JVG postgame comments about Yao: The Rockets have won eight of 10 games since Yao returned from a broken leg, but Van Gundy says it's Yao who needs to pick up his play late in games if the Rockets are hoping to make a deep playoff run. "He needs to be a killer if we're going to do anything," Van Gundy said. "We've got to be able to go to him late. He's got to be able to get good, clean looks. He needs to develop a finishing mentality."
Just JVG being JVG...nothing to see here. He'll slag on Yao all the time, but if tmac plays bad, it's I believe in tmac's greatness.
Yao doesn't have killer physicals. T_mac is the one lacks of killer mentality. But Yao may develop the kill skills later and became a killer then.
Agreed. He knows if he puts tmac down, he'll do worse. But yao, if he criticize him negatively, yao will try harder next time.
Not any truth to that. He actually said the entire team needs to develop that mentality, especially Mac and Yao since those are the two guys they go to down the stretch.
All fine and good. I just hope Yao says (in private) "Coach, how's the contract situation going? Need me to score 40?".
When did he say Yao lacks a killer mentalit ?? Tmac needs to stop taking pull up 3's in transition. Yeah its cool when he makes one, but the majority of the time he doesnt. Take the first quarter for example. He took at least two pull up quick long jumpers without the offense even setting up. He shoots 43% from the field, 34% from 3. At least set up the offense! Get the damn ball to Yao and let him pass it back out when he gets quadruple teamed!
Rafer does the same thing, and he says nothing to neither one of them. JVG needs to check that type of terrible play.
Nay! You were wrong. I think JVG talks about Yao & Tmac in a different way because he knows clearly the two players' different psychologies. TMac used to be the 1st option before this season (and from this season Yao shares the 1st option with him). But TMac is gradually going down from his peak, and he hates to hear criticism, so JVG always encourage him, and I think it works! On the contrary, Yao is gradually developing to reach his prime (not yet), and Yao usually doen't mind criticism from others, and even welcome the tough comments. So I think it's good for JVG to use a higher standard to request Yao and push Yao to a higher level.
Granted it has only been like 4 games, but Rafer has done a hell of a lot better in controlling his jacking up tendencies. THe only time tonight where I was about to slap his shot selection was with like 2 min. left and he hit that nice floater down the baseline. Tmac took at least 5 shots that were way to early in the shot clock. When Yao is in the game he HAS to touch the ball! As lon as he doesnt put the ball on the floor, which he did not tonight, either he or one of the other guys gets a great shot! In the 4th quarter, Yao did not get the ball. It seemed like everyone else was trying to create their own shot when was blatantly obvious that at least attempting to run the offense through was was the best option.
Ok, so JVG either reads CF.net or he reads The Brushback. See http://www.thebrushback.com/yaoming_full.htm
This team should run through Yao whenever he is on the floor. As long as he isnt turning the ball over a ridiculous amount, he is still the most efficient "play" we have. TMAC rocks, but if he stopped taking quick shots before setting up our offense he would rock more. Yeah I know he makes some mind blowing buckets, but if the offense ran through Yao EVERY SINGLE PLAY when he is on the court I guarantee games like tonight would have been over in the first quarter. When we were up 12 or 14 in the first, I don't remember the exact lead, the offense moved away from Yao. Tmac, being one of the two superstars on the team, needs to recognize that hr does not have to jack up ong range bombs in transition just to get the momentum to totally side with the Rockets. We are already up by double digits! And Yao is what got us there, both with his scoring and drawing double/triple teams. I was at the game, and the minute TMAC did his quick transition "I can jump higher than you and thus you cant contest my shot" thing, we lost the lead. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing him do that WHEN he makes it, but the smart, safe, logical play is to keep feeding Yao. Tmac's quick pull up jumper has turned into quick transition points and momentum boosters for the other team too many times.
That's exactly what Yao said after tonight's game: "We all played great for three quarters," said Yao. "We didn't play well in the fourth, but that's a good lesson for us and we're going to learn for the playoffs."
Think about it, the offense during the Dream and Clyde days still ran through Hakeen every single time down the floor. There is a reason Clyde did not win a championship in Portland. You HAVE to have a big man to draw attention in the middle so the perimeter players (not saying Clyde was just a perimeter player, I am referring to the role players) can get good looks and/or penetrate the paint. If you are a team lacking a daominant big man, you better have a GREAT, and I mean a MJ great, perimeter player. TMAC is not that kind of guy. He and Yao can becme a GREAT duo togetehr, but TMAC needs to stop shooting these quick bombs. I am sure he feels like he can nail those shots, but the percentages don't lie. Get the ball to Yao, when he isnt getting 2 fouls in a minute and a half like he did tonight, and let him either turnarounf and shoot over the 6'11" guy guarding him, or pass it out to an open jump shooter. For example, in the Pacers game on Tuesday, Yao was fed the ball down the strecth in the 4th quarter, and he found TMAC nice and open for that big trye at the end of the game.
