It's not rocket science people! Adelman - beat the front!

high-low or a perfect lob, they just need to practice. and here is feigen's take on yao catching the lob pass -

Yao is more than capable of catching that pass. That's why opposing teams station help defense behind him. It's rarely a fronting defense. It is usually a front and back. When the weak-side defender is off, but in position to close in on him, it takes a very good pass to drop in just right and the Rockets could be better at that. But that is down the list of issues to address. -- Jonathan

 

Jonathan is a big-time Yao apologist. I don't blame him ... Yao's a great guy, extremely humble, very hard working, and when you're around people like that you want to defend them when they're getting criticized.

"More than capable" is a stretch, in my opinion. Yao's got one major thing going against him when it comes to catching and finishing a lob -- inertia. It takes him a long time to move from position of rest, and when he catches it on the move, it takes him a long time to stop or change directions. So if the lob isn't perfectly thrown, Yao is going to struggle to go get it. And when he does catch it, finishing it fluidly despite other defenders coming in to swipe at the ball or get in front of him will always be an adventure.

 

Has anyone brought up FLOPPING??

Like the saying goes if you can't beat them join them.

When you get manhandled and turned around inside out and the refs are not calling anything why not exagerate for effect.

The refs are not calling anything on Ming because due to all that shoving and pushing Ming is staying on his feet. If he falls down it forces the refs to call it.

Tim Duncan does it, Stoudemire, Big Z does it. Karl Malone sure has hell did it.

These are veteran moves based on experience. It is a strategy for them to pick up cheap fouls and to get the guy off their backs.

I am not advocating everytime down the court a little shove he falls down on his face but timely flops to make the game fair.

Since the refs have an obvious bias due to his size timely flops will even things out. Flopping should not be ruled out when the fronting is costing us so many games. It is a Strategy employed by so many scrubs and even supposed great players in the league.

Another veteran move is pulling the chair out. I remember Malone did that a few times on Ming during the Lakers series. Duncan as well. Why can't Yao do it when he is fronted. Let the guy fall on his ass when he tries so hard to lean against you.

 

Once again also is the poor defense, the missed shots at the rim, and all the offensive rebounds given up by the small rockets 2nd team.

 

not sure about what you said there. it's a matter of opinions.

yao catching a lob pass - to me it's a glass half full or half empty kinda thing. but either way it's better to try it than what they did last night.

 

And the biggest rebound of the game was missed by Yao...it was right there in his hands.

As far as beating the fronting defense, we can all devise these complex schemes to free up Yao but the main responsiblity and fault lies with Yao...if he doesn't change his game, by being more physical or focal, no plan is ever gonna work to help him out.

 

and from his blog, feigen has an excellent understanding of the whole fronting issue.

 

That I agree. As to the lob, didn't Lawry tossed a perfect lob on the move, and Yao catched it? That was what? Two games ago?

 

The same could be said of Shaq, the guy weighs even more so his momentum in going from one direction to another or to stop is just as bad if not more.

The thing with him is his PG or who ever throws the entry pass has a connection with him or put another way know where he likes the ball. They have confidence in Shaq hence the entry passes are smooth and non hesitant leading to fewer TOs. With Yao there is always some pause and awkardness in the passes. The guys throwing the passes are nonconfident whether he will catch the ball with authority unlike Shaq hence instances where there seems to be a window for a solid entry pass are often missed because of the lack of cohesion/connection between the passer and recipient.

It is too bad that they could not find that PG way early on his career when he first came into the league to grow with him at the same time and learn/maximize all his strengths and minimize all his weakness. Develop a long lasting relationship and career where both are almost perfect compliments.

Yao Ming more than anyone in the league needs that type of PG to fully exploit his positives and minimize his weaknesses.

 

It takes Yao longer than probably anyone else in the league to turn and cut, which is often enough time for his more mobile defender to recover and deny the pass.

 

Thanks for posting this Durvasa! I was going to do it and illustrate my point and you beat me to it. We can beat the fronting defense, but unless we are committed in getting Yao the ball, nothing will come of it. Brooks and Artest for whatever reasons are hesitant to pass the ball to Yao. You recapped it brilliantly, Yao was opened but because of the hesitancy of our players, we could not get Yao the ball. Adelman must drills this into our players' heads: priority 1 "GET THE BALL INTO YAO"

 

Thanks for your and Durvasa's input here. I will say it again in this particular thread: The Rockets either work out the fronting problem with Yao or trade him away because the unsolved issue here will stop them from going nowhere.

 

you must have made a sarcastic post

if not....for a guy who has over 1400 post... im shocked you are such a Yao hater...

are you seriously implying that since Yao only averages 20 points a game... he is not a offensive force?

lets forget the number of shot attempts he actually takes a game...

or the effect he has with the defensive coverage...

but you picked the wrong game to insinuate... that just scoring 20 points a game would not warrant a team to overplay Yao...


the fact of the matter is they DID overplay Yao...

and Rockets Players did not pass the ball to Yao or force it into him...

and the net result was a 17 point 4th quarter meltdown...

now if we were to debate if Yao should be traded... or that the other players are just scrubs.... then....