Timing, sorry about the confusion. I see that I am not making myself clear. Let's just drop the idea of "greatness" in this discussion, OK? We are using the word in a different context. Please see my reply to mav and hopefully you'll understand what I meant.
I just can't get past Bol. he was a walking punchline! Yeah, Ming might spring 10 blocks every now and then, but not 30-40 times, which is what he would need to move near the top of the all time list. (assuming he gets 10assists 30-40 more times too) Olajuwon didn't do it that may times, I don't think he even did it more than 10.
LOL. Hence your moniker. No, but Yao already exceeds Wilt in what really counts: maturity. I have to agree with those of you who alluded to the very different dynamics of blocks and assists. My wager on Yao accumulating triples hinges on him getting 10 assists, not 10 blocks. That's because, as some of you have pointed out, when a player starts a game with a bunch of blocks, the other team adjusts to deprive him of more blocks. They shoot from outside, pass out if he gets too close, etc. This does NOT happen with assists. If you're killing the other team with assists, what are they going to do? Play you to stop the pass, and let you shoot or go to the basket? That's ridiculous. The first rule of defense is to stop the guy with the ball from scoring. If you're killing them with assists, the best they can do is throw defenders at you as soon as you touch the ball, hoping to make you unload it to a teammate before you're ready. So you unload it. If you're 7'5" and a good passer, you stand a darn good chance of unloading it for a basket. A good enough chance, I'd say, to get to 10 pretty often. The other thing they could do, if your passes are hurting them bad enough, is to stop doubling you, cover everybody you might pass to, and pray that you miss. If that becomes the standard defense against Yao, I'll gladly give up his chances at a triple double and take the 30 points.
Ya know, I think I'll wait to declare Ming the best shot blocker and best passing center in NBA history. Maybe until he's actually played a game or two. As for Mings 6 blocks against the USA, don't forget that 2 of them were against that college punk Collison.
I agree with the passing, but the shot blocking....thats a stretch. Look at the quickness Dream had getting off the ground and just lateral movement. I'm not saying that Yao isn't agile or quick. Look at Yao's turn around jumper ala Dream's. Dream's was much more quicker than Yao's. The wingspan is one thing, but he's gotta get in posistion also.
It would be near impossible for Yao to get atleast 7 dishes a game. Man think of our shooters. Pass to Cat, no matter where he is he's gunna shoot it. Then Black Hole Kenny Thomas. Franchise might pass, but doubt it.
Even though Yao Ming has been playing quite well these years in China league, we don't get the idea that he collects many Triple doubles. Hence not quite optimistic about his extraordinary performance. Anyway, he'll be good given time, at least a good shot-blocker.
I see that some of you people are overhyped with Ming. I'm no basketball guru, but from what I saw from Yao, I would say that he reminds me more of Rik Smits type of a player than anything else. And that is not such a bad thing in my opinion.
coolpet: "anybody had a quad-double before ever?" Nate Thurmond and Alvin Robinson. After Olajuwon, David Robinson became the fourth. Olajuwon nearly had another quadruple double in a game earlier in the 1990 season, ending up with a triple double and 9 assists. In a review, it was determined that the official scorer had missed an assist, but the NBA refused to change the box score just to give a player a "statistical curiosity." Controversy ensued, but Hakeem ended the debate by calmly repeating the feat a few weeks later. So not only might Hakeem have had a quintuple double, he was very nearly the only player ever to get two quadruple doubles!
For those of you keeping score, that's 18-11-6-4 in game #46 of his NBA career (36 minutes played) and game #2 of the post-Dallas-humiliation, guards-learning-to-play-inside-out Rockets offense.
Let's check out Yao Ming's stats. He certainly has potential to average 1-2 triple doubles every season either with assists or blocks. But quadruple double needs hugh hugh luck. CAREER HIGHS Points 30 @ Dallas 11/21/02 Field Goals Made 10 3 Times Field Goals Attempted 19 @ New Orleans 12/06/02 Three Point Field Goals Made None Three Point Field Goals Attempted None Free Throws Made 10 @ Dallas 11/21/02 Free Throws Attempted 12 @ Dallas11/21/02 Offensive Rebounds 8 @ Miami 12/16/02 Defensive Rebounds 12 2 Times Total Rebounds 18 vs. San Antonio 12/03/02 Assists 5 @ Seattle 11/29/02 Steals 2 2 Times Blocks 6 2 Times Minutes Played 41 @ Miami 12/16/02 BTW, nba.com finally put Yao Ming in the Y catagory instead of M in the player name list.
I've thought of this thread more than once since the season started. It'll be fun watching his career unfold and seeing what he does. Nothing is impossible. Wonder how many assists he could get passing to Brand?? Now THAT would be fun to watch.
You beat me to it. I was about to mention Hakeem's "all most" quadruple double. If i remember the game correctly though (I remember watching that game), at the end of the game, the official scorer had him at 10 assists, but later took it away and not the other way around. I might be mistaken though. Ive heard both versions.
Hey anything is possible. Griffin could be our next triple doubles guy for all we know. You just never know.
In the thread: ["He will make Kelvin Cato a better player." As far as I'm concerned nobody can make a quote more ridiculous then this.] LOL.
