Yao needs to be constantly moving on offence to play Shaq. If he tries to go one on one with Shaq, he's going to be held, pushed and he's going to miss his shots. This would also require Yao to build up his endurance and stamina, but the way to play Shaq is to not let him hook you or catch you. No complaints about his defence. Though Shaq is going to be much tougher the next time, so we'll see how he can adjust after that.
I don't feel we are over-estimating the China man for the most part. If you watched the Lakers game, you have to acknowledge that Yao's presense made a tremendous difference. The think I love about this kid is he is not a stat hound. All he cares about is the W. Yao makes Houston so much better defensively it isn't even funny. Yeah, Shaq got his 30, probably over 10 of those against Cato, and a lot of the rest were junk at the end. But Yao altered Shaq's game and that my friend is saying a LOT! For one player to alter Shaq's game, on top of that being the first time meeting, man come on. Shaq will never destroy Yao. He may beat him up statistically, he may beat him up physically, but in the meantime, Yao is gonna be hounding, and pushing and blocking shots and causing Shaq havic. You could see it in Shaq's eyes. He knows he has to play at a different level with Yao. He knows he's gotta use his noggin, not just brute strength. The next few years are going to be really interesting. I was especially pleased that Yao took the physical stuff so well. The guy has a great head. He simply doesn't get involved in the ego junk. And that puts him on a different level right there. Shaq can dunk on Yao, and it doesn't make any difference, Yao is gonna come right back down, put a post move on Shaq, and then hound him again on the defensive end. If a couple of those turnaround shots would have fallen for Yao in the lakers game, why he would have been at 20 before you know it. I'm sorry but the truth is that Yao is a dominating presence, defensively and offensively. And he is a rookie and he just faced Shaq for the first time. And he lacks bulk up top. But the dude still held his own and changed the game. It was fortunate for LA that their guys were hitting from the perimeter. If they had been off just a little, this game would have been a blowout. Just wait til he gets more experience and learns the players in this league. Just wait til he puts on more muscle up top. It's good already for the Rockets. And it's only going to get better.
Last year I read a report from somewhere (NBC News?) a man was shot in a Chinese Resturant because he called the owner or cook or waiter "China Man". Cannot remember the details, but I learned from the accident that that title is very offensive to some people.
Yao needs to work on building his endurance. The opening minutes had Yao blocking Shaq three times. The closing minutes had Shaq dunking on Yao at least a couple times. That say a lot about their respective endurance to me.
You call blaming the game on the refs afterwards is classy? That guy should have taken it like a man. He was classy towards Yao though, but if he wasnt, the whole world would be out to get him.
I was thinking about this earlier today. It seems that Shaq doesn't work very hard while he's playing. By that I mean this: notice that Yao is constantly running to and fro, setting pics, running at people, switching on defense, just basically being very active most of the time. Shaq on the other hand, camps out in the paint and waits for the ball on offence, or for a dribbler to the lane on defense. He pretty much stands around. Yao surely can improve on his endurance, but I have to believe that the way he is used, will wear him out quicker than if he were to play like Shaq. It's too bad that for all the pics that Yao sets, for all the times that he rolls to the basket, he doesn't get the pass.
No, no, I am very glad that Houston has won. But my point is made. Yao is no way close to Shaq. I think he held his own and that's great, but he has a LONG way to go to outdo Shaq. In some of the earlier posts, when I suggested that if L.A. were to offer Shaq in exchange for our Yao, we should jump at it. But there were dozens of posters saying "no no no Yao is better than Shaq". I think I can rest my case on that on not go on about a point which is already clear as crystal: Shaq is very much better than Yao, and if the trade is offered, we better take it. I am glad for Yao. The three early blocks were nice. I would say he wasn't as badly destroyed as I thought he would be. Shaq came out underestimating him a bit. But once Shaq got rolling, there was really no match. Towards the end of the game, it was really a lesson in tough basketball by the L.A. big man. Kudos to Franchise, our somewhat forgotten hero. He is really the man behind the team. Wake up all u Yao fans and realise who the "Rock" in "Rockets" is. It ain't Yao. Shift the hype back where it should be, to ol' Stevie.
You sound bitter. It's not Yao Ming's fault that the media create the hype for him, is it? And what's the problem that the hype is for Yao or Francis? They are both Rockets players. Please don't create a "X or Y" argument here.
So you decide who is better than who in one game, is that it? When Shaq first came into NBA, he got schooled by Hakeem in the first meeting. So what do you say? Hakeem is very much better than Shaq? Nonsense. Yao lacks stamina, that's why you see Shaq overpowering Yao at OT. And Rockets and Yao are working on it. Nobody says Franchise is nothing. He is very good. But let me ask people questions right now: where do you think Rockets is right now without Yao? I don't think it goes as far as 23-15 on January. Remember, Francis has been in the Rockets for a while, but Rockets has never been as good as right now.
No ****? He's 22 years old. Remember what Hakeem did to young Shaq? Come back and see us 10 years and a couple of championships from now.
houstonkk, SF had a great game and played like a true point guard for most part of the game.I am proud of him,and he deserves lots of praise.But tell me,do you truly think rox would win this game w/o yao in it...? I seriously doubt it.Remember yao and sf complements each other a lot;although,statwise it may not show that on yao 's part.yao bought all these intangible things...to me, yao and sf should maintain a symbiotic relationship if rockets are to win games.Simple as that!
Yao did pretty well against Shaq, given that he hurted his finger after having 3 blocks on and 3 shots over Shaq in the middle of the first quarter. Also, we have to filter in the fatigue factor for Yao who has played continuously for more than three years while Shaq has rested for many months and peaked right before this game. I wouldn't not trade an upward 22-year-old Yao for a going-downhill 30-year-old Shaq
