Hear me out. I love Yao's game. I sometimes wish he would be a little more rough around the edges, and wish he would speak up against JVG putting him in the 3pt land guarding 6 feet guys. However, the guy's a consumate pro and just top notch superstar. That being said, and I know it might seem like a typical overreaction, but honestly, Juwon has looked real real good lately. Its easier for him to establish position and get the entry pass to him. The offense goes faster instead of the Guards constantly holding onto the ball waiting for Yao to get open. I love Yao, but there is a nagging voice growing in me that the offense is smoother with JHo and TMac on offense. I wont be stupid enough to argue this about defense, though if Deke could play 35 a game, that would negate JHo's pathetic lack of intimidation down low
Tmac and Yao played really well in last year's playoff games, where the intensity and the pressure of the games were obvisously a notch above regular-season games. And in the games they played together this season, the Rockets were doing pretty well (only lost one game (Clippers) when Yao obvisously shouldn't have played in the first place, due to toe injury). That's the thing: Deke CANNOT play 35 a game consistently. The guy is like 50 years old.
JHo + TMac > Yao + Tmac?? (Offense anyway) --> (remove "TMac" from both side) leads to the question JHo > Yao ? (Offense) Hmm, i have to answer no to the question. I know i know, you cannot just do this kind of math, most of time, because there is a factor of how two players work together. But Tmac is so good I think he can work equally well with anybody. Also unlike Yao, JHo is not doubled teamed and has more room to operate. JHo has been looking very good, his jumpers are falling. I definitely hope he keep playing at this level. otoh, Yao + Tmac is at another level.
When Yao steps on the court, Tmac has a lot of space to operate. Tmac + Yao = no double teams on either player. Tmac + Juwan = Double team on Tmac. Also, Yao's presence deter most guards from trying to drive into the lane.
you must be smokin something to even come up with that idea. if jho + tmac > yao + tmac, shouldnt tmac and jho have won a ring by now, or at least advanced in the 1st round of the playoffs?? but i do agree on you that jvg should stop makin yao go all the way the 3pt line on defense and jho has stepped up real big lately.
Juwan isn't doubled everytime he touches the ball like Yao is. Nor do teams work hard to front Juwan and deny him the ball, again like Yao. All the attention Yao demands can open up easy opportunities for the other players, TMac included. Yao's main problem is that he needs to recognize the double team quicker and either pass out of it or go away from it. I think he's getting better at that though. But Juwan is strictly a 3rd banana - no shame in that, but he's not a #1 or #2 option.
Lots of good points made that I agree with and add just one. Besides the double teams, Juwan moves more than Yao; JVG and Ewing have Yao sitting in the post like a lame duck play after play - which makes the double team easier. I am much in favor of Yao moving more, getting involved in more motion offense with Rafer and Tmac, etc. and either getting passes while moving or dishing off more while moving. I think this will make him and our offense a lot less predictable and make his Ewing-clone post play easier when it is not 98% of HIS plays. I would love to see Rafer or Tracy move to the basket and have either Swift or Yao follow and either crash the boards after a layup or take a dish from the leader. Gundy offense is offensive so far and too predictable. I would like to see the whole team move more when Yao gets back and the team actually has a chance to play together - Rafer is playing much better. But if Yao comes back and plays Ewing clone we may as well put a green toga on him and put a torch in his hand for him to hold aloft, and call him the statue of liberty.
I like JH, but you gotta be kidding me! Yao is a great 2nd option on offense. At this point in his career, JH is a decent 3rd option. Yes, Yao commands the ball more, but he also commands attention from the defense. JH is the type of player who thrives in taking what the defense gives him, hence he is good 3rd option. No way Tracy + JH >> Tracy + Yao on offense. Absolutely no way. Yao is a game changer on both ends of the court. JH is neither.
Absolutely NOT! Jho has done a great job under trying circumstances and I really wish he keeps this up when Yao returns. We need all 3 - Yao and TMAC for the Foundation, and Jho and others as Role players. I will keep Jho because of his basketball IQ and for being a role model on the team. IF we had a Solid PF- you would see the real impact of Yao's presence. Unfortunately that is a work in progress! IF Rafer - unlike the PG's we had- can get the ball to Yao, 4th quarters will be a lot easier- now we will have both Yao and TMac and the opponents can pick their poison. Just the presence of Yao in the lane- creates issues. Dont look at box scores only- JVG teams are defense oriented.
Yao does set a lot of picks for Tracy and other on the top of the circle. So he does move around! I hope you are not suggesting he run around like David Wesley! Agreed- I do like the ball being given to yao as he moves in for a Dunk. That play is unstoppable. And he should Face up and shoot the 16-18 footer, that will open up the lanes for the PF and others to move to the basket for higher percentage shots. The logic of his being closer to the basket is a good one- higher percentage shots and Yao is a very good free throw shooter ( besides getting opponents into foul trouble, well we will leave this point alone!) In JVG's system, we need that badly!
While Juwan is not a better 2nd option than Yao is, I have to say he is a MUCH better 2nd option than he is a 3rd option. The difference in production is huge. He’s an 8-9 ppg player as a 3rd option and he’s been a 17-20 ppg player throughout his career as a 2nd option. And the thing about Yao is, I really don’t think his production would drop all that much if he were a 3rd option instead of a 2nd option. He probably would be even more efficient than he is now. He seems much more comfortable when he gets his offense in the flow (like a 3rd option would) rather than when he’s being force fed the ball as the 1st or 2nd option. While Juwan tends to disappear when he’s not force fed the ball. At this point, considering where we are in the standings, why not experiment a little? We’re certainly better off with Howard and Yao both producing about 17-18 points a game than we are with Yao averaging 19 a game and Howard averaging 9 a game.
yes, totally agreed. I know Yao has much more skill than JHo, I just want to experiment a little, see what would happen. I still dont know how we managed to go over 50 wins last year, it was painful to watch the offense at times while the guards would wait for Yao to get open, and then when he did,m they would swing the ball around instead. Totally stupid.
Sorry Hotballa but you obviously dont appreciate Yao Ming, to compare him and Howard, is not a worthy comparison.
Good reply! I'm not looking for Yao to become a PG, but again, instead of 90% post up (my guess), drop it to 70-80 and mix in some more moving offense. I just want the offense to flow more and be a lot less predictable. Take more advantage of Yao's 1st year skills, let Rafer, Tracy, Head and Swift flow more. And I understand it takes health, it takes time playing together, and it probably takes Tmac (just like last year) insisting that the offense break out of the Gundy box. we seem to use Yao as the stuck in mud decoy to free Tmac too much, and as a team they need to develop ways to have Yao react, swift, etc. to take advantage of the fronting and double team more - make the opponent pay. Maybe JVG wants to do this and just hasn't had the talent, er, but I can hear him now - no excuses: Juwan you are now 7' 6" tall! Be Yao, Juwan! Just chiding Gundy a bit. If it wasn't about size, talent and IQ then I would be Kobe. I am so looking forward to seeing the whole team on the floor in February! Maybe even Sura!
