http://sports.sina.com.cn/s/2004-11-29/0558428769s.shtml Gundy cares more about Yao's defense and rebounding than scoring. He wants Yao to be more active and quicker on defense. Right now Gundy's requirements of Yao in order are: 1. Speed 2. Strength 3. Skills Gundy doesn't like Yao to move closer to the basket to shoot. He wants Yao to create opportunities for others, which is harder near the basket because his court view will be blocked. According to Yao, that's why he takes more and more 10 ft hook shots. Discuss.
My opinions, Gundy exposes Yao's weakness. Gundy's defensive requirement is conflicting. When Yao chases a defender up to the 3pt line, he would be out of position for rebounds and blocks. Also, because Mo and Juwan are not good box out defenders, it's hard for Yao to fight three opponents to snatch rebounds.
Do you really believe this or are you just defending Yao? Yao is hardly a good boxer-outer himself. He never puts a body on people. Despite Yao's lack of quickness and jumping ability, I think he can be a fine rebounder if he grasped better technique. Most of his missed rebounds are due to someone coming right around him and out fighting him for it.
I believe it has some truth. Our rebounding effort should be more organized. Yeah, I think he's at least good for 9 rbs.
Nothing further from the truth. Most of the time, and I mean most of the time Yao has his guy boxed out , rather than going for the rebounds, much more so last 2 years. It seems to be lesser this year probably because of the fatigue factor. With all the time spent out near the 3-point line stopping PnR, posting and reposting and setting multiple screens, Yao's weakness is totally exposed by JVG. It's totally despicable for you to accuse Yao of "never puts a body on people".
How? Common are we this fickle now? We are supposed to be the best fans in the world and the most knowledgeable. Those demand of Yao is still the same his coaches in China had for him (along those lines) - to he big at all times. So now we want Yao to be another Pau Gasol? Why not trade him for Gasol then because before Yao came to the Rox, he was a poor man's Gasol. Yao has an assortment of offensive skills and JVG wants to see become great by working on other pertinent areas and now he is accused of a plot to destroy Yao. Has it occured to any of us that JVG wants to win badly too or are you/we trying to say that JVG is too dumb to know how to win in the NBA? Ridiculous...
Yeah, codell. Just because Yao doesn't box out for rebounds and even when he does, he fumbles the ball away to a smaller defender (I witnessed this at least 3 times the last game), it's not his fault. I don't know how you sleep at night, sir.
Isn't this the exact opposite of Yao's strengths? The guy has incredible skills, good strength this year due to all the working out he's been doing. But pretty poor speed and explosiveness to the ball. Also, if JVG is going to want Yao to be a great defender/rebounder, why not just trade him away for, say, Ben Wallace? I'm sure Detroit would salivate over such a thing. It's obvious that JVG is not adjusting to Yao's strengths. Yao is not a complete player due to some physical limitations. He is someone who's VERY good at some aspects of the game, but pretty mediocre at others. Instead of making him complete, JVG should be focusing on getting other players, especially our PFs, to cover up Yao's weaknesses so our team play can improve.
Lamar Odom + Chris Mihm for Yao and Mo Salaries match up. Maybe this is what is best for all. Yao and Mo get reunited with Rudy T. Lamar Odom is an athletic forward who can be very aggressive in JVG's defense. Lamar Odom can bring the ball up the floor too. Mihm is quicker than Yao which allows for fast defensive rotations. I think Divac is the best teacher for Yao consider Yao specifically said Divac was a player he watched a lot of game tapes often back before he was drafted. I never remembered he said he watched game tapes of Ewing. Rudy T loves Mo. I'm pretty sure Rudy T would endorse this trade. Kobe won't have a problem with it. I'm sure the owner of the Lakers will do it in a second. Kobe will still run the show, but Yao and Mo will be roleplayers. Maybe the Lakers throw in a 1st round draft pick.
The sick thing was that we would have gotten Odom and Amare with that trade. Amare was second on our list behind Yao. So it would have been Stevie, Cat, Odom, Amare, and Cato as our starting lineup.
Actually its with Odom running the point and Steve and Cuttino running the wings. Even Francis and Cuttino knew Francis couldn't run the point.
Any coach or GM or owner in the league would do it providing they were the ones getting Yao Ming. Christ most GMs would surely throw in a first just to keep from feeling so guilty.
Hindsight is 20/20 and that team would be the most bone-headed, turnover-prone lineup in the history of the sport.
We turn the ball over in stupid situations anyway........At least they would be more fun to watch but Im happy we have Yao though and wouldnt have it any other way.
