If Yao plays with the same intensity he did in the 4th quarter of game 7... ALL the time... he could be the best player in the NBA. The biggest question is if Yao simply needs a more aggressive mindset to bring that intensity, or is he physically limited by his own stature/low-stamina. I do know one thing... whenever Yao is ANGRY (whether a ref screwed him on a call, or a player is being ultra-aggressive with him), or Yao's back is to the wall (game 7, 4th quarter)... Yao takes it up a gear. Learning how to play in that higher gear over a SUSTAINED period of time is what separates all-stars from superstars from HOFers.
Yup. Sadly, however, that will never happen. Yao is not a guy that can sustain his energy and his effectiveness throughout an entire game. He always gets tired, he's always gasping for breath, and he's much slower than Duncan and therefore isn't able to do a lot of the things TD does. Just face it: Yao is a 7'6" behemoth and promises to be for the rest of his career. He's in pretty much as a good a shape as a guy his size can be, but will it ever be good enough? Or will he always be a step too slow, and a bit too big for his own good? That's the real question...
Get him some help in the low block . against the jazz he had to cover boozer and okur due to our shortcomings on our roster. being 7'6, it's a chore just to carry that monster frame around. we need to get him help so he can perserve he's energy better and he will be more productive...
Easier said than done... there simply aren't quality PF's just sitting around doing nothing. Let alone ones that have the ability to hit an open shot, rebound, and be an interior defensive presence.
The problem is we need him to play more minutes and do so without having to bend down and labor for breaths at mid-court during a playoff game. The difference between him and guys like Shaq, Dream and others is that those guys could put in 40+ minutes on any given night when called upon to do so, AND do so effectively. Yao's stamina issues will always be a physical shortcoming that, IMO, will continue to cost the Rockets in the playoffs moving forward. It's not his fault and there is really nothing more he can do but to continue and strive to improve his physical fitness. But as we saw in the waning moments of a Game 7 that we all but had in the bag (up 5), Yao couldn't secure his rebounds, Boozer did, Okur made two threes as a direct result of Yao failing to secure the rebounds, Jazz win the game and the series. Again, his fault or not, physically limited or not, this is not the last time you will see Yao's lack of stamina and slow-footedness cost us key rebounds/defensive stops and at times even close games like that Jazz game. But having said all that, I fully agree with you: the Rockets MUST work to cover for his deficiencies. Same applies to McGrady's deficiencies. However, where exactly are we going to get that PF that can shoot, defend, rebound and is tall enough to play key PFs in the West without getting completely abused and humiliated? Unless Le$ is willing to take on KG's contract and Minny is willing to get trash back in return, I don't see many options out there that are practical solutions. That will be no easy task and one I am not too optimistic will be addressed in this offseason.
how many ppl play in the post nowadays? 3? shaq, yao, and duncan. so that's nothing surprising. yao is one of the very best in the post b/c there's only 3 playeres who play in the post now w/ today's new rules.
You think its the rules? I don't. The bottom line is that the league experienced a GOLDEN age of skilled big men in the 80's and 90's... Olajuwon, Ewing, Robinson, Shaq... then Duncan. Its not the rules... Dirk was shooting 3's long before he came into the league, and long after he grew to 7 foot. KG was playing PG in HS when he was 7 feet tall. Amare may yet develop a low-post game to complement his tenaciousness (much like a young Hakeem). I'm pretty satisfied that Yao actually was able to develop a high calibur low-post game... there were many here who doubted if he'd ever gain enough strength after seeing the gawky rookie fall all over the place when he tried to post up. Now, if he wants to utilize high post to mix it up, so be it... its A LOT easier to transition to the high post after learning how to dominate the low block... than vice versa.
I bet Shaq didn't see Yao get stuffed by freaking Okur left and right otherwise he wouldn't have changed his view. But anyway a classy complement from Shaq.
Well, we gotta adress this issue. you just cant keep asking yao to do the same thing against the elite teams like utah and expect to be successfull. be it through a trade or the draft. if les is seriouse about putting forward a championship calibare squad, he'll have to bite the bullet and go over the luxtuary tax threshold.someone like Jumaine O'neal would elevate this team into the very, very, very elite bracket. if the rckets are willing to spend, the problem can be adressed...
The Rockets gotta be smarter with yao's minutes management. we gotta play him less minutes say in the 2nd quarter and even in the 3rd, unleash him in the 4th with a spring in he's giagantic steps ...... with yao and he's physical limitations, we have no other choice.
It's more like we need better offensive player, and a better offensive system. If you look at the Spurs, not until the critical point of the game when they let Duncan go 1 on 1, for power play. Most of the time, their offense is created by Parker, Manu penetrating and PnR. You can let Yao muscle it out for 40 minutes and still expect him to feel fresh...
uh when duncan is guarded 1-on-1, he's gonna get the ball. he has been shooting a lot the first 3 games b/c of single coverage. he didn't shoot a lot tonight b/c of double teams. the offense is created by tmac anyways. yao is just expected to get position and finish. but he cna't get good position v. utah. he's always 15-17 ft outside and thus he has to do more work than necessary.
with the amount of hate on JVG its surprising how easily you guys forget he devloped Yao and his low post game
