I'm no Rocket Scientist, but let's see... 1. Yao Ming is 7'5" tall, which on any given night is as tall as or taller than anyone in the arena. 2. Yao Ming shoots almost 70% from the floor. That means just about 3 out of 4 shots go in. Do the math -- 20 shots = 15 baskets = 30 points. 3. Yao Ming is a great FT shooter. So, add about 8 - 10 points on free throws, meaning you will get 38 - 40 pts a night out of the guy. 4. Yao Ming can flat out PASS THE ROCK. He's probably the best passer on the Rockets right now. No, he IS the best passer on the Rockets right now. 5. Yao Ming commands double teams. Last time I checked, when someone is being double teamed, SOMEONE ELSE IS OPEN!!!! The sooner the Rockets figure out that the offense has to go thru Yao, the better. Once he gets used to being the hub of the offense, the Rockets will then be considered a playoff team. Until then, it's another trip to the LOTTERY. Steve Francis has been on this team for 4 years - and we haven't made the playoffs yet. Going into his fifth season how does he expect things to be any different if he keeps dribbling around and jacking up shots. Sure, he'll get his 20 a night. But, he'll be in the LOTTERY until his last day in the NBA. Case in point --- the LA Lakers. Shaq should win the MVP this year just based on their record without him. Hell, I'd give it to him if he never played a game this year, because the Lakers would have been 2nd to last in the league after winning 3 rings in a row. IT HAS TO GO THRU THE BIG MAN!!! PERIOD. END OF STORY.
The logic is so simple, it is almost scary. I agree with what you say. Maybe not 20 shots immediately, but to only get the guy 3 shots is just ridiculous.
The latest "hip" post...The "Give the ball to Ming" post... While I agree that Ming should get more touches, he is shooting 67% on 5.4 shots per game. I can guaran-tan-didley-tee you that he would not shoot 67% shooting 20 times per game. I would bet money on it. He would shoot probably about 55% shooting 20 shots per game. Of course, that's 20 points a night, so I'll take it. These aren't 5'9" Chinese guys he is playing against...He's also shooting 66% from the free throw line...Great? Considering Hakeem regularly shot 75-77%, it's hardly great. Also, where the hell did you get 38 points per night from? Remind me never to ask you to help balance my checkbook or help any future children with their math homework, because those numbers don't add up. Ming will NEVER average 38 points per night...Those are Wilt Numbers, and Yao Ming is no Wilt Chamberlain Oh, and this is Steve's fourth season, but based on the rest of your oh-so-original post, I'm sure you knew that....
Yeah don't you dare criticize Stevie! If it wasn't for Stevie's leadership no way we would have won the lottery in his 3rd year. There are only so many elite players that can get into the lottery in any given year.
So, what you are sayin is...his shooting percentage is luck? Thats how I read it.. How do you figger that Mr Negativity? he shot 70% over there in the CBA, he is shootinng just under that here..while adjusting to the game, being exhausted..etc. I dont buy it... He has had a couple of games where his percnetages were not up to spec..thats the only thing keeping him from having a higher shooting %.
No, I'm NOT saying his shooting percentage is luck. Hell, Cato is shooting 58% from the field...Would he be shooting that if he were getting 20 shots per game? I'm agreeing with the basic premise, which is to get Yao the ball more, but the numbers are way off. Would anybody bet me that, if Yao Ming shot the ball 20 times per game, he would shoot 66%? If so, then that's the easiest money I'd ever make...
Axeman, don't you just love it when Frances dribbles around, watches wide open players, runs down the clock, and then jacks up a shot! (that misses 60% of the time! Yeah, I really love that. He says the Rockets have problem, someone give him a mirror.
i agree with A-train. if Yao shoots more he will shoot a lower FG%. i do believe Yao shoot more i think about 10 -15 shots a night. the thing i love and hate about Yao is that he doesn't force his own shot.he doesn't need to shoot 15 times.if he gets a good shot he takes it,if not he passes.i love it,but i think in the nba he needs to be a bit more selfish(i know there are abut 3 threads open about Yao not being selfish enough).but i like the way he passes. he should be a option we use more.but i think he will be,in time. i think the time is now.but i think rudie and the rockets do not agree with me, and i'm not gonna question Rudy,i think he is a great coach.so i wil wait. and in the mean time i wil read the other 30 threads about Yao not getting enough shots
Definitely agree that Yao needs more touches, but a combination of things makes it difficult for the Rox (not making excuses for them, just making observations). 1. If you look at the plays that teams with consistent low post threats run, you will see movement that is designed to assist their post player get better position. Utah (can't believe i'm typing this) is a good example of this. They set back picks for Malone to come accross the lane and recieve the ball deep in the paint with good position. I have yet to see the Rox try anything other than pick and roll and hope they get a mismatch. 2. The ball and Yao need to get down the floor quicker so that once Yao beats the man to the spot the ball can be immediately fed while he has good position. I have seen this some, but not nearly enough. 3. Yao needs to improve his ability to get and more importantly HOLD his position. If the ball is swung quickly to the weakside he needs to be able to reset himself on that side so that the ball can be dumped to him. This is really important now, because teams have been willing to sag in and give certain Rox players the outside shot. If the ball is quickly swung weakside and Yao is able to quickly reset on the weakside he will be able to get better position w/o a defender on his back and in his lap. 4. In line with the 3rd point, Rox players need to recognize when Yao has good position and get the ball to him quickly. Especially now when he is not able to hold the position as long. There should never be a time that Yao flashes into the paint and not get the ball, because that is an automatic 2pts or a foul (which with Yao is almost like an automatic 2pts.) I remain confident (and hopeful) that Rudy will find some way to work on these aspects of the game with all of his players (not just Steve Francis) and work on creating better plays\opportunities for Yao to get the ball.
The Cato analogy breaks down a bit, because Yao actually can shoot the ball. His longer range, great shooting touch, and soft hands obviously let him convert more stuff away from and close to the basket. But agreed, the initial supporting numbers are obviously inflated. Still, anything over 50% -- which is completely realistic -- is a marked improvement over anyone else dominating the ball. And this doesn't even factor in the other benefits of a Yao-centric offense we've discussed elsewhere. I do think though he can shoot close to 60%, even with a lot more attempts, because his shot selection is so good, and he doesn't force up crap.
If you haven't noticed Axeman, Clutch is trying to do away with the "yelling" ALL-CAP thread titles. Shame on you for being such a longstanding member. Further, Francis has been on the Rockets for 3 years and is going into his 4th. Shame...shame. A-Train is right. We all agree that Yao need more touches, but 20 shots is not happening at 66%, and if we did that, caveman would make a quick appearance screaming that Rudy is doing the simplistic Hakeem DIT offense all over again. Scream at Francis all you want (he does need to set up the big man first to open up his game -- like in Seattle's 3rd quarter), but the DIT offense is a waste of Francis's talents. I believe we should go for the gusto and keep sputtering with trying to create the occassional motion. Dumping It To Yao should be a sputter breaker, with the goal of making defenses ajust. But Dumping It To Yao is not an offense to use for every minute Yao is on the court. Yao will be a better passer when defenses are on the move, not when the whole court is staring at Yao. Last 5 games maybe go DIT every minute with Yao, I'm not arguing that. But with Mobley and once Maurice snaps out of his funk, we should be looking for more complexity in our offense as our future goal.
Hey, I am willing to give him the 20 shots to SEE what happens to his shooting percentage.... I mean if it only goes down to 60%....we still come out ahead. DaDakota
A-Train, um...why would you assume that yao could not continue this kind of shooting with more attempts per game??? you have yet to give a reason why he could not...
I am too lazy to look it up, but I am pretty sure that Hakeem did not shoot 75-77 % in his first season in the league (actually I think it took him several years to get anywhere close to that). Plus, the statistical sample is still too small to judge Yao's free-throw shooting. I think it was higher in international play and in China.
It's called thinking realistically, which is a concept a few people around here have failed to grasp... Name me ONE player in NBA history that has shot 66% from the field while averaging 20 shots per game, and I'll shut up about it...
This is the direction that i think (and hope) that Rudy is trying to go HeyP. Mixing it up and keeping the defense moving with a motion (movement, whatever) style of offense and then using the dump it to the post offense sporadically (especially on nights when some of our other key players are struggling and the mid-range jumper is not falling). Granted, the last few games we could have used the DIT offense a little more, since no one outside of Steve and Ming could throw it in the basket.
FREE THROW STATS IN CHINA & INT'L PLAY ARE DIFFERENT!!! THE RIMS ARE ... um ... DIFFERENT... ONLY AMERICAN RIMS MATTER!!!
before this year, name me one 7'6" chinese basketball player that has come to the nba and shown the ability to be a franchise cornerstone... just because it hasn't happened before, doesn't mean it cannot happen now. jeez, let me guess...were you against ming during the draft? i mean, after all... a chinese center?!?!! no way!!!
A-Train, Don't hide behind history....it is changing every second. Even if Yao only shoots 55% with those 20 shots it is still a heck of a lot better then what the rest of the team is doing. If you have a talent like Yao you need to get him the ball and let him make the CORRECT basketball decision...shoot or pass. DaDakota
