I think the Rockets either made themselves title contenders w/ this draft or completely screwed themselves for years. I really think that they will be one of the best teams in the west if Yao is as good as he is supposed to be. My predictions for how the Rockets could eventually add up against the Lakers C Ming vs Shaq---- Shaq wins out but not my too much. Ming could feasibly be the second best center in the league in a few years. Advantage Lakers PF Griff/KT/Mo (i know they all won't remain rockets forever) vs Horry--------- If Griff develops to half the player he should be then this is a no brainer, ROCKETS ALL THE WAY SF Nachbar vs Fox -------- Gets kinda sticky but I go w/ Nachbar. More offensive skills, younger, and huge upside. (slight) Advantage Rockets SG Mobley vs Kobe -------- Really, ummm, nuff said. Advantage Lakers PG Francis vs Fisher --------- Really, ummmm, nuff said. Advantage Houston If you do this w/ any other team vs the Rockets and you take into account upside then we match up w/ the best teams. Only the Kings and Dallas are all around better teams than we are based on potential. This draft was either awesome or the end of an era, time will tell. C
If you match up the 5 starters of many NBA teams, they would win 3 against the Lakers. But the obvious 2 for the Lakers overcome it because they are the 2 best players in the league.
I wouldn't worry too much about this Shaq/Ming comparison. The first couple of seasons, Shaq will abuse Ming just like everyone else. Let's not expect anything less. But if everything goes according to plan, Ming will be an absolute terror in two or three years and will overtake Shaq, who will start to look like a shell of his former self by that time.
Maybe but The Kings took them to SEVEN using the same formula SHAQ > Divac and Kobe > Christie But WEBBER > HORRY BIBBY > FISHER PEJA > Fox and the lakers needed a lil hep from the zebras Rocket River
1. Kobe was POISONED for most of the series. 2. Peja didn't play for most of the series. 3. More calls for the Kings than the Lakers in the series. Game 6 was a wash with Game 5 (Shaq 6 personals, 1 free throw). And if you think this years Rockets team will challenge the Lakers in the POs...well, keep hope alive!
Oh yeah, my formula assumes the other 3 Lakers don't have NBA skills on par with me. Meaning, DFish played like absolute dog dodo that series. And SUCKmacki gave them nothing.
A lot of people forget that in Shaq first couple of years in the league, Ewing, Robinson and Hakeem ABUSED him! in fact, it took Shaq a few years into his career until he finally lead Orlando to a win over David Robinson and the Spurs. There's going to be a learning curve. He'll put up big numbers, but he'll struggle against the other elite centers (which, thankfully, aren't nearly as many as during Shaq first few years in the league). Besides the media actually admitted that the Lakers got favorable calls. I usually don't get into that, but come on the Kings should have won Game 6! And every time a Kings player brushed against Shaq it was a foul. Kobe being "poisoned" shouldn't have made that big a deal, Christie played with a bad ankle, and Peja didn't even play at all!
1. What's your definition of ABUSED? 2. Shaq was the PLAYER OF THE WEEK his first week in the NBA. Enough f'in said. 3. Shaq was rookie of the year by a wide margain. 4. Shaq was an All-Star his rookie year. 5. Hedo (apart from Game 1 jitters played better against LA in the 02 PO's than Peja did against LA in the 01 PO's). 92-93 81 81 37.9 .562 .000 .592 4.20 9.60 13.90 1.9 .74 3.53 3.79 4.00 23.4 I think if Ming can put up HALF these numbers (scoring/boarding) then the Rocket's brass will be thrilled.
Forgot to mention there is one elite center in the NBA. So who are the other elite centers Yao will struggle against? And which ones will he dominate?
The reason why Yoa might have a chance against Shaq is because he, supposedly, has such a different style. Yao has an outside touch and ball handling skills that Shaq hasn't seen since, ahem...Dream. I'm not trying to compare, I'm just saying Yao's style means that he may have the ability to be a little more effective. We don't need Yao to wash him out, we just need Yao to not get skunked. The rest of our team can make up those points easily. The question is, we don't have an answer for Kobe.
Hopefully the Lakers can nab Christofferson so that when Yao's on the floor, Phil can sub him in for Shaq.
have you learned nothing from watching the lakers??? no one can "stop" kobe. however, it is entirely possible to neutralize kobe. the "answer" is to match kobe's point production. in other words, if kobe drops 30 on you, you need to be able to go back at him and drop 25-30 on his nappy head. and we do have that "answer". his name is cuttino...but you can call him CAT.
yeah, um difference is Kobe would be able to guard "CAT" second team all defense and all. that's a huge weakness in starting cuttino and francis. i remember one game in Houston 2 or 3 years back when Kobe was just lighting it up. like 10 for 10 to start the game. basically he'll dribble back CAT down and shoot over CAT, up and under CAT, etc. I'll never forget CAT's dumbfounded look as Barkeley threw a chair and yelled at CAT in a PO game against the Lakers. That was classic.
i just have no idea how anyone can even begin to guess how ming will match up with shaq or how nachbar will match up with fox. neither ming nor nachbar have played in the nba....what we've seen of them is quite limited. how in the world can you even guess...it's just preconceived notions at this point.
Ander, Laugh now, because every day, Shaq gets fatter and fatter, and the pressure on his feet gets greater and greater. At this rate Shaq won't last 2 years...and then what will you do? Rockets in 2005 baby....the Ming Dynasty begins. DaDakota
Christie made some trouble to Kobe. Nachbar will do the same. He is taller, very fast, energetic, and can shoot.
but kobe won't guard nachbar and nachbar won't guard kobe, so i don't see how he will cause him trouble.
Yes Shaq's health is a big concern. He needs to take care of his toe asap and trim down this summer. Maybe Ming's comments will motivate him? Oh and I wouldn't throw around injury wishes on anyone esp. a team that just used their pick on a man 7'6". Guys that tall are prone to injuries. It's bad mojo my friend.
Cat averaged 18 ppg against the Lakers, a number brought down because of one bad game where he only scored nine points. That was on a team with no other offensive weapons to defend against except a sometimes available, crippled by migraines Steve Francis. No double and triple teams on Cat when you have Eddie, Steve, Nachbar, and Mo or Ming in the lineup. In his best game against the Lakers last season he scored 26 points, so I don't know how well Kobe can really defend him. I would but Nachbar on Kobiatch and Cat on Fox, because Kobe can't just shoot right over the top of 6'9" Boki, who is said to be very quick. BTW, the game that Cat only scored 9, Kobe was not playing. Against Kobe, Cat averaged 21. Kobe did manage to average 26 points against the injury riddled Rockets. If Cat can always get 5 points less than Kobe, I like the Rockets chances.
