I have always think we were out-coached in that game. They forced us to guard their PF with our center. We failed to respond and adjust. Do you think Phil Jackson would let Shaq guard a jump-shooting forward outside the paint? Sloan won that series for them.
Watch how Yao was so much more agile and versatile back in his rookie days really upset me... People blamed his duty with Chinese National team causing the injuries, but the fact was the way he was forced to put on so much more weight which crippled his legs. If Yao has kept his other skill sets and light weight, he would still be solid role player as mid range jumper and three point bomber like Sam Perkins for the Seattle Sonics team back then. I hate how people blame Yao for his own injuries... he couldn't control his own injury nor he wanted it in the first place. However, at least Yao got better treatment than his senior Wang Zhi Zhi... Wang dominated Yao back in China but when Wang landed in Dallas, they forced Wang to abandon his own special weapons but to learn banging inside just like what Yao ended up being transform into. When Wang failed to produce result with that training schedule, they just dumped him like he's damaged...but the fact is Dallas' coach and management damaged Wang. Wang even skipped China National team duty which ended up losing all his Chinese supports and his job. He ended up being the biggest loser due to mismanagement and never recovered. /end rant
Great post. Okur did not stop Yao 1 on 1. And when Yao did turn the ball over it was mostly due to fatigue from guarding Boozer on the other end, the incessant fouling that the Jazz got away with all series, and the constant double teams the Jazz sent on Yao. I firmly believe that even though no one else not named Yao or McGrady contributed in that series, it was still very winnable because our star power was greater. JVG just was not that creative on the defensive end to mask Yao's weaknesses. Maybe implementing a zone look here and there, switching up the matchups by putting Yao on Okur on some possessions and Hayes on Boozer would have been a difference maker in that series. After watching the masterful defensive job Carlisle/Casey did against the Heat, I believe stopping any offense with seemingly weak defensive players is certainly possible.
Man, it's amazing how much the Yao of those first few years looked so little like the Yao we knew later in his career.
I've always enjoyed this one. <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fZwe5MS2vdA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
