I think in today's league, big men are finding it harder to dominate than ever before. Back in Hakeem's days and even Shaq's prime, the outlaw of zone defense made it so that teams almost aways have to play dominant centres straight up or only double team when they get the ball. Nowadays, you can front even before the Center receives the ball, and as a player, what are you gonna do about that? It's really impossible to do anything against that kind of defense. Perimeter players have a MUCH easier time controlling the game as they have the ball in their hands alot more than the bigs do. So until Yao can learn to control the offense consistenly without turning the ball over like Shaq did in the Triangle, Tmac is undoubtedly our MVP. You need him to create and to score.
Once again, Yao and Tmac are playing at different positions. Only idiots compare those two. If you want, maybe you can compare Yao to Shaq when Yao is retired. Also, maybe you can compare Tmac to MJ when Tmac is retired.
That's viable only if you're comparing styles. There is no reason you can not compare the two's importance to the team and output. Don't worry, Yao isn't going anywhere, so why get in a huff over what some people think on the internet?
It is obvious when Yao was absent we were good enough to make the playoffs, without T-Mac we're a lottery team. If he missed as much as Yao did last year we would be watching OJ Mayo progression at USC this year hoping we could win the lottery. With Yao and Mac we're good to great. However our other players are really overrated who would you beat down on our door for after Yao and Tmac.
Yao is great and a cash cow, what's not to love? There is no shame in being the second most important player on a good team. Yao is still the best center in the league and putting up MVP numbers.
Without T-Mac, the offense of this team is comical. People have to watch guards spend 10+ seconds just try to feed the ball to Yao in the post, then it is either a turnover or a brick, again and again. This team is going nowhere without T-Mac. Yao is too good of a No.2 but he can't be a No.1. There are still many holes in his game and his aggressiveness comes and goes, just not consistent.
1. I don't think Yao and T-Mac give a **** who is more important to this team. It is only fans (or for a more accurate term, 'fans') who want to debate this importance hierachy. And frankly, the way things are being debated here, the PG who can effectively replace Rafer Alston and force him to be benched or traded will be the MVP. 2. It takes 5. More if you count in the bench (so in reality, it takes at least 8 or 9). Different people are going to contribute at different times and at different levels. And frankly, teamwork trumps onemanship anytime. This MVP award does nothing but promote individualism within what is supposed to be a team game, and it provokes fan favouritism. Which then ends up in threads like this. Frankly, I would rather have a team where every core player puts up decent numbers of between 15 points to 18 points per game and have top notch defense, and ultimately be the best TEAM in the game (something like the 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons), rather than be a team that has 1 or 2 superstars but are coupled with a bunch of scrubs that cause headaches everytime they go on court (or off court for that matter). 3. Finally, can we ban all these "Yao is the most important or T-Mac is the team's MVP" type threads? It has a bad polarizing effect (not to mention the irritation and annoyance it causes to pure Rockets fans). It also clearly shows how unthankful or ungrateful some of these 'fans' are. Instead of thanking their lucky stars they have two stars on the team (unlike say, LeBron, who would give anything for a second star on his team), they are busy trying to get one star traded somewhere or b****ing about the star's bad games.
They apply to just about every post seeing as most of them are just opinion. Everyone is so obsessed with labeling people a OF or OH, no one is able to have any opinions anymore. TheBornLoser is right anyways. This is ridiculous, I am part of the problem.
The answer to this question is NO. Yao cannot lead a team. What is our record with Tmac out and Yao leading over thepast 3 years? 8-38 or something crazy like that? Yao melts down when he is asked to carry the load, it isn't his fault, maybe it is just a mental thing, who knows, but it couldn't be more clear who our leader is. I can't even believe this is an actual debate on this bbs. I suppose the YOFs are the ones who make it a debate, level-headed fans with basketball knowledge know better.
I do agree one thing, to be a leader, Yao should call out his teammates more. Like last couple minutes in spurs game, when those guards didn't pass ball to Yao, he should yell them!
