] This makes a ton of sense, larsv8. The only problem is..... ....you need Yao on the floor a lot more than 5 minutes at a time to give this a serious go. This type of thing is what I've been getting at with Yao's reintegration. If the Rockets are still looking to tie their fortunes to Yao, then you've got to do a better job of complementing him. You build your team and its functions around your best players (or in Yao's case, it's most impactful players), and make sure that players have clearly defined roles. Yao has never been what anybody would call fleet or nimble of foot. The ideal man playing at the four-spot with Yao would be able to cover the ground defensively that Yao cannot, to shore up potentially porous perimeter defense if you continue to start Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin in the backcourt. Luis Scola could play well with Yao for stretches if the perimeter defense was sounder (like with Shane Battier and Ron Artest, or even Battier and Rafer Alston)..... ...but that's one part of the current muddle surrounding Yao's situation. No way to nail down who plays well with whom as long as the lineups are in flux. Just like you need offensive balance (to keep teams honest and not cheat off a suspect offensive player), you need defensive balance, too. It's obvious, to me, that even with the effort the Rockets put forth defensively against the Hornets, they aren't currently fielding a balanced enough team. But I don't think sending Scola to the bench is the right answer just yet. It's not that there's a wrong answer.... ...but Yao is the player trying to get back. Not Scola. If anything, I would venture a guess that the team, on average, has a bit more confidence in what Scola can do than they may have with Yao at the present. Scola, at least offensively, seems able to at least give the Rockets a reliable offensive option at the end of games. Yao affects the Rockets so much, that it's just silly to go back and forth with his minutes if you're looking for him to play a large part; and especially silly if you're looking for him to be a difference-maker in games, larsv8. Yao may be ready to go further in his minutes or he may not. But as long as the Rockets are committed to following doctors' orders, then Yao's as good as injured, to me. However Yao's is limited, it doesn't change the fact the he IS limited. That's not good. At all. Give Yao the bit-player minutes (10 -15 a game), if you want to ease him back into the swing of things. Have Yao come off the bench and focus on rebounding and inside defense. Personally, I'm for sitting one of the three perimeter players if Yao continues to start (Brooks, Martin or Battier), and make sure that you make sure guys can cover the court defensively whenever Yao's in the game. That's a far cry from what the Rockets did last season with most of these players. But the one thing that needs to be somewhat constant is defense. It's the sureest way for them to right themselves. Yao's certainly having a big impact, isn't he?.....
