Again, it's not about how many points and rebounds Yao are getting. Yao will get his 20/9: 6 points from the free throws, 8 from dunks/layoffs, and 6 from jumper. However, that doesn't prove that he's dominating. He has to be more involved in the offense. Score first, then pass when get double teamed. He doesn't have to average more points to be better. The best player doesn't have to be the scoring champ.
I don’t think those centers would struggle because they were all athletic and they all could hit the midrange jumper (Hakeem, Robinson, Ewing). The zone era hasn’t stopped Duncan from winning titles. It hasn’t stopped Shaq from getting another ring and other trips to the ECF (even in his declined state). KG still puts up his monster numbers in the zone era. If Yao were more mobile and athletic then he would do better. That is what seperates him from the elite centers in league history.
If Yao were more mobile and athletic then he would do better. That is what seperates him from the elite centers in league history.[/QUOTE] Ice...from way down town! Excellent point.
ppl, please stop using the statement like "Yao can't even lead the team without T-mac". Can Shaq lead the team without kobe, NO. Can Shaq lead the team without wade, NO. That's the reason why we have T-mac and that's why we pay T-mac that much.
What a shame saying this! You dont know what a 7'6 310 body is. Damn, lot of 310 bodies are on the wheel chairs! He's been a miracle that with such a huge body he can still run fast, turn quick, and, shoot the damn ball deadly better than 90% of the guards in the league. So maybe you think the best basketball player would be an adult elephant, hah? You can easily find one in the zoo and implant your tough soul into it and come back to sign a 10-day contract with Rox and try to tear up the league. I wasn't happy he fouled harris giving this buffoon a 2+1, but I was happy that he didn't hard foul him just for revenge. That distinguish him from a no-brain mob. He's just tired and he played 42 mins. He'd alread 6 blocks in the game, he just tried to do it again, but simply being too tired and not quick enough.
Yeah why don't you go give shawn bradley and minout boul the memo that they should have done better than yao. I think Yao has yet to reach his peak...big guys that are not athletic like shaq seem to pick up craftiness in passing and post moves. I think Yao at his prime will commit less turn overs and be a better passer cuz he'll gain the old man court vision like vlade. I like how he's progressing now because he's more aggressive on the boards and he tries to dunk more often
shaq and timmy duncan is where yao belongs? are you kidding me? even if he does, he's right at the end of top of the pack which is in the middle.
In my view it is all about the supporting cast. If this team had a consistent three point shooter, or just a consistent shooter that could punish teams that collapsed in on Yao, he would be reborn. This team has several streaky shooters including TMac, but not one, nada, no CONSISTENT shooter. No, not even Head who is also steaky. I am talking a Ray Allen kind of shooter that could sit out on the perimeter and nail shot after shot. Can you imagine what a shooter like that could do with the open looks Rafer gets?
I know it must pain you to see a Rocket fan give Yao compliment. Why is it so painful for you to see that? This is a Houston Rockets fan site after all. So why are you here?
If their teamates hit open shots, then those centers of the 90's would be able to put up big numbers. However, the Rockets perimeter players outside of Tmac, have not been hitting the wide open shots Yao Ming creates for them. Teams are so intent on double teaming, fronting, and zoning against Yao. If that is not a sign of dominance, I don't know what is. One player makes an entire defense focus on him. Our perimeter players have just got to hit open shots. That is not Yao's fault. Whenever Hakeem had to face Seattle, it was a terrible matchup, because they would double team very aggressivelly and right when he caught the ball. He was limited to fadeaway jumpers and face up jumpshots for the most part. Even if he did get to the basket, he would have to work extremely hard for his points. This is Hakeem we're talking about, the MOST athletic center in the history of the game. You can't expect Yao to be as athletic as Hakeem, its not physically possible. So what did Olajuwon do against those "zoning double/triple teams"? He passed off to Maxwell, Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, Matt Bullard, Sam Cassell, and any other shooters we had. More likely than not, those guys hit the open shot. If the shot didn't go in, Olajuwon had Otis Thorpe, who was one of the best rebounders of his time to clean up any shot. Right now, Yao doesn't have multiple players hitting outside shots, and he doesn't have big, consistant rebounder next to him. Chuck Hayes gives a lot of effort, but he's no OT. David Robinson had Rodman, Ewing had Oakley and Mason, Shaq had Horace Grant. Plus all of those guys had great shooters surrounding them as well. With that being said, how could yall expect Yao to "dominate" the same way those guys did, when his team is not complete like those centers had it AND playing against a zone or constant fronting defense throughout the game. Yall have to be reasonable in expectations. Look at the positives, his stamina is better, his shot blocking is better, his free throw shooting is out of this world for a center and he usually gets to the line a lot as well. Sure he can become better in other areas (cutting down turnovers, passing, shooting over weak double teams) but he has come a long way from the 7'5 290 lb weak, extremely slow, inconsistant center that he was in 2002. For the last 2 &1/2 years, Yao has been the best overall center in the NBA, and I beleive he can become better in small parts of his game and become a smarter player.
Suns fans say Amare will become a top 5 centers in NBA history. Orlando fans are saying that D Howard can one day become the greatest big man ever. Some Lakers fans insist that Kobe is better than Jordan in his prime. I don't blame them to throw out the hyperboles because they are true fans of their teams. I am more curious why someone on a Rockets fan site feel so painful to see a Rockets player get a compliment like that. Well, I have to ask you one more time, why are you here?
b/c those are homers. their opinions may be somewhat valid if people around the league (who are not homers) say the same thing. amare can be a top 5 center one day , i have not heard one single analyst say that at all. if he's top 5, yao will be #1. suns fans are delusional. u hear around the league that d howard can one day be ONE OF THE GREATEST (with near shaq-like dominance) from a lot of people around the league and he's showing why, already 22 and 15 at the age of 21. a few people around the league say kobe is better than jordan "offensively" and it's probably true. but no one thinks kobe is a better overall unless that guy is mark jackson and he got destroyed on national TV for that.
That's my point. You find homers in the fan sites of every team. My question is: Why does it pain Jonhty so much to see Rockets homers give compliments to a Rockets player in a Rockets fans site. Why is Jonhty in a Houston Rockets fans site anyway?
How much Rockets ball did you watch when Hakeem was here? Hakeem had some of his best individual seasons when he had pathetic teammates, and he always made a difference defensively and on the boards. The same goes for Robinson & Ewing (as far as their impact defensively and on the boards). Yao does not make that kind of impact. I don't fully blame him for it because his lack of speed and athleticism won't allow him to do some of the things that they could...but I do blame him for constantly allowing smaller players to drive the lane or punk him (just feel they can body-slam him, etc) with no remorse. And even though we always lost to the Sonics (series, not every game), Hakeem still played great in a lot of those games. He was putting up 30-10 in a loss. He was making an impact defensively. It's not like he was completely removed from the game like Yao is at times. And to clarify because I know it seems like I bash Yao....I think Yao is a great player and the best center in the game today. I don't expect him to be a great rebounder or defender because I think he is limited by his body type. Considering no one his height has ever had such an impact in the league, I'm fine with what he is now...a refined offense weapon that can give you 25 a game and carry your offense for you (create shots for others). The only thing that pisses me off about Yao is when he becomes passive and that he constantly lets other players punk him. This infuriates me because: A) As long as folks aren't scared to drive our interior defense will suffer. Forgive me, but Hakeem spoiled me as to where guards just decided it's better not to take the ball inside at all (remember when KJ dunked on Dream and it was such a big deal that a guard "got him"). B) The refs won't give him full respect as long as he keeps getting punked each game, or is passive in general (not dunking the ball). This is merely my opinion but I think the refs reward aggression. C) As long as players like Harris feel like they can throw him on his ass like it's nothing then he will keep exposing himself to injuries, as 7-6 crashing to the floor is never a good thing.
no it doesn't pain me to see someone kiss yao's ass. i don't invest that much emotionally into a game. why i'm here? because i'm a yao fan and a rox fan. but that doesn't mean that i can't disagree with everyting positive said about yao. actually i would think my opinion of yao is in line with majority of fans here. and why are you all over yao threads stalking me anyway? there're many posters that have said much worse things about yao. and i don't see you so busy calling out rafer haters or defending any other players. so don't act like you're a model rox fan here calling out others.
Don't lie. I read this board constantly and I have a pretty good idea of what most of the people has said before. You have never said anything good about Yao (oh, maybe once out of every 100 posts?). Don't deny it. When guys are giving him compliments, you would jump out to rain on the parade. And when guys are bashing him, you would also jump out to do the pile-on. You know what you are. And people here know what you are too. They are not foolish.
Good observation. The posting time shows Jonhty posted when we were playing the Suns tonight. He found it more important to defend his character than watching the game. And he claimed that he was a Rox fan. How funny. I think he must have turned his TV off because Yao was having a good game. He just couldn't bear to keep watching it.
