Right now the offense is run through Francis! SF is good, but he'll never be great. That's the bottom line.
Interesting. If Rockets had selected LeBron as #1 pick, Francis would be in Boston know! SF and PP, not bad backcourt...
Let's see: Lebron plays 40.3 minutes per game, averages 17 shots per game at 42.5%, shoots 76.3% FT, playing (as a PG) against players up to 9 inches shorter than him and is #1 option on a team that is 8 - 19. Yao plays 34.0 minutes per game, averages 11.5 shots per game at 50.2%, shoots, shoots 75.8% FT, playing (as a C) against players up to 6 inches shorter than him with occasional double/triple teams and is #3 option (Cat/SF fans don't like to acknowledge this but the fact is, he takes 2 more shots per game than Yao) on a team that is 15 - 11. Let's now suppose Yao also takes 17 shots per game (he's actually at a disadvantage here because he only takes 2's and not 3's): 17 shots * 2 points per shot * 0.502 = 17.068 + 6 FT (157/26 games) * 0.758 = 4.55 --------------------------------------------------------------- 21.6 PPG OMG Now do I really need to talk about the defensive side of the coin? So yes you've definitely proved beyond a shadow of a doubt Lebron is better than Yao. The most you can say is this comparison is inconclusive.
Are you stupid or something? Lebron doesn't need help to do what? Put his team in the basement where they started? Anyone who watches more than 1 Rockets game per year knows Yao's growth is actually prevented by Cat and Steve. Or that it'll be a miracle if he gets a call from the refs even in H-town.
Both Lebron and Yao play different positions. Yao is getting double team constantly. Lebron never gets double and so he always can do whatever he wants. And taking more shots too. So you can't compare them. Yao is a better player in my book simply because he change the way you play both offensively and defensively. Lebron can't do that.
Personally, I'm grateful we won the #1 pick when we did. Lebron's met the hype, which is incredible, and I will enjoy watching his career unfold. But that doesn't lessen for me the significance of the Rockets landing a franchise center. Don't know how Yao will end up, but I'm very glad we have him.
Yeah, why don't you put your great player on the court all by himself against 5 other players see if he needs help. That is the dumpest statment I ever heard. Without your teammate supporting you, you are nobody and you go nowhere. PERIOD.
Well, first Lebron is taking more shots from the outside than Yao so that would reflect the lower FG% for him and just about any guard when you compare them to a PF or C. Secondly, if you put Yao in the NBA when he was 18 years old he would not be putting up the same numbers he is putting up now. Lebron is putting up numbers that the NBA has yet to see for a player his age and at his postion. I'm actually interested to see what a 23 year old Lebron will be able to do. Again, I'm not bashing Yao, I just think that Lebron is on a differently talent level than him and just about the entire NBA including Kobe and McGraddy.
James is certainly a great player, but until his team starts winning I don't really care whether he is better or not.
When you play the Spurs, the other four players don't have to help Duncan outplay his man. His teammates don't have to make the game easier for HIM. He makes the game easier for THEM. Same with Shaq, Jordan, etc. Yao needs his teammates to make the game easier for him in order for him to put up big numbers. Say what you want but how many times have people complained that SF or CM needs to make the pass a certain way or at a certain time and the JVG has to coach a certain way or that the other players ned to play a certain way and then Yao could be effective. The great ones don't need that kind of help. Just put them in the game and they make an impact.
a team will always take a talented big man over a talented 2, say hakeem vs mj ... now yao is no hakeem but he is the 2nd best center in the nba, and most likely the most skilled center in the nba. i'd take yao over labron, now i'd love to have a labron james on my team ... but you need to build around the post if possible. don't mention the bulls ... mj is a very different player and as a gm i don't think you can predict ones leadership ability or desire to win in a prospective player. with a 2nd pick either a distributor or scorer ... which labron is both, i'd take him over a franchise or a kid, but that is still a gamble ... he's early into his career but the potential is there, make that pick.
It's not about who the better player is. Yao may very well become a dominant center. The problem is that LeBron would fit much better with Steve and Cat than Yao. Yao is an old school, slow and methodical type. It's just not a good fit with Franchise and Cat. A perimeter of Cat, Steve and LeBron with Cato and MoTaylor would be just FUN to watch!
If Yao and Lebron came out in the same year, LeBron would have been number 1. Period. Cleveland took the talented perimeter player - LeBron over the talented Big Man - Darko. And I'm guessing that Detroit is wishing they had done the same and drafted Carmelo.
I agree with this, then the Rockets would sale out every home game, reach playoff every year, but never go beyond the second round, just like Don Nelson's Warriors. --daoshi
