I wish Yao play a more balanced game. He's still a terrific low post player. That part of game shouldn't go to waste. However, on the nights when he's off in the low post, I think he should be free to play with his face to the basket, as well as being used as a finisher much more, like in the 3rd quarter against the Lakers. Karl Malone is a great player and he got a lot of points off teamwork, at least he went to the finals. A win is a win and I don't care how we get it. Especially in the playoffs, in which every game is critical.
ESPN has a preview of the Sonics Heat game tonight. Here is a quote from Danny Fortson concerning comments from Shaq that Fortson is a flopper. "You know something? That is a cop-out," Fortson told The (Tacoma) News Tribune. "Write this down. If he can't go out and bang, if he can't get two or three feet underneath the basket, he is ineffective. "My goal is to keep him out of the paint. That is not an easy task to do. That is easier said than done. But I am going to try to keep him out of the paint and see how good he is. "I challenge him to take a jump hook. Take a couple jump shots. I bet you he can't do that. Of course he is going to complain about flopping because he has to be inside to score buckets. If he doesn't get inside to score buckets, he might as well give the ball to Dwyane Wade and move back." Unfortunately, Yao is being encouraged to emulate Shaq when he should be emulating KG or Tim Duncan. Fortson's comments about Shaq are exactly the same problems that afflict Yao. Yao can no longer score unless he is right under the basket. Tim Duncan popped a bunch of jumpers off the glass against the Nuggets. A big man in today's game must be able to expand his range beyond the area immediately around the basket. The only guy who can succeed in scoring soley around the basket is Shaq. Yao does not have the athleticism and body structure to dominate in this manner. On a journey to greatness, Yao has taken the wrong path.
I think that his elbow injury has a lot to do with this problem. It would not surprise me to see this continue to be a problem for him all season.
I don't think Yao has completely lost his jumpshot, I'm sure he still practices them but he just hasn't been hitting them lately. He might take 1-2 in a game..JVG may just want him in the paint
