why people complain about his slow and boring game? Guys...we have Yao Ming as our center. The slowest player in the league possibly, and yet people want to see us play at a faster pace? We'd eliminate Yao completely. Even Les has said (in a Yahoo! Sports article ) he wants to see us play faster like the Phoenix Suns. Hey Les, look at your star center. Let me just say that I liked Van Gundy but I don't mind him not coming back. He did have one too many faults and it was time for change. Anyways I hope you all realize that if we keep Yao (which is like 99.99%) the next coach we have will also play a slow, halfcourt, "boring" game. Book it.
You can still run and get early offense with a slow center.......Kareem was not exactly agile and fast late in his career with Magic. DD
since when does the center has to be part of fast break everytime? even the suns don't run the entire game, i bet half of their offense are half court. just because you are fast, doesn't mean you run the entire game. all yao has to do is trail the fast break, put backs if needed. we just need a PG who can guide the entire team.
A good coach can make players better and better. During R-T's period, Yao is the talent, but now.....
Les is pretty much ignorant. Teams that can play like Suns must have a superior PG, Nash, B. Davis, which PG is available now for Rox to pick? None! Maybe Chris Paul ? Jason Kidd? Arenas? If your PG can't dictate the tempo, how can you play fast? Les has no ideas about these issues. He thinks Rox can win with 2 stars, he is wrong. Even for the Bulls in the championship years, there is always the third star. Les has to spend the money to get the 3rd star.
Yao's upper side is limited. Players win, coaches can try to maximize the talent output. P.J. can't win with this Lakers team, he can't make Smush Parker better, he can't make Kwame Brown better.
The Celtics of the same era forced tempo with Bird, McHale, and Parrish... Walton, Ainge, DJ and Sichting weren't exactly track stars either. Running early offense is just as much a function of focus as it is personnel.
Please don't compare Shaq to Yao. I bet you don't like it when people compare Yao's shortcomings to Shaq's greatness. Shaq is probably the most agile, fastest big man ever for his size. He's also stronger than Yao. Mehmet Okur would NOT have been able to guard Shaq as he was. Not even for a second. Even if he flops and gets a few offensive foul calls, Shaq would set the tone, make him take the punishment, and make him scared as hell to guard him. Also, no one dares try to dunk on Shaq. There's a reason for that. He'd crush em. And for the record, JVG also wanted the team to push the ball when they had the opportunity. But for the most part, Rafer is the only ballhandler on the floor and we all know how bad he is at that... But even if we get a PG who can run the fast break...we're still, for the majority, going to be playing a slow halfcourt game. If you're doubting it, you're still in denial from last night. Remember, I don't mind JVG going, but this is not one of the reasons I would think.
I think you got this all backwards. I think in certain systems Yao would grow exponentially. Think of the old Kings system where CWebb / Divac dictated the offense. I think they also avg. almost 6 asst a game because of this. Pass to the high post (Yao) then makes a decision to pass or shoot the short jumpers. Forcing someone into the post all day long must get exhausting and doesnt utilize Yao's great shooting or passing skills. Lets not force him to do things not natural to him. He can still go inside and dominate as needed but allowing him more flexibility opens up his game. J
You guys that are comparing Yao to Kareem are idiots. Kareem isnt 7'6 of 300lbs. WAKE UP. Yao and Kareem maybe the same speed and quickness wise, but Yao will have a STAMINA problem because of his weight and size. If you are ok with him playing 25 mins a night, then sure play quicker. You are also comparing this Rockets bunch with the Show Time Lakers and Celtic? How laughable.
I like the idea of the sacramento offense with Yao taking a more facilitating role, the only problem i have with that is alot of people pressure him when he has the ball, he can't put it on the floor at all, he will be a sitting duck in the high post. I think Van Gundy's system isn't the problem to say, its just he doesn't have the players to do it. We need about 2 more rotation guys and probalble starters. to think Rafer and Hayes started for a 50 win team is crazy.
Our offense was just too damn predictable. If we weren't making our 3's then our chances of winning were quite low. All we do is either give the ball to Yao or tmac and let them create for the rest of the team, which means pass to one of them, let them go 1 on 1, until the double comes and kickout. Thats our offense in a nutshell every time we go down the floor. In a 7 game series this is easily exploitable.
Shaq was anything but slow when he played for the Lakers. At 330 lbs he could still outrun 80% of NBA centers.
WHEN IT COMES TO COMPARISONS I don't remember Dream finishing all of our fast breaks? But Yao could do a better job of starting them. The rockets could use some more guards who can finish stronger as well before they ever force Yao to take run alot. IMO I think Dirk pays in the playoffs every year because he's a big guy who runs alot during the season he tire out in the playoffs. When the legs go, so does the shot. YAO NEEDS TO BELIEVE HE IS DOMINANT WITHIN HIS OWN ABILITIES and take advantage of his uniqueness with confidence. Then he would be a worthy comparison to any other great player.....that I personally think of DREAM.
it sure seems like everyone on the jazz can dribble the ball down the court. When I saw Okur doing it last night I thought of a coupla years ago when Yao got the ball took it down court on a break and did a crossover dribble..... JVG probably threatened him with benching if he ever did it again.
I don't think we have to play a slow game. We have plenty of runners, but that was just the way JVG coaches. He did the same in NY.
