Is playing Yao in the high post a good or bad thing?

I think Yao going playing both down low and up high is good. He does have the range, although he hasn't shown so this season. When he's out high, the paint is more open for our drivers. When he's down low, he just needs to be dominating there, to leave our shooters open. Just my thoughts.

 

IMO, if Rick Adelman was the coach when Yao Ming first came in, he wouldn't have this kind of difficulty adjusting to the Princeton offense. Remember all the nifty passes when he was a rookie? If memory serves me right one of it was at the right block when he whipped the blind over the head pass to Moochie for the deuce. His time with JVG I guess made that part of Yao Ming's game non existent for 4 seasons, although it made him a dominant presence inside the paint. also, there was plenty of active cutters revolving around Yao that time, although I'm not saying we don't have cutters now, most of the time they're just standing around until either Yao or TMac make their moves.

lastly,

1st 2 seasons total of games missed when he wasn't exclusively used inside the paint= 1 -2 games
next season under JVG = a LOT!!!!!

 

I personally haven't been happy by the off-ball movement when any of the ball-holding Rockets have been in the high-post or at the top of the key. As for Yao, he's a good passer, but not exceptional. He can't create angles, but he can find them if people move. How about a weak-side screen to free up a cutter?

 

It's amazing but you can say something similar about JVG. "JVG as an announcer excellent, JVG as a coach average"... and I am just paraphrasing.

 

I think he will become more of a monster on offense with time. You gotta remember these guys aren't well versed in RA's offense just yet. My friend Doug pointed out that he was having a hard time establishing himself in the low post. After watching for that I started to wonder if playing the high post is making it more difficult for Yao to get established in the low post.

 

I actually think the high post play is really effective in terms of spreading the floor and opening up the paint. If you notice, our points in the paint are dramatically higher than last year, and we don't have to rain 3's and hope they go in nearly as much... TMac can get easy layups and pullup jumpers. Also, with high post plays, Yao doesn't have to hustle to the block after setting a high PnR.

 

It probably is. If he's forced to come to the elbow every few possessions, he can't get into a rhythm in the low block. The last few games were a bit better in this respect but still not very good. I would rather get rid of the high post stuff altogether.

 

Nah I think Yao is just not good at establishing himself in the low post in the first place. I really think him being in the high post is going to make him more effective since hes not going to be as fatigue anymore. I think only YOFs dont want to give adlemans system a chance because Yao gets less touches. I mean the team is 3-0

 

I'm sorry, what's YOF?

 

I dont really get into this YOF FOY and stuff but I know the 2 basics

Yao only fan YOF
Yao only hater YOF

 

No, there is no possible way it's making him more effective. He sucks on the perimeter. It might be fine if it's making the rest of the team better, but right now I don't think it is. McGrady had a couple of hot shooting nights but he hasn't changed his shot selection and his shooting % has come back down to earth.

 

When he's in the perimeter doesnt mean he has to score. He can pass and set screens. Scoring is not the only way to be effective. He can always move in after setting screens or whatever. I mean the system is still new and the rockets are 3-0. Why not give it more games before deciding if it benefits the team more?

 

the only game he had trouble establishing low post position is v. the jazz. he had the same problem in the playoffs. it has nothing to do w/ playing in the high post.

okur is strong enough to push yao out and utah's physicality causes yao problems.

 

Dont forget also a great flopper.

I dont know if the adleman system is going to work or not but I see Yao less fatigure and the team winning .

 

wow one bad half and ur saying he's back down to earth??? yao was 2-9 in the 2nd half too. the entire team was off, not just tmac in the 2nd half. he just couldn't get any easy buckets vs portland except for that fast break b/c we were establishing yao.

tmac had an easy dunk v. the lakers to get him going. tmac started out vs utah w/ a layup. YOU SEE THE TREND why this offense helps him. the only time he got his rhythm w/ his J is when he got easy buckets. he didn't get any vs portland in the 2nd half.

playing in the high post actually gives him more energy so when he posts up, he has the energy to do so.

yao is just not a physical player. no way around that. utah is a physical team. yao struggles vs utah. point blank. the only game yao struggled mightily was against utah.

 

A similar argument was made when a minority criticized JVG last year about the team being too dependent on McGrady as a playmaker. The board responded, the team is winning. JVG knows better than you. The minority were right all along ... the winning was hiding a future problem that left McGrady with nothing in the tank late in game 7. So it's too easy to say the team is 3-0 and label those with concerns as YOFs because they may be right in the long run.

 

Is it possible that Yao's spending more time in the high post will force defenders to give up their strong low post positioning, thus allowing Yao to get inside easier? This hasn't seemed to happen yet (though I've only watched some preseason games and the LA game), but I think that's a result of unfamiliarity.

If I'm right, Yao wouldn't necessarily have to be a tripple threat in the high post if he could exploit the defense when it leaves the lane open. Regardless, he still would need to improve his passing and shooting from the elbow to prevent his defenders from sagging towards the basket.

Another advantage people aren't talking about of Yao in the high post is that he won't have to focus as much on potential 3-second violations. His constant movement down low seems to contribute to mental as well as physical fatigue.

 

but yao's problems extend beyond playing in the high post. the reason many of us criticized his play v. utah in the playoffs was he kept shooting fallaways. he's still doing that for the most part. if they go in, good. but he's shooting 46% for a center.

again, low post position is key with yao. i just hope he gets really good position early so we can whip a pass to him and all he does is lay it up and no time for him to think. yao thinking is a less effective yao

 

Ive been watching tapes recently --- If Yao was able to go up strong and out-muscle Big Ben, why is it so hard to dominate Okur? IMO its more mentally other than phisically. Yao has the weight and strength, the question is,, all of a sudden(after injury) he stopped using it. Maybe the leg is still bothering him? or the shoulder? or he cant play 100% due to National Team Commitment(Olympics)...

Im totally confused. Hes a 310lbs meat loaf, theres no way he cant push a 263lbs Okur. WHAT STOPS HIM BEING THE PHISICAL YAO?

I want my old skool Yao back.

 

Actually, JVG admitted that this was a problem. He didn't change it because there were no better options available. Also, Tracy's lack of energy in the playoffs is more easily attributable to the fact that he had to carry the entire team on his back during Yao's injury, all the while making sure said back didn't snap in two.

Needless to say, we are much more prepared for those situations now, due to the missing pieces that were added in the off-season.