I trust Yao well enough down the stretch, but not to take the final shot. He's such a slow target for the defense that they can run an extra guy or two at him before he can really get off a comfortable shot. Yes, he may be able to pass it out in time, but he's never been great at kicking the ball out when crowded. In a last second situation I'd much rather see a pick 'n roll situation with a guard ready to drive, shoot, or kick to the corners.
If Yao can get the ball at all then I can trust him. From what I've seen he is far more clutch than anyone else on this team, but he definitely has a problem getting the ball, especially in the fourth quarter.
I think his supposed weakness is overblown. I've seen him help win games in the fourth also. We had a chance to win because of Yao scoring in the 3rd. He's a great foul shooter. He'd been hot. He draws a double team and opens our shooters. I would bet that if you ran the actual numbers we have won more games because of what he does in the fourth then we have lost. If you've got the stats to prove me wrong I'd gladly change my opinion, but I'd be suprised if I'm wrong. As I've said many times before the thing with Yao is his good play is not flashy, but his bad play is, so the mistakes he makes are amplified. The last play is a great example. Admit it, until that play, win or lose, you had a great impression of Yao and the steady solid work he'd done. Then, boom, one bad play and it erases the memory of the good and replaces it with the bad.
It depends on how the other team is playing him. Obviously if they're in the penalty, and they're weak inside, Yao is a great option. Against Boston, Brooks was the guy who took over down the stretch in the 4th quarter and made things happen.
hell no, no center has ever been known as mr.4th quater, it's always the guards or small forwards who can dribble and create for their own. Slowmos need the little guy to feed them bball, which is usually hard in the 4th because of intense defence and double team.
Yao is a huge liability on both ends when he is tired which is happening too freaking frequently. Yao = 4th quarter collapse.
The only game I've been to this season was the double-overtime win versus the Jazz and I unfortunately got an up-close look at the un-clutchness of Yao. For some reason, we went to him throughout the entire fourth quarter even though it was obvious that he was gassed and hadn't made a shot in what seemed like forever. In fact, the only shot I can remember him making was a turnaround left-handed hook shot that somehow went in - and that one shot made it justifiable that he continue to be our 'go-to' scorer for the remainder of regulation. It wasn't until Artest began to have success in overtime that we went away from Yao and over to Ron, who as we all know, basically single-handedly won that game for us - even though Yao did have a pretty good game through 3 quarters. Regardless of that one game though, I think it's painfully obvious that Yao just isn't clutch when it counts - I hate to say it, but that's what I've gathered from watching his career in Houston. -Turbo
If Yao is having a good or great game, they double him in the fourth. And stamina becomes an issue. Time to kick it out to someone who shoots over 40%.
DD, thanks for posting the stuff about Hakeem. I bet if you did a study you'd find that most post players were effective in the 4th by passing out of double teams. I'm not an expert or anything, but to me, stopping a post player from scoring in the last two or three minutes of a game would be fairly easy. You just throw enough guys at the post player until you make him pass out. Especailly if he can't shoot free throws. I remember a time before his rings, that Hakeem was critized for attempting to take on triple teams rather than pass out and trust his team mates. We lost games in the fourth with him doing that. In fact I remember many games where Hakeem missed, or lost the ball in the final minutes of the fourth, because he tried to do to much. Many said he didn't become truely great until he began to trust his team mates.
I trust him to make the wrong decision or find a way to blow the game somehow. It's been proven time and time again that Yao Ming is not clutch. This makes it even more baffling that Rafer Alston regularly closes out games when his supposed advantage over Brooks is his ability to feed Yao.
Very good point. In crucial situations, there are two effective offense strategies: 1. A good finisher utilize his teammates' help (screen, pick and roll...) 2. A well designed team play. 1. is often more effective than 2 because it is simpler and more variable. But Rockets clearly lack both of them. A good Big man is not necessary to directly score but should be smart in the time.
I don't trust him if he keeps shooting fadeaway 2s. Go to the basket and try to draw fouls. If they don't call it, just add it to the tapes the Rockets need to send to the league.
It depends on how the game is going. If Yao is tired and Adelman decides he will get the shot no matter what, that is disaster for the Rockets. If Yao is fresh, give him a couple of chances. If he blows them, please diversify the offense and go to someone else. Yao does not perform consistently well in the 4th quarter to merit the devotion he gets from Adelman. It's ridiculous to keep forcing the ball to him after he misses 3 or 4 shots in a row.
When he brings his "bull" game I do, when he brings his "butterfly" game, I don't. DD- Dream was always one of the highest scoring players in the 4th and they won a lot of games with dream shooting the dreamshake. Not only that, he made game winning, game changing plays. Ask John Starks.
