After watching the team play with our star player missing the last two games, do we believe this team was made more to compliment McGrady's game or Yao's. If it's built around Mcgrady's game, should it be built more around Yao's or if it is built around Yao should it be built around McGrady's? I have a feeling that this team is built more to excel in a running game which would be more of McGrady's strong points. I don't know if it was a good and smart decision to move the team to this direction but I believe that if these players don't excel in a slower more half court game around Yao that we're going to have some serious problems until McGrady comes back. The Rockets team when we had Clyde and Hakeem was built more around Hakeem. The Lakers Championship team was built more around Shaq than it was Kobe and it seems like the current Heat lineup is still built around Shaq even with the improvement of a younger Wade. The Spurs team is built around Duncan even with Ginobli and Parker on board. These teams like the current Rockets lineup have a big man that the offence should run through. Mcgrady, like the Kobes, the Drexlers and Wades, is such a versatile and prolific scorer that he should still be able to produce and succeed even with the team built more towards helping Yao excel in his game. How does everyone else feel towards this issue?
shaq, hakeem and duncan are better than yao. you compliment your best player. our best player is tmac.
The team is built around Tmac. JVG could help Yao by moving him out. This is the John Wooden UCLA cut set. Yao would be a great high post player - he wouldn't have to move, just pass and shoot. Forcing him in the low post is square peg in round hole. Thus, we also have to force a 4 to have Charles Oakley's game. Wouldn't it be nice if we could take a passably functional low post 4 and let Yao work the high post with Tmac slashing and shooting on the left? We could do that Right Now, and improve, even with Tmac out, and DA filling the slash and shoot role.
agreed. team was built around Yao, but handed to T-Mac last year. T-Mac has years of experience over Yao as an All Star and scoring champ so Yao and Yao fans (including myself) should not be insulted. BUT... in order for this team to work properly and become unstoppable. They will need Yao, T-Mac, and at least one other player to have a good 20+ pt. night.
I don't think slowing down the offense does anything for Yao's game. He seems less effective when the defense is so set, and ready for him.
I do believe that this team is and will for the most part be TMac's team as long as he plays in Rockets red. However, the team needs to help and add players that will help Yao because the fact is he needs it more. Mcgrady I believe will still thrive, be great and post amazing numbers with or without the team completely built around him. He's just that amazing. Yao on the other hand needs help to make him into a stud.
It was being built around Yao until TMAC came to town. Now it's TMAC's team. Hopefully he won't be gone for too long.
Yao and Tmac. The reason why TMAC chose to play Houston is because of Yao. Both of them believe that they both complement each other. Neither one of them can bring the team into championship alone.
Team is built around both T-mac and Yao. Without Yao last season we lost to hornets too, who were then without Chris Paul. This team needs both of them to be efficient and be a contender cos T-mac and Yao are made for each other. Without either one of them, the team is basically just one man show....
True. And they are still learning to play together. (or were, dammit!) We're very fortunate to have Deke backing up Yao. He's the best backup in the league at the 5 spot. With Tracy out, our lack of depth at the 3 is being exposed. Right now, we could handle being without Yao for a few weeks better than being without McGrady, imo. (I hate even mentioning something like that... bad karma! bad karma!)
how about being built to become just one team. Last time i recall t-mac was the main attraction and the main dawg in orlando and they ended up in last place. I'm tired of hearing it's t-mac team and t-mac this and that. This team is built around Houston and the reason t-mac came to Houston is yao period, and do you think that for one second if yao's out or hurt, can t-mac really carry the rockets on his shoulder's the same way he did in Orlando??? So it's built around our dynamic duo's, and let it take some time before we can really see the results. The two flower's has not blossom into it's full self yet!!!!
We cant even beat the hornets or the Magic without tracy. i bet without yao we wouls win those games. tracy is the main piece. yao is a slightly smaller piece. but , tracy without yao ill never win a title. and vice versa.
I agree that neither will win the title without the other. But what I am thinking is that even if we got players that help Yao more, Tmac would still be amazing and would still be able to excel in his game. I think many have stated that in order for us to win Yao needs to step up and I think if we got him some help with players that are truly molded to his game that he will do just that. Mcgrady will still give us about thirty points six assists and five rebounds and a couple steals. His abilities and numbers are as sure as day no matter who we have around him. It's Yao that needs the help and I truly hope the Rockets are truly lookin to get it for him.
This team is built around Moochie... That's why were losing. It's all JVG's fault -- he's not playing Moochie. Free Moochie!!!
TMac is who the team is built around, well Yao and Tmac...but primarily Tmac. You can win some without Yao, but this team needs Tmac's playmaking abilities in order to succeed. DD
Geez, can we just lay off the TMac or Yao thing for just one day?!!! Be is TMac's team or even R. Bowen's team, what the heck is the difference? It's a new season, we got two new starters, two old guys were recovering, and we miss our #1 player!! Yes, Yao needs help, not from outside or management, but from TMac! WTF is that continuous argument about whether Tmac can carry a team or Yao can't. Alone, nobody can do any demage, why is it so difficult to grasp? This is a ESPN board or what? Give it time, let the team figure out, and let TMac recover, we will just be fine. Isn't it too exhausting to jump on and off bandwagon everyday?!
The thread is not meant to discuss whether this is TMac's or Yao's team. It is to discuss whether the role players brought to this team were acquired to better suit Yao's or TMac's game. I think JVG would like this team to still be able to perform and suceed the best it can even with TMac off the court. The last two games were supposed to be easy wins, especially since we still had another Star on the court in Yao. However we lost the last two games and as Jeff stated in another thread there are multiple weaknesses that became apparent. These issues need to be fixed but do we have the players capable of fixing those mistakes? We all know that Tmac will help Yao and Yao will help Tmac. That is not the issue. The role players we have now should be able to help Both of our stars but right now it seems that they are more suited to help Tmac. I am hoping the team figures itself out way before TMac gets back because if we can be strong and good even with TMac off the court imagine how awesome we'd be with him back.
