SHAQ IS GOING TO EMBARASS MING Yao has been playing great and deservess his credit. However,although he has good numbers for a center in the league,he is not worthy of starting the all star game this year. He is only leading in votes because he has an entire continent worth of votes (CHINA) that can and will vote for him to start. I have a bad feeling tha SHAQ will take this personally and as if he doesn't already want to kill MING but now that people are going to start to think MING is better than he is, SHaq will absolulety beat up and trounce YAO in their first meeting to show the world that he is still the best. I fear for Yao's life on Jan17th.
Don't worry. If Yao Ming is the real man, he will learn to deal with Shaq, even though he will be humiliated by Shaq a couple of times, or even for a couple of years.
Let's be real. shaq should embarrass Yao. Shaq has been the most dominant player in the NBA for nearly 5 years. He is one of the 4 greatest centers of all time, and is near the peak of his career. And I don't even like him. It will be news if shaq does not dominate Yao. Yao's teammates will have to make sure that there is no injury or ill will.
I also believe Stern will assign some experienced referees to make sure Yao Ming will finish the game alive.
its not just china that's voting for him. la laker fans are voting for yao too. i read some messages on the laker fans message board, and they say maybe yao deserves it more since his team is doing better than the lakers and also some laker fans are voting for yao just to piss shaq off so that shaq has extra motivation and plays better.
I think Shaq is mostly talk when it comes to dirty play and fighting. Sure, he's had a few scuffles in the past, but most of his domination comes from how he plays. Yao will very likely lose the battle on the 17th, but other than a few bruises from Shaq pounding him down low, Yao will come out of it ok. I don't think Shaq is the type of person to intentionally try to hurt someone. just my opinion...
On paper and according to the Dick Vitales of this world, Duncan, Robinson, Manute Bol, George Muresan, Brad Miller, Shawn Bradley etc were all supposed to destroy Yao Ming also. What I have learnt so far this season is never to under esstimate Yao anymore. On paper it looks like Shaq (a determined one for that matter) will eat Yao for dinner come Friday the 17th but you just never know.
This thread is so tired. Everybody including YAO knows what SHAQ is capable of. Do you really think that YAO is not going to be prepared for SHAQ? YAO has met all the challenges, YAO has silenced most of the critics, and YAO will respond to SHAQ is a way that is complimentary to his game. Quit tripping
A voice of reason at last! Yao will do just fine, perhaps even better than the most optimistic of us expect. Personally, I hope the referees pay close attention to the center play because Shaquille will foul out quickly under any kind of fair, unbiased scrutiny.
Easy, throw cato in first ,who can help out Ming. have Cato start some sort of brawl with Shaq. Laker doesnt have a legitimit backup center!
To face Shaq, Yao can not win the match head-to-head. Instead Yao and Rockets should run play avoid any directly low post confrontation. Here are what this game should look like. - Get Cato in lineup with Yao at the same time. At least let Cato guard Shaq first quater - start with 18 ft, draw Shaq out, then start a series of pick & roll - throw no-look pass over Shaq ......
I ran into a friend of mine at work (he usually works in one of our other officers). He's a Fakers fan but I try not to hold it against him. I talked to him about Yao and how well he's playing and my buddy starts talking about how Shaq'll kill him blah blah blah. Well, the way the refs let Shaq bowl people down with that shoulder....yeah. Shaq just might kill him. I think it's understood (especially by Shaq) that Shaq should dominate the matchup, because if he doesn't, then he's really gonna look old and tired.
Why should we worry, Yao Ming has met everyone so far that was going to dominate him and walked away smiling. We have seen him double teamed, triple teamed, pushed out of the post, thrown to the floor and nobody has seen him do anything other then smile and continue to play. The refs also have seen this and it is not going unnoticed in the league office. He will be fine againest Shaq and his group, they have bigger problems then playing againest Ming, making the play-offs for starters. YES Yao Ming deserves to be the all star starter, regardless of where the votes are coming from. There is not a center in the west that is playing better "this year" and that is what the vote should be about.
Good idea...but I got a better one. Use Jason Collier instead. Everyone knows that Collier could kick Shaq's butt and he could probably take on the whole Laker team. That way, not only Shaq is ejected, but the Lakers as well. Easy win for us at the expense of Collier starting a fight.
It'll be fun. The rematch even better. And for years to come. Even if Shaq dominates I don't expect Yao to be 'destroyed' etc. And if Shaq makes it all about himself/Yao I like the Rox chances for a 'W'!
I think Shaq will probably go off on Yao on the 17th. Because he takes his big body and pretty much commits an (uncalled) offensive foul on his defender every time he goes to the basket. It's a disgrace what the refs let Shaq get away with.
Have you guys learned NOTHING from all the writers who called Yao a "bust" or "the next coming of Shawn Bradley"??? I mean, if you absolutely WANT to have to come back and say how wrong you were, I guess go for it. But, if you have learned ANYTHING by now, it is not to make predictions of this nature about Yao and what he can do on the basketball floor. Most likely, you'll be the one's embarrassed, not Yao.
I think Shaq and the Lakers could dominate in the first and early second quarters. But if the Rockets run then Shaq will get tired out and the Rockets will dominate the third and early fourth. I've noticed lately Shaq is becoming a nonfactor in the fourth quarters. He needs to lose 30-40 pounds or limit his minutes in the first half.
