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In crunch time, do Yao's teammates have confidence in Yao?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Rileydog, Mar 3, 2005.

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Do the Rox have confidence in Yao in crunch time?

  1. Yes

    108 vote(s)
    53.7%

  2. No

    93 vote(s)
    46.3%
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  1. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

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    I think after last night they do.
     
    #21 Sishir Chang, Mar 9, 2005
  2. MONON

    MONON Member

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    I agree. But I hope Yao can develope the fire I saw in the 4th quarter without getting mugged by Fortson(sp).
     
    #22 MONON, Mar 10, 2005
  3. fa7999

    fa7999 Member

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    I cannot remember Yao getting his shots blocked in clutchtime. Can you provide us an example, please?

    TOs are definitely an issue as witnessed by the second game against Sac this season.

    Yao has made lots of clutch shots/plays this season: last game against Seattle, wins against NY, Boston, and LAL during the 8 game winning streak, to name a few.

    Even in the earlier losses against Minny and LAL at home when TMac was hurt, Yao made a string of clutch shots down the stretch. If not for that uncalled Milm foul on a Yao dunk, we would have won against LAL.
     
    #23 fa7999, Mar 10, 2005
  4. fa7999

    fa7999 Member

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    Wang Zhizhi, maybe? He was widely considered the best Asian player when he was drafted.
     
    #24 fa7999, Mar 10, 2005
  5. michecon

    michecon Member

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    You mean the Wang "no power forward, playing as a center" zhizhi?
     
    #25 michecon, Mar 10, 2005
  6. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

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    Yao was unanimously considered far better than Wang when he was drafted and now.
     
    #26 Sishir Chang, Mar 10, 2005
  7. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

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    I don't think confidence in Yao at crunch time need be that he is the first option or even that he be the guy that they count on to take the shot.

    Yao is a big target and with T-Mac there are plenty of options allowing T-Mac to create and pull a defender off of Yao so he can hit him for a shot down low. Or for that matter Yao's size makes him a good target to throw to on an inbounds pass for a Yao shot or quick pass to another player.

    The impression I'm getting is people are thinking about this as Yao being dumped the ball and then being expected to create his own shot when having Yao at crunchtime opens up a lot of options the offense overall.
     
    #27 Sishir Chang, Mar 10, 2005
  8. Rileydog

    Rileydog Member

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    It is telling that (per the Chronicle today) JVG told his guys that Yao hits 59% of his 4Q shots and they need to get him the damn ball. It worked in Seattle. You can be sure that Van Gundy will remind them.

    Jeff is smart. He knows that this team will be limited unless Yao can be a force in crunch time. The team is now in place. it's time to force Yao to grow. Yao is too much a "team player" or whatever you want to call it to demand the ball. By his comments in the paper, you know that he does not have that burning desire to be "the man", but that's what we need. We need Yao and Tracy to dictate play, be the 1-2 punch in the 4Q.

    I don't think that his teammates have full confidence in him yet. There is still some reluctance in their minds. But I think that Van Gundy is sending the right message . . .

    Win or lose, we gotta go down to Yao. The team has to trust each other and trust that Tmac and Yao are good enough to win. After all, if they aren't, we're screwed anyway. We might as well play like they are and see what happens.
     
    #28 Rileydog, Mar 10, 2005
  9. fa7999

    fa7999 Member

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    Maybe other players beg to differ. Some of them might believe that they are good enough to carry the Rockets in the 4th quarter instead.

    And the notion that it has to be star players to carry the team at clutch time may be overrated.
     
    #29 fa7999, Mar 10, 2005
  10. fa7999

    fa7999 Member

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    Yao is no doubt a much better player than Wang right now. However, when Wang was drafted around 2000, he was the MVP of the Asian games clearly a better player than Yao at that time even if Yao had much more pontential.
     
    #30 fa7999, Mar 10, 2005
  11. DavidS

    DavidS Member

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    fa7999, read what I mean...don't take it literally. Blocked, stripped, knocked off balance, TO...whatever...if Yao doesn't get the ball it's usuaully because some of these (above) things have caused our guards to go elsewhere. Lack of confidence is more about trying, but Yao failing to hold on to the ball or get position. If those things occur, then the team will not go to him.

    In the last few games Yao has done well in the 4th. But not always. So, it just depends. The question is, "Do Yao's teammates have confidence in Yao (crunchtime)?" The answer is sometimes. It just depends. And the the more consistency he shows (in his shot and positioning) then the more confidence his teammates will show.

    As far as his FG%. I don't think anyone has lack of confidence in that. It's just what happens before he gets the shot off that has been the problem.
     
    #31 DavidS, Mar 10, 2005
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2005
  12. DavidS

    DavidS Member

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    Exactly. The thread title tries to simplify the current situation. But that's not what happens on the court. Yao has a lot more responsibility that just shooting the ball (the one-on-one hero thing). In reality, he has to get the ball without fumbling it, has to read the defenses, decides what to do with the ball, and then make his move....and we haven't even gotten to the part where he shoots it.

    Because crunchtime for Yao could also mean that he will pass the ball out to an open 3pt player. Or pass the ball to a cutting McGrady. Being the hero in crunchtime doesn't have to mean the guy that *hits* the shot.
     
    #32 DavidS, Mar 10, 2005
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2005
  13. fa7999

    fa7999 Member

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    DavidS, Agreed with you. When Yao gets the ball in position in late 4th quarter, he is as good as anyone in the game. Because he is an excellent FT shooter, hacking him is not gonna work, which makes him far valuable than Shaq in that situation.
     
    #33 fa7999, Mar 10, 2005
  14. Rileydog

    Rileydog Member

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    I agree that our other players can do enough to win some games. But to perform at a championship level, Tmac and Yao have to impose their will in crunch time.
     
    #34 Rileydog, Mar 10, 2005
  15. Rileydog

    Rileydog Member

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    Actually, you're dead on with my intent with this thread. I'm not talking about Yao scoring. I'm talking about the plan. I'm talking about giving Yao the chance to make a play, whether its by scoring, passing or otherwise.

    If the team is confident, they'll dump it down or pass to him at the elbow. They'll trust that he'll protect the ball and make a play to help the team win. I'd say that about 90% of this is about turnovers, whether it's fumbling the ball, throwing it away, getting stripped, etc.

    It's almost mathematical.
    Expected outcome = % chance of Yao hanging on to the ball x % chance of team scoring.

    if Yao manages to keep the ball 3 out of 4 touches (just plugging in a number) and the team scores 60% of the time, the expected outcome is 45%. Naturally, the fewer turnovers, the greater the expected outcome. In crunch time, you go with your highest percentage play. I don't think the team questions the 2nd half of the equation. It's well established that when Yao doesn't turn the ball over, we are very efficient on offense when he's included.

    Conversely, you can isolate Moochie Norris in crunch time. Let's assume he never turns the ball over. With that assumption, he would have to hit 46% of his shots to warrant being the go to play over involving Yao.
     
    #35 Rileydog, Mar 10, 2005
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