What about this post season? do you dream that Rockets will beat Portland? and then we can shock the Lakers like Rockets heroes Ralph Sampson and Dream did in 1986? Yao will draw the spirit of Moses and Dream and Ralph and fire of Vernon Maxwell (#11) and we shall overcome!
I think we should throw out game 1 from the discussion, because none of the subsequent games have looked anything like it. In fact, if you ignore the first half of game 1, Yao has averaged 12.4 points, 0.7 assists, and 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes played. He's been his normal efficient self because he's hit most of his free throws (a .581 TS%). But his rate of scoring is almost half of what was during the regular season. He scored 21 points in game 4, but he had to play 44 minutes to get there. Portland has done its job well in keep Yao from killing them in the post. So its been up to rest of the Rockets to take advantage of the attention he draws, and they've had mixed success with it. That's the difference with Yao and a great perimeter playmaker. A player with the ball in his hands can control how he sucks in the defense and which open players get the ball. With Yao, the rest of the guys have to collectively make the decisions and plays, which means there's a lot more opportunity for one or two lesser players to screw up the entire offense.
I thought this poll was going to be a blowout, but I didn't realize Tracy is still the most overrated player on the Houston Rockets. I thought Aaron Brooks surpassed him, but it's still T-Mac.
Look at the attention Yao gets, Luis Scola is open all day at the wing. it's like what Dream did for Horry.
The answer is Yao. Right now, a healthy Yao is the best center in the NBA. A healthy McGrady would be a top 5 sg/sf. However, no other center compares to Yao while there are many other players who can compare (or are slightly inferior to) to McGrady (Kobe, Lebron, Joe Johnson, Wade, Ginobili, Pierce, Allen, Iverson, Granger, Redd, Arena, Martin). In other words, it would be far easier to build around a healthy Yao as opposed to a healthy McGrady.
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Dwight Howard compares to Yao, but I would say Yao is better tha nHoward. I do agree with your post though. Well said.
If you take last years team add lowry, von, ron,and a improved scola I think we have a good shot at beating the jazz.
What good did that do for us in the 4th quarter yesterday? In theory, Yao's presence should create open shots for his teammates. But its still up to them to space the floor, make the right passes on time, and play together. And then, when the open shot is there, to take it with confidence and make it. Like I said, it's been a mixed bag. If a few players are out of sorts, it can screw up the entire offense for a good stretch of minutes, which is what we saw. At that point, you need one guy who can get the ball and just make a play. That's something we had when Tracy was healthy for us, and its something virtually every good team in these playoffs have except us.
superstars get attention. that's the case historically. but usually, superstars get theirs and help their teammates get theirs too. this series would be over if yao gets his. the attention he gets for others help, but he also needs to get his. PS - scola can get his even if aldridge guards him straight up. i'm sure you saw one of the prettiest post moves by a big guy in a while from scola last night
that's like saying if we could use yao's salary last yr when he went down with his injury -> that team would have gone past the first round too hell just clone another scola and we go to another level
Yeah, pretty much. We lost the first two games at home because of Bobby Jackson, a 3rd string PG who flat out sucked. With Brooks/Lowry AND Ron/Von? Rockets would have beaten the Jazz in 7.
