Dude, this is a great thread. I've really been enjoying reading it, until I ran into this. Giddy said nothing that remotely called for a response like that. He has hide like a rhino, and is the cousin of a mule, but your jab was totally uncool. Chill, and... Keep GARM Civil!! And Readable!
I thought it was pretty funny considering that judging from Mr Gunn's response.....giddyup is probably old enough to be his dad.... little snotty punk indeed. lol....btw.guys..great thread...Ive got nothing to add but to laugh at the one stupid repsonse here.
... not to mention RESULTS! Practice and the offseason is time to work on your game. Gametime is time to work with your strengths.
Do you really think someone forces Yao to keep his back to the basket once he gets the ball in the post? Think about it. Hakeem would get the ball in the post all the time and still turnaround to face the basket when he felt like it. Nobody is dictating to Yao what he should do, or just exactly how he should score.
1. I would imagine that where he starts in the offensive set is decided by someone else. That does limit his options. 2. Yao is not Hakeem. Nobody is or was. Hakeem's footwork and speed in the pivot are still unmatched.
apparently he's not David Robinson or Patrick Ewing either. Van Gundy coached Ewing who got the ball and faced up when he wanted to. nobody is making Yao play with his back to the basket all the time.
you don't have to rolleyes like a valley girl saying whatever when she doesnt understand things in life. You can be in the post and recieve the ball and then turn around. In other words, Yao can face the basket after he recieves the ball in the post. Its not some new technique. Hakeem did it, Robinson did it, Ewing did it, and the worst shooter and least mobile of 'em all - Alonzo Mourning - did it. So why does Yao not do it. Is he a baby being potty trained still? you think he is puppet being controlled with strings? puleeez. show some respect for the man. Yao Ming is bigger than the coach. Yao Ming is the franchise. He makes the rules when he has the ball. If he feels like and wants to face the basket than he will. Or else he is a delusional p***y who wants to be controlled and told exactly how to play.
Yes, Yao is not Hakeem or Robinson or even Ewing. He doesn't have the footspeed of any of them to do much with the ball when facing the basket--- other than to shoot or to pass it. That's why I propose more high post positioning and playmaking for Yao. High post included the high block which is 12 feet or so from the basket. Catch the ball high and square to shoot or move it to the offside or look for cutters.
giddyup, hey I love it when Yao drains a shot from the outside when facing up. I would like to see it happen more often too. But its not as easy as just saying 'ok lets work a major new wrinkle in the offense today guys' - not during the season it aint. It's going to have to happen from improvisation, or just in the flow, or it aint gonna happen - this season - as much as we would like. it can't be drawn up on the board and all of a sudden the guys start treating Yao like Chirs Webber. And Yao is tops in the league in field goal percentage as it is, so if we scoot him out for more shots, will he be as effective as he already is down low? probably not, but it gets him more shots, if thats what we want. im going to go with my gut here and say Yao is not impressing the coaches with his outside jumpshot enough in practice for the coaches to take notice and work that in the games cause these guys, vangundy, clifford, and tom thibedou are bright guys who know more about basketball than we do and when it comes down to it, they see all and know all, and really do know what they're doing.
I'm not dissapointed with the way Yao chooses to play. I have no problem with it. I think 19 and 9 while shooting 50 plus percent in only his third year - is not cause for a slap on his wrist - but a satisfied pat on his ass. I am just saying it is not the coaches who are responsible for Yao not facing the basket. It is on Yao. Kareem and Kg play the way they want to play after they get the ball. Nobody told Karemm, 'ok you must hook, you must do this, you must use this move or that move' just like nobody is telling Yao, 'ok you must have your back to the basket at all times after recieving the ball'
Totally agree. How many NBA players made dramatic changes in their style/skill set after they reached age 24? Probably none.
I don't think that I misinterpreted the tone of his response. Nevertheless, my initial reaction was over the top; and to giddyup, I apologize.
Anyone who is good at playing Texas Hold'em would tell you that the best winning strategy for the game is to "mix things up" to confuse your opponent. I think the same strategy should apply to how to use Yao: Mix up high- and low-post plays. The league has all too famaliar with the way JVG uses Yao: low-post only.
what are you talking about dude. this isnt cards that are being played. and there is not some coaching strategy for some valedictorian kid from boston who feels he's on a hot streak to tap into. This is basketball. we're dealing with a 48 minutes of up and down sprints. Ever played football and had to do those drill where you run for 10 yards and here the whistle and bend down and touch the ground and run back till you feel like puking - well welcome to professional basketball. all that has nothing to do with my point though. Which is JVG has nothing to do with Yao not being in the high post. And which is just a waste a\of breath to say around here.
