Well, I looked up the stat on NBA.com. And the way I read the stat it's a "per game average" over an entire season... and he missed no games. Does that not mean he got a triple-double in every game? And wouldn't that imply that he at least achieved a double-double every night? If my interpretation is incorrect, please explain. Quote from nba.com: "Statistically, one need look no further than the numbers Robertson put up in 1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for an entire season. Not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird could match those numbers."
Kenny Smith was a loser on the court and now a hater off the court. Kenny Smith was a defensive liability that the Dream had to constantly bail out. He was always a nonfactor when it really counted. And last but not least, the only NBA player to get schooled by Justin Timberlake. All in all, he is a master of incompetence and king of stupidity both on and off the court. So...No it does not surprise me that he hates anyone with a schintilla of talent regardless of race.
I would add Maxwell = Bonzi when he finally plays. Battier and Horry are very comparable to each other in my opinion. Both defend multiple positions, get decent blocks and steals numbers and mostly shoot from the outside to score. Horry to Rashard Lewis is very much overstating what Horry's about. Horry doesn't drive much either. How come he's the one rare breed player of them all? I don't hate Horry, but anyways... I liked what Kenny Smith had to say about McGrady, of him getting only 2 dunks on the year (saying he should get 2 dunks a GAME is a bit much) and how it shows he's not being agressive towards the basket. He made mention of his bad shots too. He compliments Yao but thats what they all do, praise him for being a great guy and playing well. Its not the same as Yao being their 'boy', one of their favorites. Saying he needs to get rings like Shaq to be considered high echelon is a bit much. I can see Kenny saying Lebron is the best player in the league who himself hasnt done much in the postseason. Maybe he would but I'd like to hear him say Lebron can't top Kobe cuz Kobe has the rings.
Shaq is deserving of a lot of praise for the way he has changed games in the past. However he is not the same Shaq years ago when no one could stop him. I honestly believe people don't give Yao his credit when he's compared to Shaq because Shaq is such a great interview. Piss off one of your best interviewers (Shaq) that'll give you great ratings when it airs on TV or interview Yao who will take your interview regardless of your criticsm of him and won't draw the same ratings since he's not as colorful in character as other NBA players like Iverson, Shaq, Kobe, or Garnett. Also in all fairness it's difficult to be diplomatic in comparing both players seasons NOW instead of their entire career as a whole. After all you'd have to argue that Emeka Okafor, Chris Bosh, and Dwight Howard have surpassed Shaq given the statistical comparisons so far this seasons and I think we can all agree that its probably not the case. As frustrating as it is to see somewhat unfair criticism of Yao from basketball "experts" you also have to understand where they're coming from as well. Not to mention it's really easy to kick a dog when its down. Shaq is injured and can't prove what he's still capable of right now. We may not see what's truly left in the tank til the 1st round of the playoffs so just withold judgement for now.
I am a die-hard Rockets fan and for the record I criticize ALL of our players and coach (regardless of their race) when they do not play up to their potential...blow huge leads and look ridiculous in the 4th quarter...does that make me racist? Hell no, it makes me a realist. Every Analyst regardless of their culture or skin color is entitled to their opinion of Yao...who cares what they say! The only thing that matters is what Yao and the Rockets do on the court...period! Yao has to deliver night in and night out and he hasn't done that since he's been in the league. He has not produced for ONE entire season. This year will be his first if he continues his play without injury. He doesn't get superstar treatment from the Refs and neither did Dream...so get over it and Ball every damn night! Knock some sucker down two or three times that scratches you and poke you in the eye...Shaq does it...so what it's just one foul. It is time for Yao and Mac to have the heart of a champion and take this team on a deep run. There are two seasons (regular & playoffs)...who cares if Yao is the best center in the first season and does nothing but a first round flop in the season that counts!!
i can't people are ripping apart our starting point guard for our championship years????? i mean, it's kenny the jet guys. He's part of Rocket's lore!
maybe its yao hasn't been out of the first round of the playoffs yet. maybe its yao has really only had a 1/2 of a season of true dominance. how about its yao still doesn't average 10 rebounds how about its yao gets his shot blocked by nate robinson the points kenny made about shaq winning with penny, kobe, and wade weren't that great except one thing, shaq was in the finals his third year in the league. I know they are comparing shaq now to yao now, but yao still has a lot to prove. I can think of a lot of reasons why people may not want to crown yao the best center just yet.
my bad, yao does average 10.3 rebounds. still, I'm not trying to be negative against yao, I am ready to say he's the best. but shaq was just in the finals three seasons ago with the lakers, and he was there last season. and despite what some believe, he was important to that team, not the focal point like in the past, but a key to another ring just last year.
Change the name of Shaq to any other center in the league, would people still think that player is the best center in the league? The only reason is because people live in the past. We are not talking about who was the best center two years ago or even last year. We are saying Yao IS the best center NOW.
But why do you care so much about that? If everyone here knows Yao is the best center in the NBA, and all the people out there who really know basketball think so as well - why get upset that people who care more about style then substance can't? It's the whole white man can't jump thing - Yao may not look good putting up his numbers - but he's effective. And that's what we care about. But there are some who rather look good then be effective - and to those types, Yao isn't the best.
I do not really care that much about what Charles or Kenny thinks, but at the end of season, these type of people are the ones who voted Yao to third team NBA behind Shaq and Ben. They will come up with any kind of excuses for why Shaq is not doing well or why Yao's number doesn't matter, so it is OK for people like that to talk about these but we are not suppose to talk about it on this Rocket's BBS? Last time I checked, Yao is a star on the Houston team.
Hey man, he talks he pays the price just like anyone who has a 0 for 12 shooting night. It's like I would tell my best friend for saying something I disagree with - Bro I love you but you are wrong. And if you keep saying it in an obnoxious way then you are an @$$. Then we get over it and move on. Kenny makes enough money to sooth his bruised ego. Bro you seem to have this serious "big brother, never question mom and dad" syndrome going on. Get over it. People gonna talk about Gundy and his game plans and Kenny and his commentary and we gonna move on. Clutch and Jeff don't seem to need your help policing the site. They do fine.
Maybe all the Yao hate will fade away if he wins some titles. I recall everyone calling Shaq a choker prior to his 3-peat because he got swept out of the playoffs every year. That seems like ancient history now........
It's not the first time you deliberately protray ethnical Chinese as non-American, unless you are saying that Chinese American are racists against Chinese as well. Not interested in "arguing" with someone like you, but you better leave your flame-baiting $hit in those of your favorite D&D race threads.
You are absolutely right. Swept by the Rockets, swept by Indiana, swept by the Bulls, and swept by the Jazz (when he was a Laker). Shaq had a big-time reputation for "bringing down his teams" before the Laker run. How convenient that the TNT tag team, two of whom were on teams that swept Shaq, forget this stage in his "development."
That still doesn't explain the so-called analysts proclaiming every other big as the next DOMINANT CENTER - Howard, Bosh, Stoudamire, Kaman, everyone else not named Yao. These other bigs have won ZERO anything but if you get the impression that these other bigs ARE A COUPLE OF NOTCHES ABOVE YAO. I would understand the Shaq argument and agree, but what I don't understand is that the media is always trying to put scrubs over Yao. I remember Kerr saying he'd take friggin' Kaman over Yao and that Mejia guy taking 5 guys over Yao. These guys are just hating...
