From Sun Sentinel Defense braces for unstoppable Yao By Harvey Fialkov Staff writer Posted December 16 2002 MIAMI · While Heat players were given the day off Sunday, assistant coach Stan Van Gundy was busy concocting defenses in an attempt to neutralize Houston Rockets blossoming 7-foot-5 rookie center Yao Ming. Slingshots aren't allowed, however Van Gundy didn't rule them out against China's tallest export, the No. 1 draft pick who has stunned NBA observers with his rapid ascension into the upper stratosphere of dominant centers. "Can you front him and prevent him from getting the ball?" Van Gundy wondered. "He's so darned tall, even with the front, they can throw it over the top. Now, you're not in great position. Or do you just play behind him and stay between him and the basket and not let him in too deep, and just hope he misses some? "The second question is how much are you going to double-team him? He's such a good passer, and he's got guys like [Steve] Francis and [Cuttino] Mobley out there." Yao, who started out slowly, is on a roll, averaging nearly 17 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots in his past five games. He is shooting an NBA-high 58.5 percent from the field and is bidding to become the only rookie other than Jerry Lucas ('64) to lead the league in that category. For the 22-year-old Yao, who made all nine of his shots in an early-season game against the Lakers (sans Shaquille O'Neal), the ceiling is limitless. "He's a lot stronger than people think," said injured big man Sean Marks, who other than sidelined Alonzo Mourning is the only current Heat player to ever face Yao when they tangled in the 2000 Olympics and a series of exhibitions. "He's got some solid legs under him and his upper body will fill out. ... If you put up anything weak like a finger roll, it'll be swatted right back at you." Marks witnessed Yao's improvement at last summer's World Championships when he averaged 21 points (75.3 percent shooting) and 9.3 rebounds. "There was nobody who could physically stop him," said Marks, who couldn't play for his New Zealand team against China due to an eye injury. "He was getting his 20-30 points. Obviously, he's a good player, and he's going to be a great player." Heat 6-9 center Brian Grant and 7-1 backup Vladimir Stepania said they would run the court and go right at Yao on the offensive end, in hopes of drawing fouls and tiring him. On defense, they'll dare Yao to shoot over them while trying to avoid double teams. "I hope by some time [tonight] before the game, we could find a weakness," Van Gundy said. The league is still investigating coach Pat Riley's outburst against the officiating. A decision on a possible fine or suspension is expected today.
Another One from Miami Herald Wasted comeback Heat overcomes 14-point deficit before falling to Rockets in overtime BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ igutierrez@herald.com More photos SQUEEZE PLAY: Rockets rookie center Yao Ming battles for a rebound with the Heat's Caron Butler, front, and Brian Grant in the second quarter of Houston's 105-100 overtime victory Monday night. Yao had 15 points and 12 rebounds. JEFFREY BOAN / el Nuevo Herald Yao Ming caused all the fuss in Miami. Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley caused all the heartache. Even with the presence of a 7-5 center, the Rockets' backcourt tandem proved it is still the pulse of the Houston franchise, one sending the game to overtime with a buzzer-beating three, the other coming up with a crucial steal at the end of overtime. Yao had his moments in his Miami debut. But it was Francis and Mobley who carried the Rockets to a 105-100 win over the Heat. After Miami fought back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to take a three-point lead with five second left, Francis hit a difficult three-pointer over the outstretched arm of Brian Grant to send the game to an extra session. ''We knew exactly what they were going to run,'' said the Heat's Eddie Jones, who finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. ``We saw it about four or five times on the edit tape. The guy [Francis] hit a tough, tough shot. Brian was all over him. I give him credit for hitting a tough shot.'' In the overtime session, the Heat still could not stop the penetration of Mobley and Francis. Even after Jones hit a three-pointer to give the Heat a 101-100 lead, it was Mobley, who scored four points in the extra session, who turned right back to put the Rockets ahead by one. On the following Heat possession, Mobley stopped Jones' penetration at the top of the key. While Jones was looking for a teammate to get him out of a jam, Mobley tipped the ball away from Jones and to Francis, who called a timeout. ''He stopped me and then I started trying to pass,'' Jones said. ``The ball popped out. I cost us. I definitely cost us.'' Jones might have cost the Heat on that play, but it was his inspiring play that got the Heat back in the game in the fourth quarter. With Miami trailing 77-63 early in the fourth quarter, Jones scored 12 consecutive points to bring the Heat to within two. When the Rockets built their lead back up to 86-81 with less than two minutes left, it was a Jones three-pointer and assist to Caron Butler on the break that tied the score at 86-86. Jones also hit the two free throws with five seconds left in regulation that gave the Heat a three-point lead, giving him 17 for the quarter. ''He was really great,'' Heat coach Pat Riley said of Jones. ``We just couldn't get that one last stop.'' On the final play of regulation, Francis took the ball from Yao, got a screen and found himself at the top of the three-point circle with Grant defending him. Francis elevated, shot and drained it. ''We've used that play several times,'' Yao said through a translator. ``Maybe we should change it up, and I should shoot the three.'' Part of the 7-5 Chinese center's appeal is his personality, but that's not what basketball fans came to see at AmericanAirlines Arena. Yao started the game off slowly, missing his first shot and only getting to four rebounds in the first half. As the game progressed, though, he began to take advantage of his size and tree-trunk-like legs to move Grant and Malik Allen out of the paint. Yao, who did have a couple of dunks on offensive putbacks and another off a slick pass from Steve Francis, finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. Two of those blocks were against Butler, who tried twice to dunk on the 7-5 rookie. Both times Butler was rejected, the most impressive coming late in the fourth period in a tight game. ''He's a tree,'' Butler said. ``He's a big dude. You can't go over him and you try to go around him, but his wing span is ridiculous -- it's 8 feet or something.'' Although it was Mobley and Francis' combined 48 points that did in the Heat, Riley believes it will be Yao's presence that eventually puts the Rockets over the top. ''He's going to be a great addition with them as he grows with them and matures with them,'' Riley said. ``[Mobley and Francis] will probably take a little bit off their game because they have a relief guy now
No, fronting yao is not the answer. It just looked like that because Rocket guards are so inept at making post entry passes. Think about it for a minute. All you need is a nice lob over the fronting player for an easy layup for a guy who has 7 inch height advantage. This wasnt that hard especially considering that a lot of times when Heat fronted Yao, they had no weak side defense to cover Yao! Another easy method to get Yao the bal when being fronted, is to run pick and roll with Ming and a guard executing it, and then feed him the ball while he rolls to the basket. He is a big target, he cant be missed!! Well apprently, Rocket guards and forwards can though. Rockets ran this play only one time the entire game with Ming and RIce running it, and end result was Ming catching the ball right under the basket and Grant was helpless then. It was really frustrating to watch Rockets game yesterday,. even though they won. Only Rice and Griffin seem to realize how to play off a big person. Several times in game I saw Cuttino, Steve and Thomas drive to the basket and try to make tought passes when they could have easily dropped to Yao underneathe the basket for easy deuce. Why make the game harder than it really is? Unless you are so absorbed in yourself as most Rocket players are.
Bulter: I'm gonna dunk on this big dude! Ming rejected Bulter's attemp. " I don't really like those weak stuff" Yao said through a translator " Sometime the hardest challenge is easier than the easiest but not harder than hard"
The thing is, Miami did a helluva job staying all over YM all night..Grant especially made it very difficult for him to establish position, and by the time he did...the play was already going to another option. Whether or not the guards know how or not, YM saw his toughest game in terms of defense on him. He had to have been exhausted by the end of that game...41 minutes? battling for position all nite...tough game for the big fella.. But as usual for him, if he couldn't get shots, he made them pay in other ways. 8 off boards..considering how boxed out he was, this is an incredible stat. On a related matter. To all posters who are screaming like little girls about how Yao isnt getting the touchs or how the guards are blowing him off.. How many of you actually watched the game? Did you not see that he wasnt in position to recieve the pass most of the night? ave you noit paid attention when YM himself says that he didnt come here to get stats or set records? He plays for the team, if he can best help the team by playin good D and cleaning off the glass...thats what he will do. Why dont you guys take his lead and just be glad that we pulled a toughie out in OT? Yall are testing my already worn out patience.
