Here's a couple of Yao bashing articles. The truth hurts. http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2095441,00.html Suddenly, Yao can't be found 7-foot-6 center goes cold in crucial third quarter By Rich Hammond Staff Writer Kobe Bryant took over the game in the third quarter. Karl Malone couldn't miss from the perimeter. Even Luke Walton made a 3-pointer. But Yao Ming? The game's tallest player seemed difficult to locate Monday night in the second half, when the Houston Rockets needed him most. Yao, who reached the 30-point mark against the Lakers just once in three regular-season meetings this season, turned in another subpar playoff performance Monday as the Lakers took a 2-0 series lead. "It wasn't just one or two mistakes that cost us the game," Yao said through an interpreter. "There were a number of things that went wrong, it wasn't just a couple (of) balls going the other way." After a promising start that included 10 first-half points, the same number he totaled in all of Game 1, Yao mysteriously disappeared and scored only one point in the third quarter. He finished with 21 points and four rebounds, and his lack of an inside presence also made it tough for Houston's guards to get going. After Yao's short turnaround jumper tied it 44-44 in the final minute of the first half, he didn't make another field goal for 17 minutes, and by that time the Rockets were out of the game. "I'll have to look at the game tape to see went wrong," said Yao, who didn't seem too interested in breaking down the quality of his game. Before the game, Houston's Jim Jackson stressed the importance of Yao setting up plays for the guards. But Houston's offense didn't flow well. "I believe in everybody in this locker room," Maurice Taylor said. "We just have to get back to Houston and study up." Yao's shortcomings were most glaring in those minutes when he should have been the most productive, when O'Neal was out of the game or limited by foul trouble. O'Neal left the game after picking up his second foul with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter, but Yao had only field goal before O'Neal returned at the start of the second period. "Shaquille O'Neal had a lot of fouls at one point and I should have been able to get closer to the basket," Yao said. "It was my problem. I didn't take advantage of the opportunities I had." When O'Neal got his fourth foul, just more than three minutes into the third quarter, coach Phil Jackson took a chance and kept him in the game, a natural opportunity for the Rockets to pound the ball inside to Yao and try to get O'Neal out of the game. But Yao didn't score a point for the rest of the quarter, and his only contribution to the scoresheet, besides the free throw, was a turnover until four minutes remained in the fourth quarter. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rockside20apr20,1,4693288.story?coll=la-headlines-sports Yao Underwhelms Amid Expectations Slowly, steadily, perhaps somberly, the people who surround Houston Rocket center Yao Ming are starting to ask more of him. His teammates wanted him to open up the offense by asserting himself down low in Game 2 against the Lakers. His coach wanted him to "figure things out" against Shaquille O'Neal, a difficult task for almost every other center at any given time. Yao did as he was asked Monday, but only for one half. He did little wrong in the first 24 minutes, walking off the court with a team-high 14 points and doing his part to get O'Neal in foul trouble. Then came the second half of the Lakers' 98-84 victory. Yao was held without a basket after halftime until 4:31 remained in the fourth quarter. Up to that point, he had scored one point since halftime, a free throw with 9:12 left in the third quarter, and was otherwise absent on offense. He forced O'Neal into a fourth foul early in the third quarter, but didn't challenge him after that, attempting, and missing, his only three shots of the third quarter. He did not take a shot for the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter. He padded his totals by scoring six points when the outcome had been decided, finishing with 21 points on eight-of-19 shooting. He sat down for good with 1:32 left, taking a towel and pressing it against his face before studying the floor in front of him for several seconds. "In the second half, you could tell our attention slipped and we weren't focused at the end like we were the last time," Yao said. In the Rockets' two regular-season victories over the Lakers, Yao averaged 23.5 points. He also had 33 points in a 96-93 loss March 3. But in the first two games of the playoffs, he has made 12 of 30 shots and is averaging 15.5 points. Houston Coach Jeff Van Gundy paused for several seconds after being asked his opinion of Yao's play. "Twelve of 30," he said slowly. "It's going to be tough for us … " Van Gundy was expecting big things of Yao, even before tipoff. "This is a great chance for Yao to try to figure things out," he said. "He's going against the most dominant force to play in the NBA physically in the last 'X' amount of years. We're going to give him some help, and he's going to have to figure it out." Swingman Jim Jackson took a more direct approach, outlining the importance of Yao's inside presence to open up shots for the outside guys. "Yao has to be more dominant inside," Jackson said. Defensively, Yao held O'Neal to seven points on three-of-nine shooting, but that just as easily could have been a product of O'Neal's early fouls. O'Neal finished with four fouls, making Van Gundy, for one, unhappy. "If you think O'Neal's fouling out, you haven't been watching the NBA very long," Van Gundy said. "One, he's a smart player. Two, he's not fouling out. Yao may foul out, but O'Neal won't foul out. You learn these things after a while." Yao's words were strong after the Lakers' Game 1 victory, when he vowed O'Neal would be denied easy access in clutch situations, such as his dunk of Kobe Bryant's airball with 17.4 seconds left Saturday. There were no late-game heroics Monday by O'Neal. No need. The game was tucked away long before then.
That is the greatness of playoffs, when Yao had the similiar games in regular season, nobody noticed it other than Rox fan, but when he played like that in the playoffs, the whole nation noticed. I hope it comes more and more if Yao continue playing like this, it will make him mature faster, and force him assertive and more aggressive on the court, make him realizes honeymoon is almost over. If he breaks under pressure, well, perhaps he is not kind of guy we are looking for.
This is what I've been waiting for. People say you can't teach that attitude, or emotion, or mental toughness, or intensity, or whatever you want to call that extra something that great players have that take over games. We'll see if Yao learns. I think that's the main reason to wait before deciding to definitely build the team around him. It doesn't seem to be part of Yao's character, but you never know. He might develop that toughness and intensity eventually.
You know what, if Francis gets traded away, then ALL fingers will point to Yao if things doesn't work out. Yao will be the first one take the blame because he will be the franchise if SF leave Rox. He knows that, that is why in a number of occasions he expressed he don't want SF be traded. You can say he doesn't have a big heart right now and he knows he is not ready to carry a team, but he have to realize that that day is inevitable. You get superstar treatment, you should play like superstar, the earlier Yao gets it, the better.
So people are already expecting a 2nd year Yao to dominate Shaq. Outplaying Shaq is no longer acceptable. Garnet didn't pass 1st round for 7 years and now he is MVP.
This is professional sports, everybody wants to win right now. KG got his share of blame in previous playoff failure too.
But his team still hasn't made it out of the first round. Garnett's the MVP because, despite his poor record in the playoffs, he's the most jaw-dropping player in the league in terms of stats, fundamentals, and impact. He got 2 semi stars this season and his team won the West. I expect Yao to improve. I expect Yao to play better in the rest of the series. More importantly, I want this to be the last time Yao allows Shaq to play him equally. After this series, Yao should be able to end Shaq's reign as best C.
I get tired if the "2nd year" excuse. Put Duncan on this team in his second year. You don't think he could dominate Shaq? What about Hakeem? Kareem? Magic won in his rookie year. Bird was dominating from the jump. So was Isiah, MJ and countless others.
I'm starting to read a lot of thoughts on how we need to wait before "building around Yao". My question is, what other choice do we have? It seems to me we're going to live and die with Yao for at least the next couple of years(when Cato, Weatherspoon, and Taylor's contracts come off the books). Because there's nothing else you can hope for. Steve Francis had 5 years to show what he can do, which is definitely not enough. Yao could very well be the same 5 years down the road. But there's no way the Rockets management can possibly trade Yao, short of receiving Duncan or Garnett in that trade. They have to build around him and hope Yao will prosper. Otherwise, we're going to be perennial 1st round exits in the playoffs.
We need Yao to step up HUGE to win any of these ball games. We saw Steve take over the last game and it was great. But Yao is going to be our x-factor. I thought JVG did a terrible job of how he played Yao in the 2nd half. Yao didn't get the ball, and it wasn't the guards fault for once. Yao doesn't seem like he is playing with any intensity at all, I don't like how teamates, coaches, media, have to tell him that he needs to step up.
2nd year is not an excuse, it's a fact. 2nd year Shaq couldn't handle Dream, and I don't think 2nd year Duncan can dominate Shaq. Even now, I don't think Duncan can dominate Shaq. Duncan may score more than Yao, rebound more than Yao, but he won't be able to hold Shaq to 7 points. Anyway, Yao came in the league NOT nearly as NBA ready as the great players you mentioned. And compare Yao to those all time greats at this moment showes your expectation are way too high. That was my intention in last post.
I'm going to say something that hurts - if Karla Malone is playing, the Lakers can shut down Yao in the post whenever they want to. I'm sorry, but a Shaq/Malone double team is really too tough to deal with. I'm not a fan of Malone (obviously), but he is a good defender. He has quick hands, he plays as dirty as he thinks he can get away with, and he has tons of experience. To succeed, Yao has to do these things: 1. Move without the ball. 2. Be quick and decisive. No more moves that take 5 seconds - fake, spin, and shoot, or fake, step to the middle and shoot the hook. 3. If he is open, shoot. Shaq will feel pressure to outscore Yao this game, and hopefully that will hurt the Lakers' chemistry. 4. Make crisp passes - when there is time on the clock. If there isn't, take it to the hole - a 30/30/30 chance of making the shot/getting fouled/gettting blocked is better than a turnover.
Understand this, I ain't waiting five more years for more playoffs I don't care if we're building around Jesus Freaking Christ, I'd rather stick with what we got and take our chances and just be in the playoffs. The only way I satart over is if this roster proves that it is not ebough to get us into the playoffs.
Yao is playing against arguably the most dominant player in NBA history and pretty much hold his ground in his first playoof series, what else do you guys want at this moment? There is something called talent. Lakers have 4 HOFs and is far more talented than Rockets. Lakers bench outscoreed Rockets bench 32-12 also because of talent. What do we have on bench? Mo Taylor and that's about it. Look at the matchups, the only position we might have an advantage is JJ over Fox. To blame everything on Yao for the loss is just plain stupid.
And I don't think Duncan would have been neutrailzed by 40 yr old Karla Malone either, or Najara, or the other countless midgets I have seen contain Yao this year. Shaq could not contain Dream, but he could score on him. Duncan went through Shaq for his first title during his second season. None of them were shooting this poorly (yes, I know it has only been two games). I have no problem with saying Yao is not on that "superstar level" yet. But if that is the case, then say that. Don't give me the "2nd yr" excuse, because plenty of "superstars" have dominated in their second seasons.
KG was not a superstar in his 2nd year, but he is now. Kobe was not a super star is his 2nd year, but he is now. Yao is now a superstar in his 2nd year, but he has potential to be a superstar. Anything wrong with it? I repeat, 2nd year is a FACT, not excuse. Nobody should be expected to dominate Shaq in his 2nd year. If you think 2nd year should be the line between superstars and scrubs, then it's your problem. P.S. I don't think Duncan ever dominated Shaq. Most of the time the player defendied Shaq was Robinson, another all time great.
