I think magic said it best, tmac and yao cannot co-exist together. The reason is obvious to anyone who sees them on the court together. This team was built with the lakers three-peat team in mind as a model. However let's put aside the fact that shaq is better than yao and kobe is better than t-mac. I don't think that is the problem, talent wise, this is definitely a top 4 team in the L. However what the rockets GM does not realise is that when the lakers won those 3 championships, Kobe has not established himself as a superstar yet, he was the sidekick to SHAQ. You watch those teams, Shaq was the undisputed leader and EVEN kobe knew that because PHIL jackson always favoured SHAQ over Kobe. This is because a team cannot have two leaders. The lakers collapsed because Kobe would no longer defer to shaq, even though they were MORE talented in their two years after their three-peat, and they played LESS talented teams in the post-season, their dynasty collapsed because the team went from having one leader to two leaders. Unless one of them becomes undisputed leader of the team, someone that ALL 15 rockets acknowledge unanimously that is the leader of the team, this team is going no where. Doesn't matter if we get more talent, doesn't matter if we get bibby, or miller or any other trade for talent.
god ain't that the truth. You know what all of those bums could do?!? SHOOT hell just last post season Fisher was killing me with all the shots he would make.
Yes, and even then, their dynasty collapsed, not because they lacked the talent. It's a perfect study in why the rockets will fail
So you are saying the Celtics will fail? Since they have 3 guys who used to be leaders on their teams and as of now none of those 3 are the de facto leader by themselves
with chuck hayes starting we are the joke of the league. did you see them replaying chuck hayes shooting free throws on inside the NBA ? THIS is our starting power forward ? lord help us.... the fact we got the 4th seed is a testament to just how good yao and t-mac are, despite their shortcomings.... and JVG should get some credit too... but 1 through 12 our roster sucks compared to the top teams.
as long as paul pierce does not accept that kevin garnett is the leader of the team, yes they will fail. can you see them beating the spurs?
Stealing Phil Jackson 4 years ago would've put some personnel with fire and guts into this team. It's his attitude that made the Lakers almost upset the Suns a couple of years ago. Yeah, he's a greedy self aggrandizing ass, not a big deal in the long run if it gives results...
This post is correct we losing because we got two super stars that can't co-exist. I don't think Yao has any problem, but T-mac maight not like the idea of deferring to Yao. His body language is stating that. Celtic can win, because al 3 of them don't demand to be "the" leader, they all share the ball and defer to each other. which could be their downfall if deferring to eachother too much. I see KG as the leading player as he is so gifted and talented other would listen. T-mac just got that cocky attitude to him. maybe why he left the raptors because he doesn't want to defer to VC. same with Orlando, as he needs to defer to upcoming star in howard.
They didn't collapse. They went to the Finals and lost to a great Detroit team. They collapsed only when Kobe demanded "me or him" in his egomaniac fits after the season. Yao and TMac will never say "me or him."
They lost to a detroit team that is worse than the spurs, blazers, sacramento teams that they beat during their 3-peat years. If you watch the games, you will definitely see that they did not play anything up to their potential.
Their dynasty collapsed because Kobe and Shaq could no longer co-exist. Also, I wouldn't exactly say Kobe deferred to Shaq. Kobe was the one winning games late in the 4th Quarter, not Shaq. They were winning because they were getting along with each other. So far, Yao & T-Mac have got along very well. If our role players have been hitting their open shots like they are suppose to, we wouldn't be in this situation. But that is not the case. Our roleplayers are shooting like crap and all the backfire is coming to Yao and T-Mac. It took Kobe and Shaq four years before they won their first title. This is Yao & T-Mac fourth year together (not full years because of injuries). Let's at least give them the season to see if they can prove the whole world wrong.
By doing what? Getting out of the first round? We're not winning the championship this year. We're not getting there. We're probably not going to get out of the first round, if we get there. I personally think they can co-exist fine together. It's nice to have another star to take off the pressure when you're sucking or when the defense is collapsing on you, or your tired. I think they can co-exist even better when they win and when their teammates hit open shots. But if T-Mac and his boys (aka Rafer) isolate Yao, it's over. If one of them has to go so be it. By one of them, I mean McGrady.Yao's staying put in Houston no matter what. If one of them has to go, get as much talent and/or draft picks and move on.
Vince Carter came off the bench cause the coach decided they played better that way with the Nets. I don't know if they are still doing that or not but it's worth a try with T-Mac.
Lessons learned from the pre-NBA zone Shaq-Kobe Lakers? They weren't dead last in the entire league in fastbreak points. Look no further.
Actually we have the opposite problem than the Lakers had. They had two big egos who couldn't coexist. We have two little egos who don't or can't step up to lead.
