The Phil Jackson approach, let the dysfunction between grown men work itself out. And then everyone wants to choke each other, then almost get swept by the Pistons in the finals, then everyone bails on the franchise... Agree I dont think Adelman should be some main moderator cuz it could mean he's choosing sides - potential chemistry killer cuz that could divide the team rather than make it cohesive. But I dont think he should be nonchalant about it either if it makes them lose to the Wizards and Raptors and his job's on the line... I'd only say Yao is the Pau Gasol of the team because I feel Yao's minutes should be around 4/5 Gasol's minutes. 29 to 31 a game instead of 35+.... Ad I do think Adelman would MUCH prefer McGrady to say this is MY team, rather than hear him say I want back-to-back's off the rest of the year and I hate your system
lets not fabricate stats here. He's fourth. If he's go great as you sound him to be then why hasn't he gotten past the first round? Why couldn't he lead the Rockets past the Jazz after jumping out to a 2-0 lead against the Jazz and having homecourt advantage (including game 7)? Why couldn't he seal the deal after going 2-0 on the road against the Mavs in 05 and returning home to choke it up and the rest of the series. Look Tmac is a phenomenal talent and anyone who says otherwise doesn't watch basketball but he's not some god of basketball as you just made him out to be in the post above
I guess you didn't see the rox in 94 pre drexler. To the op, I think its a valid point about Yao v Gasol, but I'm not sure you can have a international player as your #1. Think about it. Yao,Dirk,Gasol, and on and on. Its like they always have toughness issues. I think the rox do yao a disservic by having guys that don't help compensate for what he lacks. The Lakers have a long sotblocker/rebounder in Bynum and some versitile players like Odom. They just have more talent, plain and simple. I think if you had kobe vs tracy, it still doesn't make rafer shoot better or scolandry longer or shotblockers. If your flawed,your flawed.
TMAC and Kobe have similar skill sets. If TMAC had half the heart, dedication, and passion of Kobe, he'd be just as good if not better than him. I think Yao is pretty physical - certainly more physical than Gasol. Yao has to hold back sometimes because he gets reffed so different than any other player. If was physical like Shaq, all anyone has to do is fall down and Yao would foul out with 6 straight offensive fouls. He's viewed as finesse because he doesn't dunk that often, and he has a wide array of shots that he uses on a regular basis. Hakeem was considered a finesse center too.
Pau Gasol: Better passer Better offense- more efficently etc. Better help defender Better low-post player Better jump-shooter Yao Ming: Better shot-blocker Better rebounder Better defender - when he tries Better Impact Both are star players and 2 of them hold advantage over the other.
Now I've heard it all. Dream was power when he needed to and finesse when he needed. There is a huge difference between finesse and soft.
I gotta disagree with that part. Yao has that two handed fallaway that he can make turning to his right and left shoulder, I haven't seen Gasol being effective with those moves.
Yao is bigger & stronger than Gasol, but less skilled. Yao is a more of an inside thread due to his size, not his skill. The problem with Yao as the focus of the offense is the shot-clock. Yao is tall & heavy, but not really "strong", it usually requires some help from his teammates to get him free, which takes a lot of time off the 24 second before he get the ball. If he get the ball deep enough, things usually ended up fine, but most of the time he got the ball at a position requires a couple dribbles before get close enough, that's where the problem comes. If he start his dribbling, and then a double team come, Yao has to pass the ball out, but by then, the shot-clock usually only get a few seconds left, which means the Rockets need to rush the shot to beat the clock, that has a lot to do with Rockets' shooting %, and isolation plays.
yao turning to his right is not really effective or that common. 8 out of 10 he turns to his left it's so predictable for the defense to put a body on him. coupled with the fact he's not strong enough to finish consistently under even a slight bit of contact, that's why he shoots so poorly for a center operating exclusively in the low block.
yao is better than pau, but he's still a secondary player. two times this yr without tracy and ron, yao wasn't even the best player on the floor FOR HIS OWN TEAM.
Yao is a solid 20/10 all star player. No more no less. At times he can be dominated and led the team to Victory but most of the times he can't. He works hard, plays hard and has all the skill to dominate but unfortunately his physical limitations disallowed him to bring his game to next level, i.e. Super Star level. That's why he is a Robin not a Batman. Yao best comparison in fact is Gasol and not Rik Smith! T-mac on another hand has all the talents, skills and athleticism to be a Super Star! unfortunately he has a weak mental and fragile heart which prevent him to be one of the best in the league! That's why he is also a Robin not a Batman. And unfortunately for the Rockets organization, 2 Robins doesn't make one Batman! That's why the team is also a pretender not a contender!
Yao can only carry the team for half the game. his stamina problem prevents him from becoming a great player. Gasol can be really clutch at the end of a tight game, not yao.
LOL!!!!! How old are you and when did you start watching the NBA.... Heck.. When did you start watching the Rockets.... Go ask David Robinson, Patrick Ewing... Heck ask Dikembe if Hakeem was a finesse player.. Hakeem was everything.... He was Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob McAdoo all rolled up into one (Now go google those guys up).. Hakeem went over you, thru you, around you and would shake you....
hakeem was whatever you wanted him to be. if youre power (ala shaq), he'll kill you with his finesse. if you're finesse ala david robinson, he'll kill you with power. hakeem is whoever/whatever you wanted him to be.
Ok.... One and this is no disrespect to Yao... But his game is what it is... But no WAY IN HELL!!!!! 1) Would anyone under 6'7 Block Hakeem right under the goal.. He would basically posterize them with a slam or get a hard foul.. 2) Would anyone come inside with an easy layup... The only center in the league that Hakeem problems was Mark Eaton, other than that it's like leebigez Hakeem was whatever you needed him to be. Yao, is what he is... at 7'6 he should be cramming the ball down peoples throat and letting them know it's his house. No one under 6'7 should be able to drive to the goal at will like they do. He should be making a statement (even if he didn't get the block, give a hard foul)... But that's not Yao temperment or demeanor and I can live with that.
