Does anyone else notice that once Yao is out of the ball game that the rest of the Rockets play harder? Specifically, Steve Francis, Catino Mobley, and Taylor seem to increase their intensity once Yao is out of the game. Expecially on the defensive end. Possibly, these three players are trying to make: 1) Van Gundy’s system look ineffective 2) Making it seem like they would play better without having Yao on the floor. This isn’t just based on a game or two but something I notice over a series of games that I have watched. It’s an interesting trend…lets see what happens…for the rest of the year.
I think it's a possibility. I mean lets face it... the Rockets were Francis', Mobley's, and Taylor's team. These were the 3 main forces on the team prior to Yao. Once Yao has come in... 1) Taylor has gone into the shadow and now Cato is starting. 2) Mobley is told to stop shooting and be more of a defensive player. 3) Francis is told to be more of a pass first point guard. Having Yao on the team overshadows all three of these players in some form or another.
You know what, it's the season of giving, so I'll open this back up and, instead of shutting it, I'll just explain why this "theory" is baloney. You have absolutely no credible evidence that this is the case, first off. Second, Steve Francis was mic'ed tonight and CLEARLY was supporting Yao the whole time. Most importantly, Van Gundy has control over this team. He exerts it consistently and it is obvious in every game. There is NO WAY guys are dogging it when Yao is in there and playing well when he is out just to look good or make Yao look bad. It is not only illogical, it is completely implausible. Besides, at the end of the game Yao was out there hugging Mo and Steve and smiling ear to ear even though he missed most of the fourth due to foul trouble. Since all he cared about was the outcome, it stands to reason it is all we should care about too.
It's called CHEMISTRY. Steve, Cat, Cato and MoT like YAo, they want him to succeed, they listen to JVG, it's just that their styles of play are incompatible. Yao is slow, methodical, smart and old-school. The other four are athletic, impulsive, rhytmic players. Too bad... I wish we had LeBron
The group of Steve, Cat, Cato and MoT went nowhere before Yao came in. I wish they blend well together.
Hey the BS Patrol is out. 1) I have yet to see a game this year (maybe a slight exaggeration, but damn close) in which Cuttino Mobley does not talk to Yao and tell him what went wrong on a play in which one of them screwed up. He's always giving Yao pats on the back and words of encouragement. Always. 2) Steve was mic'd and there's a thread where he is shouting encouragement to Yao and telling him to ask for the ball more. I keep Rockets highlights on my hard drive from nearly every game and it is rare that Francis does not congratulate Yao in some manner after Yao does something good. Whether it be a chest bump, a high five, or a pat on the butt, he's there. 3) This was never Mo Taylor's team. I'm not sure where in the hell you got that from. This team was passed on from Hakeem, Barkley, and Clyde straight to Cat and Francis. 4) If they wanted to make it seem like the system is better without Yao on the floor, then they wouldn't have bothered taking a 10-15 or so point lead for most of the entire first half with Yao playing. 5) One of the reasons you may perceive an increased intensity once Yao is out is because when he is in, the offense revolves around getting him the ball first if possible. When he's out, the game picks up pace because now it becomes a small-man-oriented attack. Francis, Cuttino, JJ, and Mo Tay are quick and so, yes, you will see that intensity go up. In short, your conspiracy theory stinks, and I'd be embarrassed to post something like what you did on a Rockets BBS especially after the Rockets played one of their best games of the year against arguably the best team in basketball on that team's home court. Now conspiratorize that.
Thank you Jeff... I knew you had a heart... Although I am now becoming more infamous by the second (yes i seem to have an inflated sense of self importance) Humm...this forum is a tough room even on Christmas...woops..I guess it's day after Christmas now..let the bashing return.
It is obvious the success of this game was in both the first and fourth quarters, whereas we were moving the ball well. The players who did not have the ball kept moving during those two quarters with or without Yao on the court. This was and will continue to be the key, not the Yao conspiracy, of our success. The thrid quarter was obviously our worst quarter because we were confused in the defensive end by Kobe. Nobody seemed to take the assignment against him. Cat was probably still affected by the flu; and he was not playing the best among the starters. Cat defended Kobe well in the first half; and then in the third quarter, he seemed to be slow to catch up Kobe. Yao often went to rescue, but a step too slow. As a result, he got into foul trouble. Of course, the ref was helping too. At least, in one foul (the fourth or the fifth foul), the replay clearly showed Kobe elbowed Yao's chest hard before he rolled the ball toward the basket. Yao's arms were up and had absolutely no contact against Kobe. But Yao got called foul. On the other hand, we were just watching the ball handler ISO all the time. Absolutely no ball movement. That was also why we turned over so many times. Nobody came close to help the ball handler even though there were times he was trapped. During the third quarter when Francis had the ball, he was trapped without help. When Yao had the ball, Shaq played physical (sometimes with a little bit of foul), there were no movement either. This game actually provides a big contract of our playing styles. The first quarter was the new successful JVG style. The fourth quarter was the successful old style. The third quarter was a bad transitional mixed, JVG Rudy style. We our team looked back the video of this game, they should know what will bring them success.
I see your point, and i see that cat, steve and mo click together rather nicely, but i think it is because of the years they've been together, once yao plays a few more years for the rockets, just like mo, steve, and cat, they will play the game in a much smoother flow just like it seemed with the three tonight.
Granted, I haven't been able to see many Rocket games this season, but if they can bring that type of energy that they brought last night, they are going to be in every game - winning most of the time. For them to have that type of energy, everyone has to be involved. In other words, it is a team effort. And as others have pointed out, all I saw last night was constant encouragement towards Yao by Mobley, Francis, JJ, etc. And what started out as a game that I felt for sure would be turned off by halftime, turned out to be a nice final Christmas present. Now if the Rockets can only play like that every game, I doubt you will see many people complaining in here. Wait a minute - this thread exemplifies that I could be wrong about that thought.
Trepi. I can understand where you are coming from but I would like to point out that JVG is a smart Coach, he would have noticed this by now , if it was going on. He would have already taken action ,to correct this by now! Its just logical thinking.
