I wonder if I can get some thoughts on this subject ... What is your suggestion for Yao to play the post when he has 1 man fronting and 1 man behind him BEFORE he gets the ball?
Yao should move to the other block to post up. That should confuse the defense a bit. Or he should move high post if they double and front him.
To feed the post, you put a shooter in the corner on the strong ball side than swing the ball in the corner. You feed the post from the corner.
No disrepect but I watch more NBA basketball than I should and my recollection is that the majority come from the FT line extended or at a 45 degree angle to that extension. A corner post entry pass has fewer passing angles and IMO is easier to defend. It also diminishes the advantage of having the post player roll through the paint as the ball as reversed back to the weakside. I don't watch much college ball until March Madness. Maybe this technique is more popular there? If you feel you are correct please sight an example of a pro team using this method. I sincerely would like to observe it.
Shooting the mid ranged face up jumpers like Hakem did in his later career to fend off the double and triple team he got in his early career in the paint.
IF Yao is in the high post, Jackson should get to make the entry pass after Steve drops him the ball and continues to the corner. IF they get a switch, better. Then Jackson can see over the smaller player, or shoot the ball to Steve, who should be quicker and can continue to the basket or stop and pop. Also, Steve could pass back to Yao if Steve's path is sealed. Yao should then be open from a new angle (defender has sagged to Steve). Jackson should be able to get the ball past the front on Yao by using a short lob slightly to the R of Yao (from JJs p.o.v.). This should move Yao away from the help defender and slightly closer to the basket, for his jumper or passing attack. Alternatively, if Yao takes the lob slightly left moving out and away from the basket, he needs to swing it immediately to Cuttino, who should be open to attack with a jumper or drive. Yao can also fake this and use the space to get a step in for a jumper. Yao must keep the ball high. If Yao is in the low post, and he has a man sagging to front him, we have not had good success with the entry from the line extended or directly opposite at baseline. Too many hands. The Hakeem lob often had HO meeting the ball coming over from Smith or Horry. He'd have his butt on say, Patrick Ewing waving his arms and Oakley would try to cut off the front and sandwich him. Smith would dribble to the freethrow line and toss it high left or right depending on the help defender, and Hakeem would go up and get it, like a goalie. Then he'd step back with his butt and plant or shake or fade. Yao could keep moving his feet and move to the ball tossed high and slightly left. Yao must keep it high, and use his butt to hold off the defender and get spring to meet the ball. I would prefer to have the ball come through the middle from Jackson on the corner to Francis at the free throw line. If the defense come out to cut of Francis, he should move it to Cat at the elbow who should feed Yao meeting the ball in a high p&r. If the defense backs up and cloggs the middle, Francis, Cat, or JJ can shoot over. Unfortunately, when they run this, the high p&r seems to become just a high pick.
RagingFire, you asked for an example. Look at the second game in Houston's first championship series against New york. The first game the Rockets could not get the ball into Hakeem because he was being fronted. Rudy made an adjustment in the second game by making a quick pass to the corner which allowed the player from the corner to feed the post. After that game, the Knicks stopped fronting Hakeem.
It wasn't RagingFire. It was me that asked. I don't have that particular game on tape but it plays frequently on NBATV. I will watch it but I will also watch if the foot speed difference between Dream and Yao or the fact that the pass may have been made by Horry (6'9" with range) makes it different from the current Rockets.
Gator, the past was made by Robert Horry everytime. Horry was also a threat to shoot the three, so his man could not leave him.
pst257 - The Rockets destroyed the Celtics' fronting of Yao in the 2nd game and there was not one corner entry pass. Since I do not have access to the game you are referring to, my guess is the corner entry passes by Horry were made much easier because the old illegal defense rule did not allow double teaming anyone without the ball. The new NBA zone allows 2 people to guard Yao before he has the ball and corner post entry passes (which have the worst passing angle of all) are now confronted with this additional obstacle. I don't doubt your word. I just doubt the effectiveness given todays' rules and the fact Yao is less mobile than Dream.
yao didnt get a huge amount of his points last night with his back to the basket. most of his points came from cuts, putbacks and excellent interior passing.
