I was watching Jim Rome interviewing Charles Barkely, and Sir Charles stated that if a center is making more than 5 mill a year and can't hit double-doubles, he shouldn't be allowed to play in the nba. Not that Yao hasn't hit double-doubles, but i noticed there's alot less rebouding after his impressive performance against the Pacers. His numbers hasn't changed much, just his rebounding (unless Mobley and Francis are sinking them in more often). He got bullied by Dorelac (sp?) and Kurt Thomas from the NY Knicks, and Eldon Campbell muscled his way in the paint a couple times against the Hornets. What's going to happen once he squares off against Shaq on Jan. 17?!
Yao will kick Shaq's ass Have you ever considered that Rockets wants to lessen Yao's pressure? By still focusing the offense through Steve and Mobley and limiting Yao's minutes, Yao will produce respectable numbers (16 pts, 8 rebounds), but not crazy numbers like the one he pulled on Spurs and Mavericks. The most important thing though Rockets keep winning. People therefore will not expect too much from Yao and at the same time they can not critique Yao coz his numbers are respectable. I don't know whether the above is true or not. But I just thought it may be possible.
I see what your saying, im not expecting huge numbers from a rookie (although it'll help to shut the haters up, YAO for ROY! ), I'm only concerned about the rebounds. Like i said, he's still putting up 16, 17, 18 pts a night (which is consistent) but the rebounds can be alot better. I live in L.A. so i cant watch Yao play that often (im jealous ) but i have three questions for anyone reading this: 1. Is Yao just being passive on the court? Meaning is he just standing there and letting his teammates grab the rebound instead? 2.Call me stupid, but what does "hitting the rookie wall" supposed to mean? I'm hearing this alot lately about Yao only because he's FG% and rebouding went down a bit, plus his team lost 3 straight recently.But if he's playing like he did against the Bucks or hitting double-doubles OCCASIONALLY and winning games, that'll mean he broke through "the rookie wall".......right? 3.Also, people expect Yao to score more points in the future but is that possble? Given that Steve Francis & Mobley has been avg. 20 pts a game for the last three and four years? Do you guys think it's going to be easy on them to digest the fact that got to give up the ball more to Yao and score less points from here on out?
I think Yao could easily get more rebounds (probably 3-4 more) each game, however, Yao is just so nice that he doesn't want to fight against any of his teammates for a rebound. Obviously, sometimes he can get a rebound, but he gives up, then his teammate can get the credit. He still needs to improve his rebounding though.
CHARLES BARKLEY always makes funny and senseless comments. I like him...but really...look at Cato...makin 7 mil and no double-doubles? There's tons of centers being paid more than 5 million not getting double-doubles. The only center I know that gets double-doubles EVERY game is SHAQ...and maybe Brad Miller. Who else? Yao has still been scoring but getting less rebounds. He should make it a priority to get all the rebounds. Sometimes the little people take it from him. Posey has been getting a lot of rebounds. Francis getting rebounds????? That's good for Francis. Yao shall succeed...hopefully
gakf, that is the stupidest **** i ever heard. you don't "fight" your teamate for a rebound! this aint about individual stats, it is a team game. geesh!
That was what gakf was saying. He often tips it to his teammate or boxes out so his teammate can get the rebound. That doesn't show up in the stats. However there has been a dropoff in offensive rebounds which I contribute to him getting more attention and being tire.
lol...I think he's right. Sometimes Steve will just get the rebound. Usually Yao goes for it...but he tips it and then he gets called for LOOSE BALL FOUL...my god...the refs are blind. He's the only one in possession of the ball just playin volleyball with himself and they call a foul on him. Yep...like Eddie was getting the rebound but then Steve came over to get it too. And then they knocked it out of bounds. JESUS...we should have a REBOUNDER...Yao....Mo Taylor can be the ENFORCER...the SHOOTER is Cuttino Mobley...the HUSTLER...is James Posey. ANYWAYS. Yao will hit double-doubles again soon...against the Lakers!!!!
I have to agree with Barkley. If you're a center and any good, your butt better be getting a double-double. Ten pts, 10 rebs shouldn't be looked at as some magnificent mark of talent. Oh, and I think Yao will hit a double-double again. Call it a hunch.
May be our guards need to focus on getting out on the break and leave the rebounds for the big men to fight for. In the past the Rockets was not a good rebounding teams. That's why the guard are hanging around to help out. But if the guard start to take off this will force Ming to be aggressive and fight for the rebound. This also will let to easy basket on the break. I think with the present big men that the Rockets have they don't need to guards to help out with the rebound as much.
I'd like to agree with him. But I'd have to suggest that the stats have proven him wrong. Doesn't seem like many Centers over the past 30 years have surpassed the mark. That's pretty good evidence that Barkely is wrong. It's a much tougher task than it appears or than it sounds.
I'd amend that to say that a good center should *average* a double-double. No telling what will happen on specific nights -- Yao had a bit of early foul trouble in the game against the Hornets (I think), which limited his PT and kept his numbers down. In the month of December, Yao averaged a double-double, with 17 points and 10 rebounds. His numbers have improved each of his 3 months so far, and I'd expect that trend to continue.
Yao will hit double double again when he quits being a panzy on the glass and gets aggressive and goes and GETS THE BALL on the rebound like (Gulp) Cato does. Yao is good, but he needs to be much more agressive on the court. I want YAO MEAN !!! DaDakota
I haven't been able to see many Rockets games but it seems the area in rebounding that is effecting Yao the most is in the "Offensive" rebounding category. When he was getting double digit rebounds he was snaring around 5-6 offensive rebounds a game along with 6-8 defensive rebounds. He still is doing ok in the defensive rebounding category but it seems either teams are REALLY focusing on "boxing Yao out" so he can't get those offensive boards or Yao is not working hard enough for those rebounds. And because of this he hasn't reached double digit rebounds since that streak. Since I can't see the games I don't know. Maybe those that have seen the games can shed some insight. Chris
