My sarcasm meter has totally been busted. Have you ever heard of Patrick Ewing? JVG seemed to have done a fine job with him.
Patrick Ewing? Who? Nobody told me he was a head coach, sorry. Another reason why I don't like JVG is because he brought all those old NY coachs and players to ROX. Ewing and Yao are total different in their playing styles. Therefore, I don't think Ewing did a good job to coach Yao. Yao played even better after Ewing's leaving. And, would you please tell me why ROX didn't want to keep Ewing any longer?
I think you're a bit confused about what I'm trying to say, so in short, Ewing didn't seem to "suffer" or "regress" with JVG; he seemed to prosper. JVG has expirience with centers. Just because his offensive systems aren't so great doesn't mean that he should be completly ignored in terms of what he did for both Yao and Ewing.
My bad, I misunderstood your post. Actually, v3.0 already gave a very good answer, JVG didn't develop Ewing. And I think JVG didn't develop Yao.
Fine, you may argue that, even though I think JVG's role as assistant coach certainly helped shape Ewing throughout his career. Still, the one thing you can't really argue is that Ewing or Yao were "held back" by JVG. Especially not Yao, who had his best year so far under JVG.
Yes or no. What I'm trying to say is that Yao can become a much better player without the guidance of JVG. The past 4 years was particularly critical for Yao because he was still learning to play in NBA.
Under JVG, Yao never played so many minutes, drive dunk like a mad man, and was always quiet at the refs. It's a new Yao now. Freedom rules. Welcome Ric the Liberator! As hard as Yao works, it would be hard to believe that Yao can't play in the low post had he played for another coach. Yao went to battle against Shaq as a rookie and hold his own. JVG and Ewing helped, but not instrumental.
Well, I mean, you all can't just say "JVG did nothing for Yao", then turn around and say "Rick is doing everything!" ...especially seeing how Yao is actually playing worse under Adelman (more time, less production) then with JVG.
JVG did something for Yao, but far from great, actually it was below averaged. Rick isn't doing everything, but better than JVG. JVG trained Yao into a low-post specialist, who had never had a chance to play high-post in JVG's system. Now, Rick asks Yao to play high-post and low-post, how can you expect a good outcome right away? And so far, all rockets are still trying to learn Rick's system. If Rick coached Yao 4 years earlier, I really believe he would be a better player.
To be fair, JVG did do something good for Yao's development. Basically JVG forced Yao to stay close to the basket and eventually converted him into a low post monster. Seriously without this type of clockwork orange training Yao could have turned into.... an enhanced version of Brad Miller. Not bad at all, but hardly a dominant player. I've also watched his countryman Yi play a few games. I have a feeling Yi will hardly fully fulfill his potential because he's allowed to go the easy way and make jump shot after jump shot. However, I also do believe JVG has somewhat overdone that a bit. Yao's shooting range has clearly shrinked in the past few years and now he simply couldn't get back to where he was. His passing touch was never truly utilized, and in the past 15 games when he started following the RA system he is averaging around 3 assists including a lot of nifty passes. His spin moves (somebody called it Shanghai Shake) and hook shots appeared to me underused. If I were the coach I would also encourage him to mix in some TD style bank shots. This would really help. One less obvious issue associated with the JVG's vision of Yao development is about his weight. To make him more and more the low post threat he was expected to be he was put on programs to add his muscle mass. When he was a rookie his body weight was like 296lbs and I think at his peak under JVG he was like 320+ lbs. This 20-something added body weight has a subtle effect on his mobility and seriously I don't like it. Since the NBA nowadays no longer allows those Shaq-style bumping moves to back down your defenders (and even less possible as Yao is a magnet of drawing ridiculous offensive fouls). I'd rather to have a 300 lb faster and more agile Yao than a heavy but slow tank Yao.
Yao also played under Rudy T, boy he sure developed just like dream did I think Yao wouldn't be anywhere near the player he is without JVG, remember this is the guy who in his first year made Yao the first option over steve francis.
Good post. I want to say the same. But TD's mid-range bank shot is too difficult to learn. It is easy for Yao to take some bank shots under the basket. I'm so pissed to see his 5 footer missed, or is blocked. Why didn't he use the glass? It is very difficult to block the bank shot because of the shoot angle, and the shooting percentage should be higher given his height.
Plz read my post again before you put your imaginary words in others mouth, when did I say JVG did nothing for Yao? In fact, I specifically mentioned that JVG and Ewing helped Yao in the post you quoted, but at the same time, anyone who thinks Yao would become Rik Smits without JVG is smoking, Yao has always been mainly a low post player since his CBA days. How does anyone know that Yao wouldn't be a better low post player under another coach say Rudy T? Any old fans would know that Rudy T loved to dump it in, even more than JVG! Still, Yao had some freedom under Rudy T to do some face up stuff, JVG is too manupulative even by low post lover Rudy T's standard. So there's nothing in your post to respond to, except your flawed logic that implies Yao is playing worse since he has less stats this year under Adleman, following the same logic, T-Mac averaged less stats under JVG than under Doc Rivers, that must mean Doc Rivers is a better coach than JVG? Stats aren't everything, Yao is playing better under Adleman than under JVG because he's assuming a broader and bigger role without failure. His extended minutes brought much needed presence, such as low post defense that doesn't show up in boxscore, as well as stablizing the offense. Inspired by Yao's spirit, his teammates also stepped up to take some burden off of him. Yao is playing better despite lesser stats , because it's the first time he leads the team to be competitive without T-Mac, something Yao never did under JVG!
I broadened that to get my point across. But still, the point is there; in esscence, most of you guys are saying JVG held Yao back while Adelman is "freeing" him, without any proof. That's somewhat frustrating for me...since I used to like JVG, and the smack he got for, oh sin of all sins, winning 52 somewhat ugly wins, was unbelivable. Adelman is on easy street...you guys are crediting him with getting Yao more minutes and less production, is all it comes down to. And for all of the "great leadership" and great "interior" post defense Yao plays now (which is the only point you seem to be making, since those things are hella hard to quantify and almost everything statswise shows Yao on a downward slope in terms of production per minute...), I only see 19-17. And YES, YAO is going downwards because even though the supporting cast of the team is UP and the team philoposhy is still "give to Yao", his production is down. I am 90% sure that it has to do with the position Yao is getting, which can be directly attributed to Adelman. This has nothing to do with McGrady, who was the sole big gun in Orlando (thus incredible stats on bad team-see: Erick Dampier.) and was then brought into a whole new system in Houston with a dominant big man. So your example is flawed. Whoo. Eh, my fingers are cramping.
Sorry man, your logic is flawed again. You say T-mac's numbers were deflated in Houston because he plays with a dominant big man, if you now put stats aside and take the liberty to consider the context, then it can also be said that Yao's numbers this season are deflated because he has a better coach that knows TEAM basketball that spreads offense among players, as a result, we are playing team ball and winning without T-mac. Look beyond the stats, baskteball is a TEAM sport, not personal stats contest, Adleman can pad Yao's stats by feeding him the ball on every possession, making Yao winded in 34 minutes, wearing Yao out at the end of the year, so that Yao can amass stats for stats gurus like you, but is that better for the team, compared to Yao playing more minutes on the court? Just because you can't quantify the shots Yao altered around the basket, the presence he has on the floor, the spirit of hard working, playing through flus, doing all the little things that help the team win don't mean it doesn't exist! It exists and shows itself in that we are playing like a TEAM and winning with our MAX player out. I don't remember the exact figures, but in the past years, the Rockets went about 11-42 or something without T-Mac, this season we can actually beat teams with that 20 million talent hole in our lineup. Can JVG win without T-Mac? I ask 'Cuz Adleman is.
One more thing, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 40 points a season, scored 100 in a game, but he didn't win a ring until he learned to involve his teammates and averaged only 20+ points. Personal stats aren't everything, team is.
yeah...because its the exact same team... its different when your backup 4 is scola, backup 3 is bonzi and backup pg is brooks (or mj), rather than howard (albeit solid), snyder, and lucas/v-gina...
