Why do I keep hearing this team isn't good enough with Yao?

You don't need to "elite" players to be a contender. Look at the 2004 champs, the Pistols roster:

Chauncey Billups
Richard Hamilton
Tayshaun Prince
Rasheed Wallace
Ben Wallace

I would say that our team + Yao is easily comparable to that team.

• Brooks scoring ability has surpassed Billups' numbers, although Brooks' doesn't have Billups' clutch shot. He also isn't the leader that Billups is but in place of that you have Adelman's brilliant system.
• Martin is actually a better scorer than Hamilton because of Martin's fantastic ability to get to the line
• Battier is definitely our Tayshaun, defensively. Although he doesn't have the offensive prowess of Prince, he will add some threat on the perimeter
• Scola to Rasheed is a hard comparison but you can say that Scola's scoops is certainly a more reliable source of points than Rasheed's spot up. Rasheed probably has a defensive edge over Scola.
• Yao to Ben Wallace, now, this is where we make up all those minor decencies. Detroit didn't have a bonafide super star. We do. Yao, with his massive size, is a better defender/rebounder than Wallace and on top of that, Yao Ming is without a doubt the best shooting big man not named Dirk Nowitzki

 

another championship on paper? the 5th?

 

My doubts are this, I have never seen a team win it all tying to play 2 different sttyles to adjust to 1 player. You play a style and perfect your way and when the times get tough, you know what you're sdoing as a team in whole. Its hard, almost impossible to be 2 teams in one. The truly great teams could play any styles and win because they were used to doing it that way. I also disagree with people looking at the old lakers with kareem and saying thats how the rockets will be. The flaws with that logic are yao is a area rebounder and magic was the best player even with kareem and was a great player. The rockets have a collection of good players, no one great. So when the game get real,real tight, where do they turn? I think its too much to ask, but i do like brooks eventually trying to close games out. I just think unless they truly get a great player, the window is closed between lakers,dallas,cleveland,orlando with portland,utah,ok city, coming up from behind. I guess we will see.

 

Have to call you buff on both of these.

 

Offensively they're not comparable but I think Battier is as good a defender as Prince, plus Battier has better shot blocking ability.

Statistically, Yao (career: 9 rebs, 2 blks) is a defensive equivalent to Ben Wallace (career: 10 reb, 2 blks) and Yao is 7-6 while Ben is 6-9.

And who was the Pistons bonafide all-star? Billups?

 

I don't know why you guys keep trying to compare Yao to guys who are Very Good Rebounders and play very good defense....

Yao is an Ok defender... Not a good or very good defender...
Yao is an OK rebounder.. Not a good or very good rebounder...

When the Pistons won that Championship Big Ben was A GREAT Defender and Rebounder... Past Good..

Some of you keep trying to make Yao more than what he is..

 

This team + Yao < Championship material
This team + Yao = Lose in finals

In the first place, I dont see Yao starting the season with 19/9 numbers. Not consistently. And I agree we need another bench scorer and shot blocking presence inside to back up Yao. Then by January 2011, after Yao has had his time to reintegrate, I can see some Finals hopes. But all three of these must happen, plus not have to give up anything too key in obtaining the pieces above. Replaceable guys + draft picks I guess.

 

Totally agree.

I would love a jason terry (i know we all hate him), j crawford type player coming off the bench for us. Looking at our current roaster, our bench scoring would be our weakest point. If we can get someone who is instant offense (i don't care if he does not play defense) coming off the bench while our starters take a breather, it would be perfect.

Another reason why we should go after manu hard this year either FA or sign and trade.

 

Well we are missing one backup position that is the backup center spot, if morey acquire that position in the offseason, i think we can make a run, other that that we are good playoff team not a contender.

 

How about budinger, I know he isn't scoring threat, but he'll keep improving over the summer, but I would love having Manu coming here in the offseason.

 

I honestly don't think Jason Terry is that good of a player some people make him to be. He may do well against our team but from what I've been seeing and hearing, a lot of fans, especially the dallas fans, dislike him due to his inconsistency and surprisingly enough not being able to score. Not exactly the 6th man I want but there are much better choices out there than Jason Terry.

 

Vizzini: Yao's a great defender? INCONCEIVABLE!
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Yao's ranked 3rd best defender last year....

NBA: Top 5 Defenders

 

Some of you keep trying to make Yao LESS than what he is.. FIXED

if u watch bball games, i quite sure u'll know it.

no matter what, hes 7'6. n real bball fans all know hes more than that

 

What's the difference, other than in semantics, between being "two teams in one," and being able to "play any style and win?"
The championship Spurs team were able to play a methodical half court game, as well as a run and gun type. They switched up the tempo mid-game, and were able to excel at both. Were they "two teams in one" or a truly great team that "can play any style?"

 

we just dont have the pieces to win a championship. we have the best that we can get (even when yao comes back) but it's not enough. id lay money on the lakers or lecrabs before i'd bet money on the rockets winning it all; homerism aside.

 

You know what you are so right.....

Here's the deal... If Yao was an american he would just be another average player... ALA Rik Smits and he was 7'4.

Yao is not Kareem, Willis, Hakeem, Moses Hayes or even Ewing and he's not even close to the player that they were.

I am glad the YOF idolize Yao, happy for you... but please stop trying to make him more than what he is and trying to compare him to the best that have played the game.

and by the way there have been a lot of tall centers that turned out to be crap...

Michael O.
Sam Bowie
Joe Barry Carroll
Chris Washburn
Shawn Bradley

I can go on and on... and IF YOU WATCHED BBALL... Before Yao Ming, you would also know...

 

This game against Boston showed we are a Bosh & a Yao away from being an elite team!
We have several players who are just not championship caliber material, by talent &/or age.

The Adelman game does not match up with a top level half court team which also plays defense.Y

Can't wait for next season!

 

What?????

 

Brooks, Martin, and Scola are great pieces to a championship puzzle, but all of them on the court together = not a championship-caliber defensive team. One of the three will either have to be replaced or benched in favor of a true two-way player if we really want to be a champion. Not that I'm complaining...Yao + those three guys + Ariza or Battier would still be a team that should win 60 games and compete with the Lakers for tops in the West, barring injury of course.

 

what about von waver