever takes the shot (any of his teammates) that's he should attack the rim and WANT the ball.

At times, I see him take a fade-away, and just sit there and watch the shoot drop down into a defenders lap. Or he'll go and try to get the rebound and then get slapped and them flail his arms. Or he'll get the rebound and then get the shot blocked and hang his head. He doesn't keep at it. He doesn't keep being aggressive. He tries to be aggressive, and then fails, then gets all down on himself and starts to pout. That's not keeping your head in the game. This would have more results if he would stay at it the whole game. If he's tired. Well, JVG should sit him.

But don't just watch yourself get hammered. Do something about it. Even if it fails. Just don't let that failure affect your next move in a lackluster way.
That's how Bill Russell and Rodman used to do it to other lesser players. They embarrassed their opponents and then got in their heads. Once they were in your head, you were defeated.

Yao lets others defeat him in the body, and then he makes the situtation worst by defeating himself in the mind.

 

Bill Worrell is an imbecile .

He stated "Ginobili is from a family of finest European players."

He's from Argentina which is in South America.

 

Because that will definitely make Yao the leader and the focus of offense in this team. In other words, this aint no SF's team anymore. I am sure you dont want that happens to your boy.

 

I think the Rockets need to dump this garbage offense altogether. Forget dumping it down low to Yao. Forget isolation by Steve and Cuttino. Van Gundy needs to get some tapes of the Jazz and the Kings and incorporate those offenses into the Rocket's offense.