I'm sure everyone noticed how Najera started fronting Yao Ming in the 4th and Yao couldn't get open for the ball. Other teams are going to start doing the same thing. How do we stop it? When the defense fronted Hakeem, we would throw it over the top and Hakeem would have an easy 2, but now that teams are playing zone and covering the weak side, how is Rudy going to get Yao the ball if a defender is aggressively fronting him?
just slow down the pace, let Yao Ming have time to put hands up in the air and walk into the lane, he will be fine.
This is why i hate zones it is how Seattle use to beat us spacing means less in the Zone Era Only way to get him open is hit him quickly or ball rotation maybe hitting a few long shots Rocket River
There was a quote in the Chronicle from Glen Rice talking about how when the defense tightens the middle up, it's up to the guards to hit a few outside to open it up. Ironically, other than Rice, that didn't happen tonight.
I liked the way Steve and Yao worked together. I think Steve should penetrate more b/c on several occasions tonight when he attacked, he either had that shot or was able to give it to Yao.
How does the Lakers get Shaq the ball even though there's zone? U make an effort that's how. I saw the second half and it was pathetic. Did any body notice the guards would penetrate or what ever and Yao almost seems to set a pick in the middle of the lane right infront of the basket, every time i see something like this with lakers or the spurs, they would dish it to the bigman for the slam, we force up a bad shot and make Yao jump over 2 ppl to get the board, that's messed up. Also freaking Najera was guarding Yao, i saw the zone defense and i would like to say even i would be able to get it to Yao, one word, lob pass, Najera's not gonna be able to jump over Yao to still the ball. Hell, Yao's not a traditional center, he has a nice jumper and speed, he can get the ball at the free throw line and still be a threat, u can get a pass into the free throw line no prob and see how he reacts. I want to see him pop a 20 ft J everynow and then. One last thing, the guards has no patience, in the couple of plays I've seen, the guards start the offence on the opposite of the court of Yao and then rush a bad shot, my question is why? Yao has the hot hand tonight, the team simply didn't make a effort to get him the ball in the fourth.
lob pass? did u notice how close Dirk is standing to Yao? Lob passing will end up in an TO in that situation......
That's not the entire point of my threat, my point was that other team with atleast a pretty good center will try to get inside to change tempo or whatever, Rockets didn't even try. They ran plays opposite side of the court of Ming at that's what I think was the problem.
I agree that the Mav's doubling Yao had the potential to weaken their zone for the rest of the Rockets. If Steve & Cuttino had been on, we could have won that game. That being said, Rudy is going to have to (and I'm 100% certain that he is) break out the playbook and work out some plays to get the ball to Yao. Quick reversals, mixing it up and having Yao at the high post, it's all going to show up sooner or later. However, the easiest thing is for Steve and Cuttino to abuse the sagging defenses. Opposing teams WILL have to pick their poison, and I don't think that they are going to like it.
you can always get him open by placing him in the high post like Tim Duncan. It is either that, or like Rice said, the guards are going to have to penetrate creases. How about that give and go with Francis?!! Both guards will be able to do that.
