Jones says this all the time, and thats not what he says, all he says is if you leave the door ajar (open) then you allow the other team to win. Its just the opposite of you have to shut the door on the other team, meaning in this case if you need to make your free throws to seal the win, you make your free throws.
Yao is definitely progressing. I know others have commented about in other threads, but I thought the same thing about Yao yesterday while watching him play. Yao looked like a different Yao, he seemed more aggressive, had better footwork, better rhythm and was less mechanical. His stamina is definitely better, I actually saw him get down the floor before other players, last year he was always the last one to get back. Really think he needs to change his training routine this summer to take it to the next level. I think the Rox and Yao should put together a training curriculium for him this summer to work on his weaknesses. Hire some college or NBDL players and a trainer for the summer and practice, practice, practice.
Many folks would have picked Jay Williams with #1. Even if Chicago had the 1st pick, they claim they would have taking Williams first. Yao definately wasn't a consensus #1. Rox took a lot of heat for drafting a 7'5" jump shooter. Boy, the naysayers were wrong on so many levels. The only negative thing you can say about Yao is that he isn't dominating yet. Other than that, his play is solid, he is still improving and clearly deserved to be #1. You always have surprises like Amare but nobody was picking Amare at #1 at that time.
there were some factors that helped Yao last night ...he looked more rested the refs didn't take him out early (or he didn't take himself out with cheap fouls) and minny played him one on one (or tried to) - and he got the calls Minny also tried to take Yao outside - but all that did was keep him out of foul trouble since he wasn't in the lane ... of course poor Mr. Spoon took his 6 like a man !
Yao was not the consensus pick you make him out to be. Everyone was on Jay "The Other" Williams' jockstrap...Yao was considered the "project" big man. I think all the criticism is from the mixture of being a high pick, being uncommonly BIG, and because he has occassionally displayed skills that GREAT GREAT players usually have. It's hard not to want/hope/expect that greatness on every play and game. Kind of like expecting McGrady to go off for 13 points in 35 seconds in every game we're losing in the fourth.
Tons of people on this board wanted us to pick Jay..... Man, I even remember people wanting is to trade the #1 for Odom and Khandi!!!!!!! Those would be some funny threads to look at.
this was obviously an important game, so its good he played a lot of mins and played well for most of them. But if rocks get a steady berth in the playoffs, I am all in favour of Yao averaging under 30 mins during the regular season. Tmac and sura too if that was possible.
Remember this from Dick Vitale? Yao Ming could be another LaRue Martin By Dick Vitale SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM May 22 The Houston Rockets have the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, and Rockets fans are getting excited about the possibility of improving their frontcourt. The Rockets have a talented backcourt with Stevie Franchise -- I mean Steve Francis -- and Cuttino Mobley. Now coach Rudy Tomjanovich and company can pick up a big man. Yao Ming Will Yao Ming be a slam-dunk NBA success? Or will he be another LaRue Martin? Do I hear the name Yao Ming in Houston's future? Can you see another big man in that Rocket uniform at 7-foot-5? To me, this has the potential to be a pick just like one the Portland Trail Blazers made 30 years ago. That's right, back in 1972, the Blazers drafted a young big man named LaRue Martin from Loyola of Chicago. The selection was based on potential. Boy, did that pick fail to pan out. My gut feeling watching Ming is not positive. Maybe I'm not being fair, but I see a player who won't have the body strength to endure the kind of physical contact that takes place on the interior. He will face superb athleticism day in and day out in the NBA, especially if he's in the Western Conference. I feel he will be abused inside. Some say Ming can handle the basketball well and shoot 15-foot jumpers. But is that what you really want from a player his size? Hey, could this be another Sam Bowie? It seems like I'm picking on those Blazers, but Martin and Bowie were two big men who didn't make the impact desired for such an early draft pick. Even if Ming develops, it could take several years and he could end up as a free agent by the time he becomes a star. He's also a risky proposition because of contract negotiations with his Chinese team. Will the Rockets or someone else (if Houston trades the top pick) make a mistake by passing on J-Will? Jay Williams has superstar written all over him. Fans of the Chicago Bulls, who have the second pick, must be hoping and praying that Williams becomes their point guard for the next 10 years. With J-Will, the Bulls would have no problem at the point-guard slot, and that's an area where every team needs consistency. In last year's draft, Chicago selected Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, two high school kids with potential. GM Jerry Krause figured the Bulls wouldn't win for a while, but these two big guys could develop into potential stars in the long run. The people of Chicago deserve better. Look at what has happened since Michael the Magnificent, the great Michael Jordan, left. It's sad. I firmly believe they need some instant help to get to the winner's circle. Remember, the Eastern Conference is not as strong as the West, so the Bulls could get healthy in a hurry. It will be interesting to see what happens with the first pick of the draft. Will the Rockets trade down and get some help with veterans? The top pick is truly desired, and not just for Ming. To succeed in the NBA these days, point-guard play is so important. You'd better excel in that area if you want to excel as a team. Look at what the Nets have done with the addition of Jason Kidd, baby! And Jay Williams will be a dominant point guard. Would Houston trade Stevie Franchise to get help in the frontcourt and then use the top pick on Williams? Imagine getting a lot of help on the baseline in a deal for Francis! There are many intriguing possibilities. The NBA draft should be interesting. But something tells me Mr. Ming could be another LaRue Martin. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories[
HERE'S ANOTHER GEM FROM DICKIE V. Yao over Jay? Rockets will regret it By Dick Vitale SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM June 21 It looks like 7-foot-5 Chinese center Yao Ming will be the top choice of the Houston Rockets in the upcoming NBA draft. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich and the Houston entourage visited China, and they were impressed enough to want to make Ming their center in a lineup that includes Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley in the backcourt. Dickie V sees Duke's Jason Williams (right) as a slam-dunk star in the NBA. But I have a gut feeling the Rockets are making a mistake. I think they'll be sorry they passed on Duke's Jay Williams. There's no doubt in my mind that he will be a superstar and that people in Chicago will be ecstatic about getting him at No. 2. Think about this Chicago Bulls lineup: Williams at point guard, Jalen Rose at shooting guard, and Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Marcus Fizer up front. Bulls coach Bill Cartwright will love having Rose's experience and knowledge together with Williams, the young phenom. Williams is a lock for stardom. If I were the Rockets, I would pick him No. 1 and package Francis in a deal for experienced help inside. That says something about how I view Williams' potential. As for Mr. Ming, he has loads of potential, skills and finesse at 7-foot-5. He has great touch, but it's a different world in the NBA compared to starring for the Shanghai Sharks. It's more physical in the NBA, with the banging inside from bigger, more athletic guys. There are lots of "ifs" with Mr. Ming, but none with Mr. Williams. It's the big guy vs. little guy debate, but point guards are so vital in the NBA today. Just look at Jason Kidd and Michael Bibby and their playoff performances! The point-guard position is so important on all levels, be it high school, college or the pros. Point guards are the quarterbacks on the court. To me, Williams is another Isiah Thomas. A player like him is a rarity. Look at the championship banners flying in Detroit, thanks largely to Isiah. That's the kind of success I see ahead for Jay Williams. I know Rudy T has made his mind up, and I love his competitiveness. But if he doesn't want to trade Stevie Franchise, he could package Williams in a deal. I still feel that Yao Ming could be the second coming of LaRue Martin, the big man who was a first-round bust of the Portland Trail Blazers in 1972. My gut feeling tells me the Rockets are making a mistake, baby, in evaluating their overall No. 1 pick. Still, Rudy T could shock America by having NBA commissioner David Stern announce Williams' name as the top pick. Then Houston would be moving toward the winner's circle. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
what do you expect from a guy that thinks passing on college players for high schoolers and international stars is a bad idea
Can we put some of the spoon in Juwan's body? We need a clone combines Juwan and Spoon to play PF. Now, Juwan had two good games.
Now I read it. That moron wrote the whole article mostly on Chicago's side. What a idiot. Well, could be belibrate talk-down on Yao like the logo did.
Yao was super quick yesterday. If he moves like that...he's going to play great. But he doens't have that type of stamina every game. We'll see on Sunday.
Dick Vitale is the most uninsightful, uninformed, moronic person associated to sports right now. I can't believe he's actually getting paid for the words coming out of his mouth. The guy is more irritating then hemorrhoids. I can tolerate Bill Walton, I think Stephen A smith is entertaining, ditto Charles and Kenny, but gawwwwd Dicky V. is so freakin' annoying....babyyyyy, diaper dandy, who cares what he has to say. That guy is just living off of his image that he built himself up to. Vitale knows as much about basketball...especially the NBA...as much as Charles Barkley knows about Atkins. Dicky V. needs to stick to college hoops where I don't have to hear him as much...until the NCAA tournament rolls around then I have to pray he isn't one of the announcers.
