exactly, just amazed how many people have the fantasy that Yao would put Jazz away. It's the opposite!!
totally, Boozer created huge match up problem for us last year. Even with Scolandry, Yao can't guard any one on that Jazz team. Next year, RA should be bold enough to leave Yao on the bench more when we have this kinda bad defensive match up. This would rest Yao more and help the team, win-win situation.
THANK YOU !!! I have been saying all year that the Jazz are good but a cut below the best in the Western conference. Dwill is great....Boozer is very good.....Okur is overated, AK is too, Brewer is young but not a great shooter. Milsap is a good player, Korver is easily guarded, and Price is ...well....barely above a D-leaguer. They are a good team, but HARDLY great. I mean the Rockets are playing without their best player and this series is very close.... Utah is no threat to win the West.....at all. DD
Think to yourself what position boozer plays in last year's game. If not C, who is playing C? No one? Then who should Yao guard? Think it over, that's the exactly why Boozer isn't that effective this year.
Last year, Yao covered Boozer a lot because Okur has 3 point range and he'd pull Yao too far from the basket if that was his assignment. So, the PFs got Okur and Yao got Boozer, who is too fast for him. But, people are going a little nuts thinking Yao is a liability against Utah. They put him in a defensive quandry being too slow to guard Boozer inside or Okur outside. But, he's still a huge defensive asset guarding the lane and a huge offensive asset. Mutombo, Scola, Landry and Hayes may be doing a good job keeping a lid on Boozer, but don't compare with the impact Yao would have on the series.
Boozer was in a major slump before the playoffs even started. He averaged 14 ppg and 7 rpg in April. Deke is sagging back and letting him take plenty of unguarded midrange jumpers, and the shot just isn't falling. Last year it was automatic. If we had Yao, Boozer might be scoring a few more points per game, but nothing like last year. And we'd be killing Utah on the other end of the court.
Yes yao is the gift and the curse. How can boozer be too quick for yao and not deke? Its my clock theory. If yao isn't dominating the matchup, the it doesn't balance out. I wonder how many to's the rox are avg in this series? I'm willing to bet its less than last yr. I'm not trying to jink the team, but boozer is being guarded by deke, hayes, and landry. A 44 yrs old, a undersized pf, and a rookie. If u look at when the rox have the most success is when deke is in the game shutting down the middle. Once again, I'm not trying to bash Yao, but when u avg less than a block per game in the playoffs, ur not dominating the paint. I think it really shines a light on how good or bad the rox can be with or without yao. When I said earlier in the season that I would trade yao for Kaman,thomas and a 1st rd pick. It wasn't to diminish yao as a good player, he is a good player, but he isn't a dominates player. He can be at times, then there are times when he's just ok. Being the biggest, most skillful guy in the league, u have tol dominate. If u can't, the rox need to get a guy that can score in the post, rebound,defend, and not be such a liablity by the quickness of the game. I'll take I'll take take 16-13-3 and the production of thomas plus that lotto pick for yao.
agreed, in short, the impact would be huge and on both ends. But, it's not all positive. Basically, I will say it's a wash overall, give or take a few points. The key to Rox's success is the coach needs to understand that and use Yao wisely!! Don't follow those stupid comments like "just throw the ball to the big follow", he was blocked by a 5'9" guy.
