Fronting him with quicker players used to more times than not work, but I think it has become useless against the Rockets some nights, especially. When, we are hot or attack the basket (esp. Landry and Scola), you can't be fronting Yao, too much (with smaller players), because there's shot blocking behind them. It worked in the past when they're was not post presence beyond Yao, but with Artest, Scola, Landry, and some nights T-Mac...opposing teams can't normally beat us with a small front line.
Dwight and Yao have a great rivalry going. And the beauty of it is that it's a very respectful one. Yao has always given Dwight props from the early days, and Dwight has always been very complimentary and respectful of Yao in nearly all the stories I have read. It's completely the opposite of what Yao had to go thru initially when he came into the league and got slammed by Shaq et al. I don't think I've ever read DH claiming to be better than Yao, and vice versa... they prefer to spend the time working on their game than trash talk. The matchups are great. Yao and DH pound the crap out of each other when they are on the floor. Almost half a ton of muscle battling each other for spots on the floor.
look at the Bias of ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3720305&categoryId=2459788 He only show one basket by Yao at the end on a tip, instead of any of the move he put on Howard, while they show the a good move by DH on Hayes. And they show like 5 play of Artest making him look like he was the reason why the Rockets won the game and kind of crediting him for the early lead while Yao and Tracy did 90% of the offense that game. This game suppose to be Yao vs Howard but because he got manhandle they turn the attention on someone else. LOL.
Howard is the best center in the league, until he faces another quality center. But since there are very few of them in the league, Howard looks better on a nightly basis (stats wise). He is bigger and stronger than the majority of the pivots in the league and he is better at being dominant on a nightly basis (as far as stats go). However, whenever he is actually matched up with a quality big (like Yao), things don't go so well for him. Additionally, Yao is better in areas that the stats don't show...i.e. being able to run the offense completely through him. You can't do that with Howard. I can understand why someone would look at Howard's numbers and deem him the best....but that argument looks kinda silly when Yao busts his ass every time they play........
True, but you play games against everyone, not just one person. I don't like the reasoning that because Yao beats him head-to-head, that makes him better than Dwight. You can't just base everything on head-to-head matchups and ignore everything else that makes you a successful player. Yao may be the better Center at this stage, but you can make a case for Dwight having the better season SO FAR. Say all you want about how he only dominates scrubs, but I'm sure we wouldn't be talking down on Yao if he dominates those same scrubs. But one-on-one, it has been a no contest. Anyways, don't know if this was posted, but found it on another site. Their head-to-head stats:
I think the fact that some many people are arguing about this says a lot. Even if you do consider Dwight to be the best center in the league, there's always going to be doubt (until something changes). There's not a lot of pride in being no.1 when Yao consistently pwns him, eh?
I'm not basing everything on H2H. I'm basing everything on the fact that you can run the offense through Yao because he has a post game. You can't do that with Dwight. And his effectiveness takes a drop when he is matched up with legit frontlines (there aren't many in the league but there are once you go deeper into the postseason, where this weakness really shows). It's why the Pistons kick his butt every year, and why he doesn't fare as well against legit centers.
I knew it would be quiet after Yao shut people up. All of sudden people are reaching like crazy to make themselves look right even though this outplaying has happened for years just like Shaq. It won't change...... yao will still get crapped on.
there is one way to end this discussion. CHAMPIONSHIP! And I think Yao will get there first, even though Dwight is in the East.
I am a huge Yao and Rockets fan, and I'm gonna take some grief for this, but i have to agree with you. Right now D. Howard is the best center in the game. Also if you ask any GM in the game if they could have Yao or D. Howard on their team, they would ALL take D. Howard.
Only the Yao haters will say that after they cried so hard last night when Yao owned their boy Dwight Howard like a step-child, AGAIN!
Obviously you come to the wrong forum. Funny every hater always claim himself as Yao's huge fan first before the bashing starts.
Once upon a time there was this guy named David Robinson who was voted league MVP. Then he got to the playoffs and ran into a guy named Hakeem.
