Two basic things for Yao to apply that will work wonders...

1) While posting up, it's usually quite clear what he wants to do with the ball: he's going to pump the ball, which is a clear sign he'll pass it, or he immediately goes to a series of moves, indicating he's going for a shot. What he will eventually learn to do (hopefully sooner than later) is to keep the defenders in suspense; hold the ball, make everyone on the court look at him, see how the defenders want to play against, and go from there. He's obviously not afraid to pass, and knows exactly what to do with the ball, so that 'Post-Player Charisma' all the great big men have needs to be worked on - it'll create that much more confusion, a la Hakeem.

2) Sorry to say this, but he needs to slack off on defense sometimes. Just once in a while, to save a foul or two. Those two fouls usually prevent Yao from scoring around extra points, so I think it is a fair and not completely idiotic tradeoff.

 

10 extra points, I meant to say

 

m_cable, as much as I can stand behind my original claims, I do agree with you, as I think Yao could use another Yao of just going at it offensively before he becomes the charismatic post player I'd really, really want him to be, and I know that takes time. You do have to agree that a good passer like he is needs to get more assists than he does; not for stat sheet glory, it's just a waste of skills, no? Right now, yes, I would rather him continue to play the way he has been playing. But there are times when he takes a moment, lets the double team, he'll act like he's passing, the double team will back off, and the go ahead for the offensive move, which is just as unstoppable as if he did it immediately. This instinct and savvy takes time, but I know he'll be able to get it down later in his career.

 

sorry to reply to my reply, but I'm eating a bowl of noodles and typing at the same time, so please excuse the errors.

and the reason for #1 is that right now, it's still much more of an outside-in offense, not inside-out. We've seen it a couple of times in the Seattle game where you dishes out to a wide open McGrady, and T-Mac ain't gonna miss much from downtown wide open.