The preseason games are more revealing than most think.

inside stuff

 

Uhh... is Jim Jackson not allowed to lead?

 

Maybe you should learn how to read, go compare his rookie year stats with his second year stats.

 

To be honest with you guys, I truly think there are way too many Yao-haters, and Rockets-haters lurking on this forum. They intentionally throw well thought out remarks, and posts about our players in order to stir things up.

Too bad some of our Rockets fan are so eager and happy to go along with that. humm.

 

"I wouldn't even compare Yao with Hakeem."
My god,I just got a feeling,you are a Hakeem-hater

 

I just put this guy on my ignore list.

 

I would say Yao has all the makings to be a GOOD leader. Look at what he did in the Olympics. He took the China team on his back, scolded them when they didn't come to play and praised them when they upset Serbia. He WAS the leader of that team and I believe he can do that for the Rockets. I dont know if it is his reported shyness or the fact he is playing with veterans, he just hasn't showed it here YET. I know he has improved in this category with the Rockets because, during the Magic game, he was yelling at the guards where to throw him the ball in the post, or even pointing to the backcourt which side he WANTED the ball at.

Some poeple need to chill. This is the preseason and there is no way we would truely be able to measure Yao's progress during this period. As Bill Worrell & Bullard where saying during the Magic game, the team hasn't called as many plays for Yao as they will in a real game cause they wanted to test other players.

All I have to say to those who make judgements of a player's character based on a preseason.. I am just glad you guys are not the Rockets GM or we would certainly be the worst franchise in the league.

 

The last time i checked, yao scored 7 of the first 11 points against the magic. When yao was sub out in the 1st qtr, the score was 25-20 magic leading. When yao came back in the 2nd qtr, the rockets were already down by double digits. And this is only a freaking preseason game.
I think there are alot of members here just wish to see yao fail (yao only haters) on the expense of rockets success. If you were to bash yao, please wait till the season starts. Bashing him now only show you are yao only hater, that's it.....
Maybe yao learned from camby last preseason, only to play 70% in the meaningless preseason games

 

True, trolls in disguise are the worst. You have to be a real sicko to pretend to be a fan of a team you hate and spew garbage on the board (all the while trying to sound intelligent) just to see the real fans make angry replies.

On topic, this is the first time I actually drafted Yao in one of my top slots in fantasy basketball, so I expect him to break out with a great season . As someone stated before 20+/10+ would be really nice. He should do well, he doesn't have the same kind of pressure that he had last year. The same should be true about T-Mac.

 

Yao definitely can't lead yet. But people forget, how long was it before Hakeem took control of the team? 7 years? More? Give the man time damnit.

 

The topic of Yao as a leader is tiring. Yao is already more of a leader than most of us will ever be and he's just getting started here.

It will never be possible to measure him by an American leadership yard stick - because he's from a very different culture - but for the sake of comparison - a close match might be David Robinson.

David had the discipline of Naval Officer Training to temper his personality and focus his leadership. Navy training in fact has a very simple parallel to chinese culture - the fundamental soft skill is getting people who live in very close quarters for long periods of time to respect each other and authority and to work togther with precision under a lot of pressure. Going off on people - shouting people down - that's for the Marines and Army - the Navy's about getting along and fitting in.

Comparing Yao to Shaq and Hakeem is also not right - they both played college ball here in the U.S. Not only does Yao have only 2 years of U.S. hoops under his belt - but he comes from organized basketball in China which has produced no successful NBA players - he is leading his entire country!!!

He's climbing the same learning curve that Shaq and Hakeem climbed in college - but doing it in the NBA - which is much more demanding and much less forgiving.

 

Well done Jeff - you did what needed to be done and you did it well!!!

 

Question: Can T-Mac?

one of these guys will have to step up
I wonder if Yao is defering to T-mac now

I have little worries about this season

I think alot of this is just Chicken Little
the sky is falling Crap

Rocket River

 

Not a Yao only fan at all. Their is no way the focal point of the offense could do any damage with a bunch a Boki Nachbar's, Reece Gaines, and so on their is is yao and mo for offense give me a break.

 

1. This thread sucks
2. This thread sucks
3. This thread sucks

One star.

 

I expect these threads would only come up after Yao's 3 consecutive games of 14pts and 6rebs during the regular season. Now only the preseason....

I miss Juugie.

 

Fun with numbers!

2002-03 Yao: 13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.79 BPG, 49.8% FG (29.0 MPG)
2003-04 Yao: 17.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.90 BPG, 52.2% FG (32.8 MPG)

That's not improvement? Did I forget to take my crazy pills this morning?


NO STAR FOR YOU! YOU COME BACK ONE YEAR!

 

Yao can definitely be a leader. Look at the guy on the Chinese national team. He played with a group that looked it was picked from the local YMCA. He hoisted the burden of leadership on his shoulders. When he came to the Rockets, he came to a team full of veterans. He was a rookie. In his 2nd year, he become a greater focus of the offense. In some respects, the 2nd season prepares him for a pivotal 3rd season since JVG goes through Yao bigtime this season in terms of the flow of the offense. Yao can no longer deem himself as just a part of the team. He has to see himself as the most important part of the team. Guys like Kobe Bryant take that notion to the extreme. He should look at guys like JJ and Juwan like he sees his Chinese teammates. Think that they are scrubs and take command. He knows that Mo is the only Rocket with more tenure than him, and Mo is no leader of men. Yao can be a great leader if he wants to be.