[Wojnarowski] Rockets can't be contenders because of Yao's minutes

Sounds like he is not betting on Miller, Hill, Hayes and Patterson to come through.

 

Hmmmm.... The only time during that interview he struggles getting words out is when mentioning the Rockets...s-s-s-s-stuttering...

I wonder how much he got paid under the table to say that.

Right on time too...right after a lovely article comes out about the popularity of Rockets players in China "Rockets aren't contenders"

P-p-p-p-please

 

I don't understand why people are bashing him because you say Yao will play more in the playoffs.

You need to have a good regular season to have a good seeding. Every year the West is bunched up from 2-8. So with Yao minutes being limited and basically unknown I can see why some people don't think we are contenders.

That doesn't make them stupid.

 

unfortunatly I don´t think we have a real shot to win the title, yao playing big minutes come playoff time or not.

 

uh... woj is really going out on a limb there...

if Yao is limited to only 24 minutes in the postseason - we won't go very far...

the key is for yao to use this regular season to round into form so that come playoff time - we are ready to... DOMINATE.

(with yao playing about 35 minutes a game in the playoffs)

 

The Rockets have enough depth to win 50+ games with Yao playing 24 minutes, the goal is to get into the playoffs with a healthy and fresh Yao ready to play 30-35 minutes. Kinda like what the Spurs do

 

Woj is absolutely right. Unless we make a trade for a superstar, we are 2nd round fodders at best.

Even with Yao playing 48 mins. and play every single game, we aren't contenders.

 

Opinions are just opinions. I say let the games be played, then we shall see.

 

no one said in this board that this current team can win a champ
seems like everytime we start to enjoy something, there must be someone (either a reader or a writer like Woj) who likes to spoil all this

even Morey himself said that the goal is to make the playoffs

 

How do you know that the rockets are going to make the playoffs? You sound pretty sure. The season hasn't even started, enlighten me Nostradamus.

 

The whole point of the 24 minute limit is so Yao doesn't get injured again. I don't recall Morey or Adelman giving a straight answer that Yao will be playing 30 or so minutes in the postseason again.

 

Yao is not going to go from 20-24 minutes in the regular season to 32+ minutes in the playoffs. His body won't be accustomed to it and it will greatly increase the chances of injury.

 

That's true... but that's probably why they'll increase his minutes slowly getting to later in the season if in fact the Rockets are in the playoff hunt. There's really no way to win playoff games if there are limits on how much your best player can play. You can't always win games with your role players, you have to have a superstar at tough times to bail you out. Being in the west, it doesn't get much easier.

 

If we can get into the playoffs with a high seed and a healthy Yao, I say that 24 minute per game **** goes out the window.

Otherwise, he's probably right.

 

Why not? If he's still okay 8 months from now, his foot is going to be okay. That's not to say he won't break an ankle, but that could happen to anyone. I'm sure they're going to monitor his foot VERY closely and often with the latest in MRI/X-Ray technology. No more just asking Yao how he feels. I'm pretty sure Yao can have his lungs ready to run at 40 minutes a night, especially with a day off between playoff games.

 

Yao will be around 30mpg by the All star break.

DD

 

I tend to agree with the article and Yao needs to play more.

Rockets need to understand that Yao is injured not because he play too many minutes, but because he didn't get the rest properly. There is a DIFFERENCE there! They simply overplayed him like even past the 1st quarter. Yao need to rest at around 8mins into the 1st quarter not past the 1st quarter. If you rest him properly, he should be able to play like the minutes he normally does without getting tired and therefore prone to injure.

 

want to bet we dont make it to WCF? thought so, that means we arent contenders.... you hater.

 

Yes........the 12-15 minute playing straight needs to stop, especially regular season.

 

As long as he's healthy the Rockets are contenders. I'll take a 24 minutes Yao over Bynum, Shaq, Perkins and whoever the Heat start. Notice I didn't mention Dwight Howard.