I have watched every Rockets game on TV this season and I guess that most fans have realized that Yao's facing the bastket game in the high post in much more efficient than his low post game. When we do PNR and set up Yao from 15-19 feet away the basket, he connects on an astonishing percentage. We saw that last night against the Knicks, and also it was the reason that we beat the Lakers at LA weeks ago. I am thinking that at the early stage of his career, we need to utilize his strength more. The low post game is important, but why not mix them together to get a better result? With Yao shooting more midrange jumpers, it opened the lanes for the guards the penetrate, and it also makes guarding Yao more difficult. I'd like to see Yao take 5-7 of those outside jumpers out of PNR every game. I think that he can connect at a 55-60% clip. Any thoughts?
You are 100% correct, and it is something we have been wanting to see all year. Play to his strengths.... I truly believe that Yao is tiring out because of all the banging on the box..... DD
The Rockets know this about Yao. We all do. We ALL know he can shot those jumpers and play high post. But what they are doing with Yao now is LEARNING the low post. We are trying to teach him the low post, have him dominate in the post so that he can do BOTH, the high post AND the low post. Once he controls the low post (plus his high post game) it is over! This is a learning process. Along the way they should incorporate the high post play because it DOES work, but the learning process in the low post HAS to continue for him to succeed and be the best he can be. The key is to mix it up for now.
Why not just call him Rik Smits and be done with it. Having Yao shoot jumpers from 20 feet all the time is like saying it’s OK for Steve to take those acrobatic lay-ups over 3 defenders. Even if he somehow manages to make the shot often, it’s not something I want him doing too much. It's bad for his mindset to let him take the easy way out and park out on the perimeter.
If JVG had Dirk he would try to make him a low post banger? Probably not, but the point is to not take away what he has now to force something that should be developed over time. Both SF and Yao (by default = NY's crappy zone) were allowed to play their game - not JVG's. They seemed much more relaxed and the percentage showed...
I agree 100%. Bring Yao out. He cannot control the low post yet. If we bring him out, he takes less of a beating, he is not as tired and he can hit the shots and get the points he needs to get with probably a better %. Not only that, but if he is out, it opens the lanes for Steve and Cat to work more of their magic. That is where Steve is at his best, driving to the basket.
Doing it their way has gotten us to the playoffs zero times. Maybe it's time for JVG's way or the highway. Yao has post moves as evidence by his domination in China. He simply needs to convert those into moves here.
Probably yes. Only Don Nelson is crazy enough to dork his PF behind the 3 point line. Anyway, Yao need to develope his low post game. He has a lot of rebounds to grab and he is 2.26m! He played too much at high post this season. He should stay at low post.
Yao stopped doing his post moves this season. Maybe because when they ask him to be tough at the low post, he took that as Shaq's power move or Ewing's fade away jumper only. Van Gandy is not good at communication, I guess.
You know, that is basically just a load of crap. I think that excuse for JVG';s ?O? is weak.... 1) This is only the second year they have been together, and the first really wasn't a whole year; 2) Last year they were on pace for the playoffs and then Rudy went down and Smith came in.... you know the rest; 3) This so called great defense can be major attributed to players and not the coach. Give Rudy JJ and force Cato to start at 4 just like this year and his defense would have looked stellar too. I am not so sure that JJ isn't the one who fired up Steve and Cat to play better D, or even Cato to a certain extent; 4) A full preseason to work together has to contribute a lot to their current record. They played their / Rudyball to the same record last year in YM's first and w/o the preseason help. Who is to say that Rudyball and their way wouldn't be better especially with MoT being healthy and the addition of JJ and further emergeance of Cato? That old way stuff is bunk.... especially if you are talking "O"
Deuce: "The Rockets know this about Yao. We all do. We ALL know he can shot those jumpers and play high post. But what they are doing with Yao now is LEARNING the low post. We are trying to teach him the low post, have him dominate in the post so that he can do BOTH, the high post AND the low post." I don't think Deuce and Dakota are taking opposite positions. Clearly, with his size and the Rockets' needs, Yao must learn to dominate in the paint; however, he is clearly not ready to do it yet. First, he needs more strength; second, he needs to learn both the moves and the attitude, as well as NBA style thuggery; and third, the refs simply don't "respect" him yet. I don't see any harm in winning now with Yao at the high post, while he learns the low post in practice and training camp. He can increase his confidence and production that way, and still keep learning for next season.
Hasn't this been what they've been doing with Francis these past 4 seasons? Letting him play the way he's most comfortable (like a shooting guard) so the team can win now. Then when he's ready, he can gradually learn how to play like a point guard as he matures. It hasn't really worked with Steve and I don't see it working with Yao. The first couple of seasons in a players career is so crucial to their development. How they're taught and how they learn to play in their first couple of seasons is indicative to how they will play for the rest of their career. Steve was not taught to play like a point guard early in his career and now he's struggling because of it. If Yao is not taught how to play like a big man now, I think he'll struggle just as much.
How many people think SF played like a point guard last night? How many people think Yao dominated inside. That was SF / Rudyball. Blame NY though, their zone and effort led to that. Imagine if Yao and Cato didn't can those first 5-7 18ft jumpers they gave them!
We all know that Yao needs to improve his low-post play, and the only way to improve is to try it during the game. The issue is should Yao mix up his low-post play with out side shooting? I'd say YES. Right now, most defender stayed in the paint, so he had very easy looks at the basket, but it aslo make it harder to get good post position. If he make more outside shots, the defender will come out more, then it will help him to establish better inside position. It's all about the right mix. BTW, one thing I don't understand is WHY did Yao shoot fadeaway at 17' out? If the defender is all over, then just drive around him. There is absolutely no reason for a 7'6" guy to shoot fadeaway from that far out. --daoshi
I've been saying for a long time that Yao should be used more at the high post. True, he needs to develop his low post game. But you always develop a player's strength before you correct his weaknesses. You don't ask him to give up what he does best to "learn" what he doesn't do well IN GAMES. I think if Nellie forced Dirk to give up his outside game and "learn" the low post first, simply because he's a 7-footer, he wouldn't have been the player he is today.
