The problem is Yao doesn't have a decent backup. So Yao have to manage to stay on the court more without commit too many fouls. I believe that at least is one of the most important reasons why he is getting hesitant. He is no longer aggressive simply because of the bad officiating on him and the fact that we don't have a decent backup for him. I believe if we get a 7 ft C backup with rebounding skill, we will get our aggressive Yao back.
I do think Yao misses Deke, it is clear he is struggling with taller players....probably because he doesn't face any in practice. DD
He is missing dunks However, it was nice to see him make that clutch shot / free throw, that shows progress of sorts IMO
JVG and Tom T did more for Yao's game and confidence than you guys will ever realize. What part of Yao's game has improved under Adelman? Not one damn thing. He's still at the point of his career where he should be ADDING to his game, not regressing already. Hakeem came back each off-season with a new wrinkle/move to add to his game... and that was around year 7-8. Yao looks WORSE than he did 3 years ago, and its not physical at all. If anything, the physical part of the game ihas improved for him... as he wasn't able to play 40+ minutes a game when he first came into the league. Yao does need to grow up... and take it upon himself to improve... but he's so nice that he probably will just take a back-seat to T-mac and Artest to be a good teammate. You can't change that about him. Thus, he needs a coach/teammate/old coach to light a fire under him again... and I don't think Adelman/Sikma is the solution based on their usage of him thus far.
Here's your trade to stop the whining... Incoming Players David Lee 6-9 PF from Florida 10.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.8 apg in 29.6 minutes Nate Robinson 5-9 PG from Washington 15.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.5 apg in 28.1 minutes Jamal Crawford 6-5 SG / PG from Michigan 15.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.5 apg in 33.9 minutes Eddy Curry 6-11 C from Thornwood (HS) No games yet played in 2008-2009 Outgoing Players Rafer Alston 6-2 PG from Frenso State 6.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.0 apg in 30.5 minutes Ming Yao 7-6 C from China (Foreign) 17.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.2 apg in 37.6 minutes NY will sell some tickets but 1 major problem is that Eddy doesn't fit Rick's "system" either. But we can whine about 1 person instead of 2.
Which is complete hogwash. When you have Yao Ming, you don't try to get him to fit your system... you re-design your system to fit him in. All that high-post crap is useless... turns Yao into a non-factor. He no longer gets the great post-up position under Adelman. He no longer is looking to just dominate/take over games. He's scoring now simply because he's got too much talent/height not to. I'd much rather have Yao playing 30-35 minutes at the level he was at 2 years ago, than the 40+ minute version we've had the last two seasons.
This is fair enough....and I agree that the team is struggling to find it's identity right now. Is it primarily a low post team? A high post team? What? Yao only fits in a low post system....that is fairly clear, he can pop out occassionally but he is not an adapt 15 foot jump or set shooter ala Big Z in Clevland. I think when Battier is back, Artest goes to the bench and you run basically the same offense that got us the winning streak last year... And then you maybe take Yao out and put in Artest and go small and run more high post stuff with Scola etc. Right now, this team is a chemistry disaster. DD
I completely agree. What has Yao done to improve the last two years. Adelman and Jack Sikma haven't done squat. Meanwhile, our defense and rebounding continue to get worse, and now we give up more transition points. I think Adelman is an excellent coach, but this personnel is terrible for him. We will never be able to run anything resembling a motion offense with this "rusty bunch of geezers". The only positive thing Adelman has really done for us is get us Artest, since Ron loved playing under him. I wonder where we would be right now if we still had JVG. One thing for sure is the Celtics wouldn't be champs last year since they wouldn't have Thibodeau.
Ok, you guys made my day....you just reminded me that JVG was fired.....and that always makes me happy. GO ROCKETS ! DD
what can yao do to improve? the things that hinder him now aren't something a coach can help him with. 1) losing confidence? 2) can't jump? 3) slow lateral movement 4) doesn't want to dunk? we had these problems under JVG too. but maybe right now either yao isn't fully recovered from the surgery (but he said he is 100% and feel as good as ever before the season started) or he's on the decline physically. since he had little athleticism to begin with, it's going to be ugly. it's only been 2 games so we shouldn't panic. let's see how yao plays the rest of this road trip. most importantly, another thing with yao that was still there under JVG and present now: if yao's offense is not good, he's as good as a non-factor.
So, your solution to Yao and the team's success is to take away ultra-talented players and put them on the bench? Whatever. Adelman had plenty of time off-season to design a gameplan to fit Artest in WITH Yao and T-mac. At the end of games, they're supposed to all be in TOGETHER and be an advantage, not a liability. The chemistry issues exist because he has no connection/pulse with this team... and they are mirroring that with their play on the court. Chemistry, gameplans, and player rotations are at the heart of Adelman's job... he shouldn't get a pass.
I'm glad regresisng from your star player and overall apathy from your team makes you happy. The Rockets are in for a Wade Phillips-like letdown if they don't find themselves soon... hell, the similiarities are downright scary if you compare Artest to Pacman Jones.
LOL - last year I was preaching patience even when the team was 15-17...that chemistry takes time....... This year...same thing.....taking away Battier and inserting a personality like Artest is going to force all players to adjust. It may hurt and we may lose some we shouldn't early, but late, if healthy this team will be a monster. DD
Yeah... you had these problems in YEAR 2 of Yao, not Year 7. And, Yao put enough of those problems behind him during the T-mac back injury year atht we should be passed this. A coach can definitely help with a players confidence... they can make things easier for their stars, put them in position to get their confidence back. Adelman can do it... if he's still got the passion/desire. If he's too tired/lazy that's a whole nother story.
yao will be fine, adelman has proven he's a good coach... it's one thing to draw up plays and have an idea of what he wants his players to do and another to have them implement. right now he's letting them freelance and it's ugly, he's gonna have to start calling plays soon. yao hasn't played nba basketball in a long time and in addition to trying to readjust to his old teammates he's having to work in ron artest. however that doesn't mean he has to look completely lost when he gets the ball in the low post or when he's supposed to box out for a rebound. i have to believe that just like t-mac he's not 100% yet, he's just not the kind to be vocal about it.
Doesn't change the fact that Yao's game has regressed... regardless of whether or not the team is able to "gel".
Well yeah, maybe having a broken foot will do that to a guy...maybe all those lower leg injuries are mounting. OR..... Maybe it is all in his head and he needs to discover his place on this team. DD
it takes more than 2 games to have that assessment. way too premature and idiotic. i still have confidence in yao. is it frustrating? of course. but he's been too consistent for me to doubt him. i want to see how he plays the rest of the road trip. however, the thing that does concern me is his lack of confidence. he's playing scared and lost out there. i've never seen him like this. it's like he's a rookie again.
