"Experts" for ESPN are idiots (outside of the baseball tonight crew). I think they just look at the names, numbers, jerseys and don't realize what chemistry and huffort can do. Bunch of r****ds
Using the 'word' huffort in any way other than to mock Matt Bullard for his all-around dorkiness kind of undermines your authority to call someone else a r****d.
The comment is valid? That we won't make the playoffs? The question is valid? That Yao hurts our development? We're so thin at the 5 and our post D was an absolute joke last year. Yao is slow as hell and likely won't be anywhere near decent form until next year, but he's still one of the better centers in the league no matter how hobbled he is. Just in these preseason games he's shown that his mere presence gives slashers pause, even for the briefest of moments. Our ability to run the break is only compromised slightly with Yao on the floor, and frankly given that he's limited in minutes I don't see how he affects the running game at all. We've gotten more athletic and with Miller/Hill for the backup 5 work, there's no "development" to hurt. Miller is a veteran of the offense and will take care of business. Our team is still cohesive. We were barely out of the playoffs last year with a team that, as Wallace mentioned, overachieved. We have a record of overachieving. Our team is in absolutely no way worse than last year and in fact we've gotten deeper and better. There is no doubt that the West is tough as crap, but to even doubt that we don't have an extremely good chance of making the playoffs is just a joke. Even if Yao wasn't playing this year I'd still think we'd be able to squeeze into the 8 spot with our lineup and frankly anyone that thinks differently needs to take a very objective up-and-down scan through our team, our coach, our staff, and our depth. We're one of the better teams in the league, let alone the West.
Broussard is the one that asked valid questions... Although, it seems he and I have deferring answers to those questions. I think Yao can make a difference with any amount of time on the court, regardless of how rusty he is. Will Kevin Martin's big numbers translate to wins? That remains to be seen...
that's not a contradiction, necessarily. it's a comment at how weak the talent is at the center position in the league today. even a hobbled Yao Ming is among the best at his position in the game today....when he can play.
