I am yet to be convinced that this is a really good team. They are chugging along, but they have no "snap" to their game. They seem to be content with doing the least possible to win. Not too inspirational. Maybe they are the N.Y. Giants of basketball, wouldn't that be something? (Don't hold your breath, I still don't think these guys are going to the playoffs). The Blazers and Nuggets are playing like they "really" want to be there, and Utah is on a huge winning streak. Playing with a sense of urgency seems to be the order of the day. With the Rockets, I don't see it.
The only reason we have won these past 3 games is because of TMAC. It is not his fault that Yao cannot create his own shot and that Yao cannot defend well. If you are 7'6 and you cant establish yourself in the low post for longer than two seconds then yes you are the problem. Have you noticed that Adelman switches Yao in and out at the end of games because Yao has no defensive instincts when not knowing when to switch on the pick and role or follow his man. Most of TMAC shots have come from the tail end of a play. I don't mind him shooting at the end of a close game cause he is the only closer we have hence the New Orleans game. I understand that Yao is double teamed but it works two ways....if Yao needs the ball for us the be proficient then he has to establish himself well in the post and dont allow that man to reach around him. An inadvertent elbow to the face will do that. Plus I don't know whats going on with his clumsiness. He cannot holod on to the ball and is it me, two weeks ago he was dunking the ball more and now he has quietly settled back to laying it up and missing point blank shots. I think we will have a great team when Yao works on his game to be the man most of you guys want him to be. Yao can do it but since T-Mac has come back, Yao's ego is hurting more. Yes, the team was winning when Yao is out but they lacked T-Mac;s play down the stretch. When they merge the two together we will then have a great team. Tracy does need to cut more when handing the ball off....but Yao has to want the ball and create a little more passion. He has clearly lacked that and has lesser players kill him on both ends. On Thursday, T-Mac's play will even out Lebrons.....we will lose if Yao doent realize he is just as important to the team and take it personal to Ilgauskas. Only time will tell......
I don't think the team has tried hard to get Yao the ball in last couple games. I don't recall the team reposted Yao even once in last two games, a method used very often to get Yao the ball when Tmac was not playing, a method proved to be very effective.
It hard to get him the ball when he isn't demanding the ball and allow for someone to reach around him.....reposting Yao is too common a thread and Yao needs to repost less and just post.....reposting takes too much time and if he isnt aggressive then its a wasted possesion and you see someone jacking up a wild shot at the end of the shot clock....Reposting is great but how many times does he require it...all the time??? He needs to work as hard to seal as much as the person is willing to pass him the ball....
personally I haven't been that impressed with the winning street....some teams like the bucks, pacers, wolves, etc. shouldn't be decided in the last 2 minutes of the 4th quarter..............it's good that they're winning, but we still might not make the playoffs and if we do I still don't see us getting past the 1st round.........................right now the rockets are winning on "talent" alone, not necessarily because they're outplaying the other opponent.........
I agree Rowdie....it hasn't been that great....the Rockets have the talent but lack consistent chemistry....If Yao plays a little like he did in January with T-Mac then we would be a very good team. When T-MAc is on the bench, why not run the same type of 'cut' offense? Is Luther Head that important to the team? They tried a couple of times last night but Bonzi could not not hold on to passes and Rafer let a clear pass come out of his hands....I only hope that the Rockets are playing to their level of competition and like some suggest. Yao is tired.....I think their is an internal ego battle between Yao and T-Mac..... the only difference is, T-Mac has shown up the past three games and Yao hasn't.
I don't think so. If Yao has an ego, he'd get the ball much often. If Yao has an ego, Tmac is on his way out.
Not even once they reposted Yao, and they didn't run many plays to post Yao at all in last couple games. 11 shots in 37 minutes for a 3 game span means the entire team didn't make an effort to get Yao the ball. They hesitated, then either swing the ball to the other direction or let Yaocom out to set a screen, then never tried to get the ball to Yao again.
great point but we had 8-5 record and now we are what 8-1 since TMac returned? I would rather win than see Yao being force fed that leads to TOs quite often
LOL Tmac is on his way out... sure Rockets might trade TMac over Yao but not because Yao wants him out. I WILL REPEAT IT AGAIN, CHECK OUR WIN LOSS RECORD WITHOUT TMAC. You YOFs are so blind that you will deny who is more important to the team's success. Facts speaks for itself. Even this year with much better teammates and supposedly much better offense without Yao, we are still only 8-5. Heck last year with crappy teammates, TMac took us to 20-10 without Yao! Stop it already you guys.
Never enough to satisfy the Rockets fans. It's not enough that they are winning but they gotta win big and look good doing it. Ok here's my .02 cents. Good teams find a way to win. Doesn't matter if it's by one point or 20. They just do.
Exactly....Yao needs to assert himself more.....Maybe ego is a strong word but he needs to assert himself more because his entire basis for being effective is to rely on other individuals to get him the ball in certain spots....If he were more assertive the Rockets would get him the ball more.....I do think that Yao will turn it around but it all depends on him.
You didn't understand my point. What I meant is Yao deosn't have an ego like the other guy said, he is all about winning. Otherwise he'd b**** about touches like Amare, and Tmac would be gone already.
No need to get testy.....thats why we are all fashioning our opinions....The Rockets need both players....The Rockets have the luxury of both players demanding a double team all the time and most teams can't fathom that. We need better and effective support players. Whether you like it or not, all players and people have egos just like this board....
haha, I hate post like this, because they offer no insight......anyone with eyes can tell that this team still lacks effort, intensity, consistency, and they still don't seem to be clicking together.........I'm glad they're winning (so at least they go down as W's in the W/L column), but I'm not happy with how they're doing it......
haha and YOUR comments above provided insights??! LOL yea you think NBA is that EASY?? A team can win 13 of last 15 games with no effort, intensity, consistency etc?? You think the Rockets are playing in the CBA? Ok lets see, when Yao scores 36 pts and 19 rebounds we have effort? or when Yao is the center of attention without TMac and we get 8-5 record, thats playing with effort, right? blahh
