Screw All That Analysis! Here Is The Biggest "Duh" Ever!

This will be true not just for the playoffs but for the entire future of this franchise. The #1 unexploited variable by orders of magnitude is Yao. We'll find out what a desire for excellence without a desire for dominance can do.

 

Yao is the Y factor.

 

I agree.. people say BSura / DWes / or CSpoon are our teams X-factor but I think the one person that has the biggest impact on our team winning or losing the series will be Yao.

If Yao is his normal self we will probably still reach the WCF's (with some luck) but if he can step it up a notch and average

24pts/12rebs/4blks while maintaining his high FG% I dont see any reason why we cant contend for a championship this year with Yao as the MVP.

Tmac is our biggest offensive threat but when Yao is on his game and active he becomes the difference between pretender and contender.

J

 

I don't disagree, but if theimplication is that the intimidation has to come from the interior, I think it is untrue, as proven by the Bulls 6 championships. Very good interior role players, not particularly intimidating. Going up against Jordan in the playoffs, on the other hand, can't get more intimidating.

In our case, Tracy McGrady isn't Jordan, so you're right. Yao will need to play well....good stats, efficient game, minimize turnovers, a defensive presence on the interior.

 

Poor Deke just keeps on getting older and older. By next week people will be talking about how well he is playing at 78.

 

Yao's performance is pretty important, but you can't deny that the performance of guys like Sura, Mutombo, Wesley, and Barry are going to be just as pivotal.

 

Unlike other teams, rebound especially defensive rebound means a lot of teamwork for our atheleteless squad. I don't care too much about YM's personal reb stat. As long as we don't give up more than 10 offensive rebounds per game to dallas, I can live with YM's 8 rebounds stat line.

 

If Yao absolutely DOMINATES, and T-Mac drops his usual 30+, role players would have to suck MAJORLY for us to not win. That is the point of this thread. If Yao plays like Shaq and Tracy is his Kobe, we're gonna be unstoppable. It is up to Yao to perform...

 

You say that as if you will be dissapointed if Yao doesn't play like Shaq.

How many games has Yao truly dominated this year? Only a select few. He won't play like Shaq...I can tell you that right now.

But there is no reason he can't get 20 points, 9-11 boards and a couple of blocks, in which case, our role players would still have to suck majorly for us to lose, if T-Mac is getting his.

 

I'm not disappointed if he doesn't dominate, but then obviously our role players must take bigger roles.

And I must say I'm very encouraged of Yaos play as of late. Maybe, just maybe, he finds still another gear, and raises his level of play to dominance. Hey, we atleast dream he will someday ..

 

Well yeah, there's no one in the league who can truly guard him... but Dallas is doing better than most with Dampier and Bradley, you know.

 

with players who guard him very physical I hope Yao learns to player smarter, by trying to mix things up more with Damp.

example:

Yao usually starts with a fadeway jumpshot.
Drive in try and draw a foul (main focus is getting to the FT line)
Jump hook
Bait the defender and try to draw more fouls

That is one of the main things Yao needs to learn is how to draw fouls and get himself on the FT line.

If Damp picks up a couple quick fouls Yao will have a field day.

J

 

If Yao decides to take it up two levels and play like a monster,

Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I'm going to be at the parade.

Ring Number Three

 

One objection:

I think the idea that you can slot Deke in, and he'll somehow play as well as he does in liminuted minutes, is unpromising.

He was regarded as a moderate failure the past two seasons. That's partly because of higher expectations, but more because he couldn't fulfill the role any longer. He's not a starter. If you pit him, for 30 minutes, against the starters on the other team - he's going to fail.

Deke is not a possible, even temporary, replacement for Yao. Not anymore.

 

Throughout the second half of the season, Yao's done a fine job of holding the ball strong and out of reach of the defenders.

In the current winning streak, when he's on the court, he's made aggressive moves to the basket.

In the playoffs, refs tend to hold their whistles on the ticky-tack bs type calls Yao's so proned to receiving.

So I like his chances

 

"Welcome to the machine"

 

24pts/12rebs/4blks - that's a little to far out Yao's comfort zone.

 

Actually, it's not just as simple as Yao stepping it up. This is a team game, so the play of each player can cause an effect on another.

Dallas will likely start off by simply guarding Yao with Dampier. This is the crucial part. If Yao can beat Dampier one-on-one, then the Mavs will have to double. Then it's up to the shooters to hit their shots. If they can't hit their shots, then it doesn't matter what Yao does. He's not good enough to kill double teams. It just doesn't happen. But if the outside shooters are on, then Dallas will not be able to defend our offense no matter what they do.

 

I think that Yao and T-mac will have their usual stats, but is up to WESLEY, SURA, JAMES, PADGETT, and BARRY to knock down shots, and I believe they will cause only James has won a championship out of the three.